Rustic bistro comfort meets Louisiana flair in this Seared Chicken Livers with Pepper Jelly recipe from Chef Jean-Paul Bourgeois. Crispy toasted French bread, creamy cream cheese, and sweet-spicy pepper jelly pair perfectly with tender, pan-seared chicken livers. It’s a classic appetizer that’s big on flavor and perfect for sharing.
Seared Chicken Livers with Pepper Jelly
Author: Chef Jean-Paul Bourgeois
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil
- 1 loaf French bread, sliced
- 8 sprigs fresh rosemary, divided
- 1 pound fresh chicken livers, trimmed of any membrane
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- Toasted pepper jelly, candied jalapeños, and softened cream cheese, to serve
- Garnish: sliced green onion
Instructions
- On an oiled cast-iron griddle over medium heat, toast bread with 4 sprigs rosemary, turning as needed. Add additional vegetable oil, if needed, and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
- Pat the livers dry with paper towels. Cut them in half and then trim and discard any visible fat or green parts.
- In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, heat peanut oil over high heat until it shimmers, about 2 minutes.
- Sprinkle chicken livers with kosher salt and black pepper. Add livers to pan in one layer, and add thyme, and remaining 4 sprigs rosemary, shaking skillet to keep livers from sticking, turning once and adding salt and pepper and butter, until browned but slightly pink in the middle, about 3 minutes per side. Smaller livers will cook faster, so you should remove them as they finish cooking.
- Slather toasted bread slices with cream cheese, add chicken livers, and top with pepper jelly; garnish with green onion, if desired, and serve immediately.
Watch a how-to on this delectable dish here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNNi69looAQ
