4 Best Chicken Liver Substitutes: The Best Ideas To Replace Chicken Livers

Offal meats, especially livers, are known as a healthy source of protein and essential nutrients.

If your recipe calls for chicken livers but you don’t have any, don’t worry, there are still many options to substitute for this ingredient.

We are going to cover all the possible chicken liver alternatives that work great in your next dish without making any significant change in flavor and texture.

What is chicken liver?

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A chicken liver is one of many types of organ meat of the chicken, and also the largest internal offal.

Every chicken has one liver that is dark red in color and turns brown when cooked.

It has a rich and earthy flavor and is packed with many essential vitamins and minerals that benefit our health in different ways, such as boosting our eye health and improving our immune system.

If you are not into eating other organ meats like kidneys, heart, or intestines, chicken livers will be a good choice.

Due to the small size and soft texture, chicken livers are easy to handle and take less time to cook.

Normally, the liver meat is sauteed, grilled, or ground with other ingredients to make pate or sandwich spread.

Can you substitute chicken liver in cooking recipes?

Yes, you can substitute chicken liver in different cooking recipes.

Although this offal meat is not as common as other cuts of chicken like chicken breasts or chicken thighs, it turns out to be a super meat option due to its flavorful taste and nutritious side.

There are not many recipes that call for chicken livers, typically grilling, sauteing, or making pate, so basically, all the chicken liver substitutes work well in all these recipes.

What can you substitute for chicken liver?

Check the following list of the best chicken liver substitutes that can work well in your next meal:

1. Turkey liver

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When it comes to flavor and texture, turkey is the closest option to chicken.

Therefore, turkey livers are the best substitute for chicken livers if you want to keep the flavor the same.

Turkey often has a larger size than chicken, and its liver is also bigger.

However, in terms of flavor and texture, it is very hard to point out any difference between chicken livers and turkey livers.

2. Duck liver

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Duck is another poultry meat that provides duck livers as a substitute for chicken livers.

Duck livers are larger and have a richer taste compared to chicken livers, but in general, they can work the same way in any recipe that calls for chicken livers like grilling, sauteing, and making pate.

Duck livers are also a bit more expensive than chicken livers, and not always available in your local grocery store or supermarket.

The best way to purchase some duck livers is to ask the butcher or farmer ahead to save some for you.

3. Goose liver

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You can also use goose livers to replace chicken livers in cooking recipes.

Goose livers are often larger and pricier than their chicken counterpart because it takes more time and effort to raise geese.

Goose livers have a buttery and very flavorful taste.

They are the main ingredient in the famous French dish called foie gras.

From simple ingredients like goose livers, French chefs turn it into a high-quality, delicious, and elegant delicacy that is served in many high-end restaurants.

4. Red meat liver (pork, beef)

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Our last option for a chicken liver substitute is pork or beef livers.

Pig and beef livers are much larger and have a more intense flavor compared to chicken livers.

Therefore, when using these chicken liver alternatives, you should adjust the quantity to not result in an overpowering flavor.

Moreover, one tip when cooking with red meat livers is to soak them in milk to remove any strong and unpleasant odor, as well as moisten the liver so that it won’t get dry after cooking.

The bottom line

Now you know that there are plenty of chicken liver substitutes out there that allow you to comfortably replace this ingredient in any cooking recipe.

Livers from cattle like pigs and cows might add an earthy and more intense tone while still being juicy in texture.

If you are looking for the closest alternatives to chicken livers, poultry livers from ducks, turkeys, or geese are the top choices.

What chicken liver substitute do you like the most? Let’s try it all and let us know your answer.