Creamy Chicken Liver Pâté

This is the best Chicken Liver Pâté recipe. Creamy, packed with flavor and the perfect easy appetizer or snack served with crackers or crostini.

I’ve loved chicken liver pâté (any chicken livers, really) since I was a child, strangely enough since most children don’t like the thought of chicken livers. But I loved the creamy texture and savory flavor. My mom was the queen of making chicken liver pâté for all kinds of events and it was always the first dish to be gobbled up by guests.

Over the years I’ve perfected this recipe and made a few amendments to my mom’s classic 80’s pâté. I kept the sauteed onions, garlic, thyme and brandy but have added apples to the mix. An odd addition, it might seem, but the apples balance the rich, saltiness of the chicken liver pâté perfectly.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Chicken livers. I always buy ready-cleaned chicken livers but if yours have excess fat, etc. on them, make sure to trim those off before cooking.
• Onions. Shallots are a good alternative.
• Fresh garlic cloves.
• Apple. I use Granny Smith Apples. I love sautéing them with the onion and garlic. Apples add the perfect hint of sweetness without actually making the pâté sweet while also balancing any bitterness the chicken livers might have.
• Fresh thyme leaves/sprigs. Other herbs like bay leaves, sage and oregano also work well with chicken livers. Rosemary could work too but in small amounts as it can be quite overpowering.
• Brandy. Sherry, whisky or marsala can all be substituted. If you prefer cooking without alcohol, use apple juice and a teaspoon or two of Balsamic vinegar.
• Heavy cream.
• Butter. I always use salted butter but unsalted butter can also be used. The butter is a key ingredient in this recipe so I would suggest using the very best quality butter you can find.
• Salt and black pepper.

How to make chicken liver pâté

1. Sear the chicken livers in a large skillet or frying pan set over medium-high heat. I like to cook the chicken livers in avocado oil but you can use butter too. Do this in batches to prevent over-crowding the pan – you want a nice deeply golden crust on the chicken livers. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Sauté the onions, apples and garlic with the thyme in the same pan, scraping up any of the sticky bits left behind from the chicken livers (this is a huge flavor boost). Cook until soft and golden then add the chicken livers and any of their resting juices back into the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the brandy and (carefully) flambé or simply allow the alcohol to cook off for a few minutes.
3. Transfer the liver mixture to the bowl of a food processor (you can use a blender too) and add the cream. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add the softened butter, one tablespoon at a time, blending until the chicken liver pate is very smooth. At this stage, I often like to pass the pâté through a strainer but this is not a necessary step. It does give you a must smoother end result, of course, but not a step home cooks should feel obliged to do.
4. Transfer the pâté to ramekins (this recipe makes a generous amount of pâté. I used 3 large ramekins but you could do 6 smaller ramekins or make one large dish if you preferred). Pour over melted butter then add a sprig of thyme.  If you prefer to omit the melted butter, cover the pate with plastic wrap. Set in the fridge for at least 2 hours but ideally overnight. I photographed my pâté after 2 hours and you can see that it’s still very creamy but just set. For a firmer set, refrigerate for longer.
5. Serve with crackers or crostini with preserves. I like tomato and chilli preserves but most preserves will be delicious.

Can I make this ahead?

Yes! Creamy Chicken Liver Pâté is a great make-ahead recipe as it needs at least 2 hours to set in the fridge. The melted butter layer also preserves the pâté so it will last for up to a week in the fridge.

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