Fried Chicken Gizzards Recipe
Chicken gizzards are the small, dense stomach muscle birds use to grind up food, which means they're almost pure muscle with very little fat, and they stay chewy unless they're cooked low and slow before frying. Simmering them in salted water first breaks down the tough connective tissue, and a buttermilk soak afterward tenderizes further and mellows any mineral-y flavor, so what hits the fryer is already tender and just needs a crisp, well-seasoned crust.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 65 min
- Total
- 85 min
- Servings
- 6
Ingredients
- 2 lb chicken gizzards, trimmed
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 4 cups vegetable oil, for frying
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 1571
- Protein
- 31g
- Carbs
- 28g
- Fat
- 151g
Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.
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Instructions
- 1Rinse the gizzards under cold water and trim away any visible silverskin, fat, or greenish membrane. Pat dry.
- 2Place the gizzards in a saucepan, cover with water by 1 inch, and add a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cook for 45-60 minutes, until a knife slides in with only slight resistance.
- 3Drain and let cool enough to handle. Halve any large gizzards so pieces are roughly bite-sized and uniform.
- 4In a bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and hot sauce. Add the simmered gizzards, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.
- 5In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, black pepper, and kosher salt.
- 6Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C).
- 7Lift the gizzards from the buttermilk one at a time, letting excess drip off, then dredge thoroughly in the seasoned flour, pressing to help it adhere. Shake off any loose flour.
- 8Fry in batches of 6-8 pieces for 4-5 minutes, until deep golden brown and the internal temperature reads 165°F (74°C), turning once halfway through.USDA safe minimum for poultry: 165°F (74°C)
- 9Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet and season with a pinch of salt while still hot. Let the oil come back up to temperature between batches.
Tips & variations
- Don't skip trimming the silverskin (the tough, shiny membrane on one side of each gizzard); it stays chewy no matter how long it cooks.
- Save the simmering liquid; it makes a flavorful base for gravy if you're serving these alongside biscuits.
- For extra crunch, double-dip: after the first flour coat, dip briefly back into the buttermilk and dredge a second time.
- A pinch of gizzards' cooking liquid whisked into hot sauce makes a quick dipping sauce with more depth than plain hot sauce.
Storage & reheating
Store cooled fried gizzards in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 375°F (190°C) oven or air fryer for 8-10 minutes to re-crisp the coating; microwaving will make them soggy and chewy.
Tips from the Tulo kitchen
- If gizzards still taste chewy after frying, they likely needed more time in the initial simmer; err on the side of an extra 10-15 minutes there rather than trying to fix it with a longer fry.
- Cutting each gizzard into two or three smaller pieces before the buttermilk soak helps the acid and seasoning penetrate faster and cook more evenly.
FAQ
What are chicken gizzards, exactly?
The gizzard is a small, muscular organ in a chicken's digestive tract that grinds up food (birds often swallow tiny grit or pebbles to help with this). Because it's essentially pure muscle doing constant work, it's dense and chewy raw, but becomes tender with a long, slow simmer.
Are chicken gizzards healthy to eat?
Yes, in moderation. They're very high in protein and iron and relatively low in fat compared to most poultry meat, though they're also higher in cholesterol than breast meat, so they're best treated as an occasional dish rather than a daily staple.
Do I need to clean chicken gizzards before cooking?
Most store-bought gizzards are already cleaned of their inner lining, but you should still trim off any visible silverskin, fat, or greenish membrane and rinse them under cold water before cooking.
Why are my fried gizzards still tough and chewy?
This almost always means they weren't simmered long enough before frying. Frying alone doesn't have enough time or moisture to break down the connective tissue, so give the initial simmer a full 45-60 minutes.
What's the difference between chicken gizzards and chicken hearts?
Both are organ meats sold together as giblets, but hearts are smaller, more tender, and cook faster since they're not the tough grinding muscle that gizzards are; hearts don't need the long simmer gizzards do.
