Sautéed Lemon-Garlic Chicken Liver & Onions (2024)

What’s Inside: Follow this nutrient-dense recipe tutorial for a boost of energy! Pasture-raised chicken livers are a superfood packed full of vitamins and minerals. Sautéed with garlic, onions, lemon juice, and more, this chicken liver recipe will turn anyone into a beLIVER! This recipe is Paleo, AIP-friendly, and Whole30-compliant.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “I have literally never found a liver recipe that I actually liked until now! This was so delicious, turned out great, and was easy to make too!” – Anjali

What Makes Liver a (Delicious) Superfood?

UH OH, I’m about to turn you into a beLIVER, and probably drop some more puns along the way. So, buckle up! Regardless of how you feel about the taste, texture, or appearance of eating liver, you’re reading this post for a reason. I have a feeling it’s because you either know or have been told that eating it regularly can be extremely healing, especially if you’re looking for new and delicious AIP recipes.

tip!As a nutritionist, I recommend including organ meats like liver in your diet regularly. Pasture-raised chicken liver is a great source for IRON, SELENIUM, ZINC, VITAMIN B12, FOLATE, and VITAMIN C. I source mine from Grass Roots Coop where they practice regenerative farming and have exceptional quality.

Liver is basically a powerhouse and not to be missed especially when you’re healing and using food as medicine. Eating chicken liver is a great holistic way to treat iron deficiencies. In fact, it’s a part of the Autoimmune Protocol, where so many of us can get so laser-focused on solely eliminations. We often forget about what we should be including to heal while we eliminate foods so we can then reintroduce later on!

I know what you’re thinking … “Can’t I just take a liver supplement?” Sure, you could supplement, but the best bio-available way is to actually eat it. Just like Vitamin D is great and helpful, wouldn’t it be better to get outside more? There are so many more benefits in the original form vs. a pill form as a general rule of thumb.

Why You Should Eat Chicken Liver for Iron Deficiency

Once upon a time, I hated the thought of eating liver like most people… but my health was in a downward spiral, losing hair (low on ferritin, which is stored iron)… anemic (low on iron)… exhausted… low on B12, you name it. Supplements were simply not cutting it because a whole food will always be more bio-available and easier to assimilate.

And, when it comes to iron, the body will be able to make better use of heme-iron (or iron that comes from hemoglobin, which is always from an animal source and not a plant source).

Chicken liver is a rich source of heme iron, packing in around 9.2 mg of iron per 2.5 oz. serving! For a reference point, chicken breast has barely 0.9 mg. Organ meat is highly nutrient-dense in comparison to its muscle meat counterparts (like thighs, breast, wings, etc.).

Learning this, and struggling so much with my health… I was opening my mind to trying it out. My husband begged me to let him cook it for me so I figured “why not”… and I was WOWED at how delicious it was and how powerful it was at turning around my lab markers, my energy, everything in such a short timeframe.

Some other high sources of heme iron include oysters (6.3 mg), mussels (5.0 mg), beef liver (4.8 mg), and pork liver (13.4 mg). (reference)

tip!Try eating liver once a week and see how it feels. And using this recipe, you may actually look forward to it!

How To Make This Liver & Onions Dish

This is my husband’s recipe and the same meal that made me a beLIVER. Now, we enjoy it as a family. (Yes even my 2-yr old toddler enjoys it!) It’s super simple and flexible. To make it, all you need is the following ingredients:

• Extra virgin olive oil for sautéing
• yellow onion and garlic, chopped small
• 1 lb. chicken livers, de-veined and rinsed (we like to clean it up with kitchen shears for better texture)
• Seasonings: sea salt, dried oregano, garlic powder
• White wine or bone broth for AIP for de-glazing
• 2 lemons, juiced, plus more for garnish
• Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish (optional)

See the 5 easy steps below for how to make this dish under each image!

Serving Suggestions

I love serving these sautéed lemon-garlic chicken livers with some lemon wedges and chopped parsley as an appetizer or entrée with any of these recipes on the side:

• Easy Broccoli Rice
• Mashed Cauliflower
• Sautéed Garlic Kale
• Spaghetti Squash
• Zucchini Fries
• Roasted Ranch Sweet Potatoes

Storage, Freezing, and Reheating Suggestions

• Store any leftover chicken livers in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freeze these cooked chicken livers for up to 4 months in an airtight, freezer-safe container or plastic bag. Be aware that the texture will likely change while thawing, so these are best enjoyed fresh.
• Reheat in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through, being careful not to overcook them.

More AIP Recipes To Try

• Grilled Picanha Steak and Vegetables
• Paleo Carne Asada Bowl
• Easy Paleo Ground Chicken Taco Salad
• Juicy Grilled Pork Chops with Pineapple Salsa
• 20-Minute Egg Roll Skillet

Planning to try it out? Let me know in the comments below!

Video: How To Make The Recipe

This recipe was made in partnership withGrass Roots Coop. As always, I only recommend and partner with brands I trust and use myself.

-Alison Marras