French-style coriander Chicken Liver with Honey Glazed Pears – an easy dinner recipe, ready in 30 minutes. The gentle sweetness from conference pears hugs the butter-y softness of the chicken liver. Made with either fresh or frozen (then thawed) chicken liver. Kid-approved. Mediterranean cuisine.
Today we are preparing an easy French chicken liver, glazed in pear sauce. So sweet and butter-y tender, this quick dinner recipe can be served on busy workdays, parties or special occasions. In true French manner, its pretty simple to prepare, yet look sophisticated enough for a restaurant menu. For this recipe I use French slow grown chicken livers (frozen and then thawed before cooking.
If you like liver dished, check out my recipe for Beef Liver Steak. It’s really something.
FUN FACTS: In French cuisine, chicken livers have been praised for their versatility, used in both rustic and refined dishes. The history of French chicken liver dishes is closely linked to the broader tradition of using offal (organ meats), which dates back to ancient times when no part of an animal was wasted. Peasants relied on inexpensive cuts, including chicken livers, to serve on the table, cooked in various ways. In the 17th and 18th centuries, as French culinary techniques became more sophisticated, cooks in noble households developed new methods for preparing liver, including smoother pâtés and terrines. Often luxurious ingredients like truffles or cognac were used to complement the dish. With the rise of the French bistro culture, chicken liver dishes also found a place in French fine dining, offering a balance between rustic tradition and rich flavors.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- French Chicken liver – fresh or frozen. If frozen, thaw the overnight before cooking
- Pears – preferably conference pear variety – or another sweet pear variety with strong skin and soft and sweet flesh
- Honey – can be replaced with sugar if needed
- Butter – can be replaced with vegetable oil, duck fat or even pork lard
- Seasoning: coriander powder, cumin powder, sea salt to taste
How to cook chicken liver?
1st: Sauté cleaned and sliced pears in butter and honey under a lid – on low heat. Transfer to a separate bowl.
2nd: Sauté chicken liver in the pear-butter sauce under a lid. Add more butter as needed. Season well to taste and serve alongside pears.
TIP: HOW TO KNOW WHEN CHICKEN LIVER IS COOKED? That’s easy – when chicken liver is pierced with fork no bloody sauce can be visible coming out of it. Chicken liver changes color when cooked – from bright lilac to dark, almost brownish.
Coriander Chicken Liver with Honey Glazed Pears
Ingredients
- 400 g fresh chicken liver
- 1 large pear, (conference variety is best)
- 3 tbsp. butter, or more as needed
- 1 tbsp. honey, or brown sugar
- 1/3 tsp. coriander powder
- 1/3 tsp. cumin powder
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
- First, slice the pear in sticks, remove the seeds. Place into sauce pan together with butter and honey. Raise temperature to medium and close the lid.
- Sauté pears while frequently stirring until they change color and become softer (approx. 5-10 minutes on my stovetop).
- Next, remove pears from pan, leaving the pear sauce in. Then place the chicken liver in the pan (add a tbsp. or 2 of butter if needed) and let chicken liver simmer in the leftover pear sauce – under a lid.
- Stir frequently and gently until chicken liver is fully cooked (approx.10-20 minutes on my stove top). Remove from stovetop and season with cumin, coriander and salt.
- Finally, serve chicken liver immediately with some honey glazed pears and potato puree on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
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Great!