Sauteed Chicken Hearts
I fell in love with chicken hearts at a Brazilian restaurant. If you like dark meat chicken, you should try them - very rich and meaty!
I fell in love with chicken hearts at a Brazilian restaurant. If you like dark meat chicken, you should try them - very rich and meaty!
- Carbohydrate 2.790532 g
- Cholesterol 1.6592 mg
- Fat 5.573486 g
- Fiber 0.359499990940094 g
- Protein 0.50582 g
- Saturated Fat 0.786718 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (25g)
- Sodium 4.7168 mg
- Sugar 2.43103200905991 g
- Trans Fat 0.182696000000001 g
- Calories 62 calories
Step-by-step
- Marinate (optional): combine the garlic, olive oil, and salt/pepper in a bag and add the chicken hearts; marinate for 2-3 hours.
- Saute the leek or onion and additional garlic (if you love garlic like I do...) in olive oil until soft.
- Add the chicken hearts and saute over medium heat until done, stirring occasionally.
- Alternatively, saute chicken hearts halfway and finish in the broiler.
- Can also be cooked on skewers on the grill.
- Cooked chicken hearts will be brown throughout; cook just like you would chicken thighs.
Deeply savory chicken hearts yield a rich profile similar to dark meat poultry when properly browned throughout. Managing moisture requires high initial heat during the saute to prevent steaming. Overcooking destroys the natural tenderness, turning the dense muscle fiber rubbery within minutes. Monitor the internal doneness closely, removing the meat from the heat source the moment the center loses its pink hue.
Substitutions alter the final moisture balance significantly. When leeks are unavailable, standard yellow onions provide an equivalent allium profile at a 1:1 ratio, though onions release less natural sugar during caramelization. Shallots offer a sharper pungency that requires reducing the volume by half to maintain flavor equilibrium. Olive oil functions as the primary fat medium, but avocado oil tolerates higher heat thresholds if broiling or grilling methods replace stovetop pan-frying.
Marinating the protein for two to three hours introduces acidity that breaks down exterior fibers. Drain excess liquid thoroughly before introducing the hearts to the hot pan surface to ensure proper searing rather than boiling.
