Braised Chicken Gizzards with Onions
This Chicken Gizzards braised with onions recipe is deliciously flavored with fresh herbs and spices. Serve this tasty dish with rice or farro for a perfect weeknight dinner.
Chicken gizzards are not a favorite meal for many people. This type of chicken cut is reasonably priced and sometimes forgotten. Cleaning and cooking may be an obstacle. It is best to use a pressure cooker to soften the meat for cooking the gizzards.
What is Chicken Gizzard?
Gizzard is a type of muscle found in the digestive tract of a chicken.
Are Chicken Gizzards an unusual food?
Like many other foods, gizzards are labeled as “special day foods.” This is usually done by mothers who want their kids to have proper nutrition. For example, pizza and seafood are typically enjoyed on Fridays. Bouillon or soup in the Caribbean is eaten on Saturdays. So when did you last see gizzards as a Tuesday food, for example? I never bet, right?
Several foods or meat cuts are not cooked at home because people don’t prepare them.
Gizzards are usually sold as street food in many countries and the Caribbean. It is considered dark meat and has a lot of flavors. You can find it fried with a mixture of onions and hot peppers, french fries, or fried plantains as a complete meal.
How to Clean Chicken Gizzards
It is always good to know how to clean gizzards. First, you must remove any yellowish skin layer on the inner sac. The inner sac will come off quickly with a pairing knife.
The second step is to thoroughly wash the gizzards under running water, with lemon or vinegar water, and proceed with the recipe. It is that simple!

Are Chicken Gizzards budget-friendly?
A Chicken Gizzard dish is cheap to make because gizzards are not expensive to buy. I usually find a 2-pound gizzard platter for less than $5. And if I am lucky, I can even buy two packs for $5. That is a bargain!
Gizzard dishes are very common in several parts of the world. Gizzards are boiled, fried, grilled, stewed, or skewered. They are also eaten as a snack, appetizer, street food, or party food.
Chicken Gizzards health benefits and cooking ways
Gizzards are one of the most nutritious parts of the chicken. They are an excellent source of selenium, B12, zinc, iron, and other vitamins and minerals. They also help curb hunger due to their high protein content.
How to serve Chicken Gizzards
Chicken Gizzards are served with many types of grains. Rice, polenta, and bulgur wheat are some of the grains you will usually find. The grains are cooked with simple seasonings, herbs, and beans.
It is not common to find pasta as a side dish. Add a cucumber or carrot salad, and the meal is complete—a healthy dinner to serve your family.

Notes: By pre-cleaned chicken, gizzards to save time. Remove any leftover membrane and clean with lime juice or vinegar, then rinse with cold water.
Chicken Gizzards with Onions
Ingredients
- 1.5 to 2 lb Chicken Gizzards cleaned with lime or vinegar
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp parsley chopped
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp sea salt or regular salt
- 1/2 tsp ground sage
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp Fresh Lime or Lemon Juice
- Hot water
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 large White Onion sliced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- dash of red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl add cleaned chicken gizzards, garlic, parsley, black pepper, salt, ground sage, cumin, lime or lemon juice and apple cider vinegar. Mix all ingredients and let marinate for about 30 minutes.
- In a pressure cooker add gizzards with marinade and enough water to cover meat. Cook for 25 minutes or until fully cooked.
- In a skillet, add olive oil and tomato paste. Stir while cooking to blend the tomato paste with the oil. Add gizzards and let cook with tomato paste so they could get brown a little – about 3 – 4 minutes on low heat. Add onions and cook for 2 more minutes. Add about 1/2 to 1 cup leftover water from boiled gizzards and more water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper and hot pepper flakes to taste. Cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes and serve with rice and salad.
- Add about 1/2 to 1 cup of cooking liquid from the gizzards and more hot water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper and hot pepper flakes to taste. Cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes and serve with rice and salad.
Nutrition
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Nutrition info is automatically generated and provided as a courtesy and as an estimate only.
Corn Allergy:
Always choose ingredients without corn or corn derivatives.
Recipe and post originally published on 9/13/2013.