Chicken liver pate

Creamy, tasty, and easy to make, this chicken liver pate recipe has become a staple in our home. It’s delicious, packed with goodies for your body to thrive, and perfect for kids, too! Simply spread it on a slice of bread or crostini, pair it with cheese and pickled veggies, and serve it as an appetizer.

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Why you’ll love this recipe

As a busy mom, I love having something I can quickly spread on a slice of bread or two to satisfy my hunger. This is why you can often find chicken liver pate in our fridge. Besides being delicious, it’s also nutritious and definitely not hard to make.

If you want to make something different for your friends and family, or have never tried pate before, I recommend you give it a go. Not everyone likes it, but you never know until you try. Plus, pate can taste very different from one recipe to another. So, if you didn’t like it the first time you tried it, that doesn’t mean you won’t like it now.

What is pate?

Pâté is a French word for spread. It’s typically made with liver from meats such as duck, pork, or chicken and is seasoned with added herbs and spices, used as a spread on bread or crackers.

Ingredients notes

Liver. Use chicken, duck, or even pork liver, but keep in mind they all have their own specific taste. If you’ve never had pate before, I recommend starting with chicken or duck liver.

Cognac or brandy. Adding liquor is not absolutely necessary, but it adds flavor and texture to the dish.

Dates. Adding a bit of sweetness complements the flavor of the pate. Dates don’t add just sweetness but also flavor, which pairs really well with the rest of the ingredients.

Butter. Some people add cream. I like to add butter for extra creamy consistency.

How to make chicken liver pate

Note! For exact measurements and detailed directions, see the recipe card below.

• Chop the onion and garlic. Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the onion.

• Once the onion is soft and starts to brown, add the garlic. Cook for a minute, then mix in the thyme. Add the liver and cook for 5 minutes.

• Add the chicken stock and continue cooking over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 15 more minutes. Lastly, add the cognac or brandy, salt, and black pepper and cook until almost all the liquid is gone, but not all.

• Make sure to have some liquid at the bottom of the pan, which is important for the consistency when blended. Transfer the cooked liver to a food processor, and add the butter and dates.

• Blend until creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning. If it feels too thick, add chicken stock a bit at a time. It should resemble the consistency of hummus, thick but spreadable. Transfer to a jar and refrigerate for at least two hours.

• (Optional): Once you transfer the pate to a container or a jar, you can pour some melted butter on top, which prevents the top from turning a bit dark, which is totally fine and normal, by the way. But if you want to gift it, having that layer on top just makes it look better.

I always suggest following the recipe’s exact ingredients and directions. Be careful when substituting or adding many ingredients, as this can change the flavor profile or texture.

Storage and reheating

Store chicken liver pate sealed in the fridge for up to 5 days. To freeze, wrap it well in plastic wrap, and you can even double-wrap it with foil or place it in a Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months. You can also freeze smaller portions and defrost as much as you need. Defrost slowly in the fridge. Don’t refreeze, as it may change the texture.

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Let’s connect!

I would love to connect with you! Let me know if you try this recipe, and please leave a review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for others to see, which also helps people find the recipe.

You can also tag me on Instagram, I would love to see your creations. Pin this recipe to your Pinterest board so you can always find it, and follow me there for more recipes like this.