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5.0 from 57 votes

Chicken Liver with Onion and Pepper (爆炒鸡肝)

Introducing a recipe for Chinese chicken liver with onion and pepper that yields extra tender liver, crunchy peppers, and a super flavorful sauce. It is a cheap way to cook up an inexpensive, delicious, and nutritious dinner that is loaded with healthy protein and plenty of veggies. {Gluten-Free adaptable}To make the dish gluten-free, use dry sherry to replace the Shaoxing wine. And use tamari to replace the soy sauce.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 259 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

Marinating
  • 12 oz chicken liver , sliced to 1/4” (1/2 cm) pieces (*Footnote 1)
  • 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch (*Footnote 2)
Sauce
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground sichuan peppercorns (or ground black pepper)
Stir fry
  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 3 cloves garlic , minced
  • 2 teaspoons minced ginger
  • 1/2 onion , sliced to bite-size pieces
  • 1 bell pepper (or sweet pepper, or both) , sliced to bite-size pieces
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Instructions

Marinate the liver
    Cup of Yum
  1. Add the chicken liver to a medium-sized bowl. Drain off any excess liquid. Add the Shaoxing wine and salt. Gently mix well with your hand (*Footnote 3). Sprinkle with the cornstarch. Mix again to coat the liver evenly.
Mix the sauce
  1. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Stir to mix well.
To make the stir fry
  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Spread the sliced chicken liver without overlapping. Cook for 1 minute without touching, until the bottom turns golden brown. Flip to cook the other side, 1 minute or so, until just cooked through. Let it cook a bit longer if you still see blood seeping out. Transfer the cooked liver to a plate and set aside.
  2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the garlic and ginger. Stir a few times to release the fragrance.
  3. Add the onion. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
  4. Return the cooked liver to the pan and add the pepper. Stir the sauce again until the cornstarch is dissolved completely. Pour it into the pan. Stir and cook until the sauce thickens and coats the ingredients evenly.
  5. Turn off the heat and swirl in the sesame oil. Give it a final stir and immediately transfer everything to a serving plate.
  6. Serve hot over steamed rice as a main dish.

Notes

  • When you slice the livers, you might see clotted blood vessels. You can remove them for a cleaner flavor.
  • Once you mix in the cornstarch, it should form a sticky slurry that coats the liver, but it shouldn’t have a pile of liquid on the bottom of the bowl. The chicken liver might release liquid while marinating. So check it again right before you start cooking. Mix in a bit more cornstarch or drain off the extra liquid to prevent splatter.
  • Chicken liver is fragile when it’s uncooked. The best way to mix in the cornstarch is by using your fingers, so you do not break apart the liver and so you can make sure the cornstarch coats evenly.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1serving Calories 259kcal (13%) Carbohydrates 11.6g (4%) Protein 22g (44%) Fat 13.7g (21%) Saturated Fat 3.1g (16%) Cholesterol 479mg (160%) Sodium 679mg (28%) Potassium 344mg (10%) Fiber 0.9g (4%) Sugar 5.7g (11%) Calcium 22mg (2%) Iron 10mg (56%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 259

% Daily Value*

Serving 1serving
Calories 259kcal 13%
Carbohydrates 11.6g 4%
Protein 22g 44%
Fat 13.7g 21%
Saturated Fat 3.1g 16%
Cholesterol 479mg 160%
Sodium 679mg 28%
Potassium 344mg 7%
Fiber 0.9g 4%
Sugar 5.7g 11%
Calcium 22mg 2%
Iron 10mg 56%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.