This delicious fried chicken hearts recipe flavored with curry powder and other flavorful spices is a must-try!! It is easy to make, nutritious, paleo, whole-30, keto-friendly, and will definitely make you fall in love with organ meat.
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I definitely love my chicken and have a feeling that I am not alone on this one! If you are riding in the same boat as I am then you certainly want to check out this mascarpone chicken or easy oven drumsticks recipe.
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Why you will love this recipe
- Tasty - it combines the wonderful flavors of curry and other spices that you will love! If you have not had organ meat before then this is a nice way to try it!
- Special-diet friendly: this simple chicken heart recipe can perfectly be eaten by those on a low-carb diet. Each portion has only 3g net carbs so it can still perfectly fit into a meal for those on a keto or low carb diet. It is also, paleo-friendly, whole-30 compliant, dairy-free, and does not use any wheat making it gluten-free. This means you can also enjoy it, If you have food allergies.
- Simple and easy-to-make: this is an easy pan-fried recipe that will only take you 15 minutes to make.
- Environmentally-friendly: Did you know that eating organ meat is more environmentally friendly? A study on the German meat industry found that eating organ meat could reduce the country's livestock emissions by up to 14 percent.
How do chicken hearts taste like?
Chicken hearts totally taste and even smell like chicken. The only difference is that they are slightly musky and chewy (picture something between the taste of duck breasts and venison). This means that you most certainly do not have to worry about the taste if you have not had them before.
Where To Buy
You will find chicken hearts at your local supermarket. In the US, chicken hearts are normally packaged together with gizzards. If you would like to have chicken hearts only, then it is better to try asking at your local butcher, or local farmers market. They normally network with their peers and should be able to refer you to a suitable vendor. You can also find chicken hearts in Hispanic, Asian, and African shops or markets.
You can also buy chicken hearts online. The best way to go about this is to use a search engine then type the question "buy chicken hearts near me".
Ingredient Summary
Here are the ingredients you will need (the full ingredients and recipe video are provided in the recipe card below):
- Raw chicken hearts - you can get these from your local farmer's market, online, or in supermarkets. You can also find them at Asian, Hispanic, and African shops.
- Olive oil - or your preferred cooking oil for pan-frying the chicken hearts. You can also use avocado or coconut oil, especially if on a low carb or keto diet.
- Seasoning - salt, ground turmeric, cumin powder, curry powder and ground paprika.
- Vegetables - spring onions (scallions), crushed garlic and ginger, and one tomato.
How To Make Fried Chicken Hearts
I know that cooking chicken hearts or any organ meat for that matter can be very intimidating. However, fear not as this is a very simple recipe that even a beginner can make.
- Finely slice the spring onion (scallions) and slice the tomatoes into huge chunks, then set aside.
- Clean the chicken hearts and trim off any excess fat (see the FAQ segment below). Next, boil the chicken hearts in a pot of boiling water for 10 minutes, discard the frothy hot water, sieve then set aside. Heat olive oil in a medium-sized pan or skillet, add the chicken hearts and scallions (spring onion), crushed garlic and ginger, then fry.
- Stir in the salt, ground turmeric, cumin powder, curry powder and ground paprika, then combine. Pan-fry for about 5 minutes, covered. Add the tomato chunks and cook for a further two minutes. Garnish with some sliced spring onions and serve.
Useful Tips and What to Serve With
- Chicken hearts get chewy when cooked for too long. Boil chicken hearts for frying for 7-10 minutes, per 500 grams (about 1 lb), taking care not to overboil.
- You can use store-bought garlic and ginger paste, but keep an eye on the ingredients for added sugars if on a low-carb diet.
- As a variation, use chopped chives, cilantro (coriander) or parsley, to garnish.
I like to serve these fried chicken hearts with ugali, polenta, pap, cauliflower mashed potatoes, cauliflower rice, or some kachumbari salad. It also pairs up well with regular rice.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
Most certainly. Due to their high fat and low-carb content, chicken hearts can perfectly be incorporated into the Keto and low carb diets. As an example, a serving of this simple keto chicken hearts recipe has 19g of protein and 7 g of net carbs (9g carbs and 2 g fiber)!! Most low carb and Keto diets recommend staying between 30g and 50g net carbs per day.
You can use either of the two methods below to clean chicken hearts:
Method 1: probably the easiest method, this involves transferring the chicken hearts to a colander and cleaning the pieces under running water until clean.
Method 2: you can also clean them by washing them in a bowl that has been filled with water and a tablespoon of white vinegar or the juice of half a lemon and rinsing until clean (about 2-3 times).
Cut the chicken hearts lengthwise then into quarters, remove the arteries, excess fat, and squeeze out any excess blood that may have been trapped between ventricles. Alternatively, use a pair of sharp scissors or a knife to cut off about a quarter from the top (wider part of the chicken heart). This is the part bearing most of the excess fat, the arteries, and the aorta. The reason you want to remove the arteries, including the aorta, is because this tends to be chewy once cooked. Finally, squeeze off excess blood from the veins then rinse a couple of times with water.
They are not only a rich source of iron, selenium, zinc, and folate but a great source of coenzyme Q10 as well, an enzyme that can aid in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. They are additionally a great source of vitamins.
In bodybuilding, chicken hearts are increasingly growing in popularity. This is because they tend to be nutrient-dense, supplying the body with key nutrients like iron, selenium, vitamin B-12, zinc, and co-enzyme B12. They are also more affordable than the classic cuts of meat. See the following nutritional information provided by the USDA.
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This recipe has been improved and updated with recipe step photos.
📖 Recipe
Simple chicken hearts recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 300 g chicken hearts (about 0.6 lb)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil (or your preferred choice of cooking oil)
- 1 tablespoon crushed garlic and ginger
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder optional
- ½ teaspoon salt or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon ground paprika (sweet or smoky)
- 3 stems spring onion (and some more to garnish)
- 1 tomato (optional - to garnish)
Instructions
- Finely slice the spring onions (scallions) and slice the tomatoes into huge chunks, then set aside.
- Clean the chicken hearts and trim off any excess fat (see notes on how to clean). Next, boil the chicken hearts in a pot of boiling water for 10 minutes, discard the frothy hot water, sieve then set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a medium-sized pan or skillet, add the chicken hearts and scallions (spring onions), crushed garlic and ginger, then combine.300 g chicken hearts, 1 tablespoon crushed garlic and ginger, 3 stems spring onion, 2 tablespoon olive oil
- Add in the salt, ground turmeric, cumin powder, curry powder, ground paprika, then combine and fry for five minutes. Add the tomato chunks, cook for a further two minutes then garnish with some sliced spring onions.½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon curry powder, ½ teaspoon ground paprika, 1 tomato
- Serve the fried chicken hearts with pap, polenta, rice, cauliflower rice, or mash.
Video
Notes
- Method 1: probably the easiest method, this involves transferring the chicken hearts to a colander and cleaning the pieces under running water until clean.
- Method 2: you can also clean them by washing them in a bowl that has been filled with water and a tablespoon of white vinegar or the juice of half a lemon and rinsing until clean (about 2-3 times).
- Always wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling chicken hearts, or any type of organ meat. Work surfaces should also be properly cleaned and sanitized.
- Chicken hearts tend to turn chewy when cooked for too long. Boil chicken hearts for frying for 7-10 minutes, per 500 grams (about 1 lb).
- You can use store-bought garlic and ginger paste, but keep an eye on the ingredients for added sugars if on a low-carb diet.
- As a variation, use chopped chives, cilantro (coriander) or parsley, to garnish.
Nutrition
Let me know in the comments section if you enjoy eating organ meat. If yes, how do you prepare yours? Let's keep the conversation going. I love to see your creations!!!
Kelly
I’m really enjoying chicken hearts! Thank you for the new recipe idea; I can’t wait to try!!! For people who haven’t tried them, i would describe the texture close to squid.
Kate Hahnel
thank you very much! Chicken hearts are such a good source of protein and I believe that more people should try them.
Tavo
What an interesting recipe! I have never tried it but looking into trying new things!
Kate Hahnel
I hope you will get to try them soon.
Irena Macri
Love a good offal recipe. To be honest, we only had chicken livers but I loved the idea of all those spices and we followed the recipe with the liver. Turned out great. Next time I will pick up some hearts. Thanks!
Jessie
Organ meat often gets a bad wrap, but these chicken hearts were just delicious! Full of yummy gamey flavor!
Kate Hahnel
So sad so many people don't give them a chance. Glad you tried and loved them!
Vanessa
thanks for this super easy recipe! I was a bit scared before trying it as never had hearts before but it's great!
Kate Hahnel
I know what you mean. Chicken hearts can be a bit intimidating but they are very tasty and easy to prepare once you try!
Denay DeGuzman
My cousin just made this recipe and told me how awesome it was. So flavorful! I'm so happy she shared it with me.
Kate Hahnel
Happy you enjoyed them!!
Laura
Do you think duck hearts will work? The farmer I get meat from was out of chicken hearts but they have duck hearts.
Kate Hahnel
Hi Laura. Yes, you can also use duck. I have never tried them but it should be fine. Let me know how it goes.
Maureen
Very tasty and nutritious
Kate Hahnel
YES, you are right. Nutritious indeed! I wish more people knew about organ meat.