How long does it take to soften gizzards?

How to cook chicken gizzards and gravy so they are fork tender and delicious. Dice and make it into gizzard gravy or eat for dinner over a bed of mashed potatoes.

Wondering how to cook chicken gizzards? There’s a trick to getting them tender, moist and delicious for sure. Let us help you understand how to create the best boiled gizzards. Serve them with this thick gravy recipe too. (affiliate links present)

How to Cook Chicken Gizzards Tender

They definitely don’t look like the most appetizing bites at the beginning do they? Nope. Prepared correctly though and they can become a delicacy.

You may even be able to fool your kids because “they taste like chicken” and that is it. Do they really need to know what part exactly? 😉

Each whole chicken only has one, but you can certainly buy these babies in bulk. It’s a really cheap quick and easy chicken recipe if you ask me. I assure you you’ll agree with me after your first bite too. Let’s talk about the tricks to making these wonderful shall we?

You may have discarded these as they typically come in a bag with other giblets. Typically found in the neck opening you’d take this out before cooking the whole bird. Many just toss everything, including the neck and liver but others covet them because they make a fabulous chicken gravy!

How to Cook Tender Chicken Gizzards

Let’s start with the steps you need to prepare these correctly. Similar to liver it needs a few extra things to tenderize them first. What is needed you surely have at home right now.

You just fill a bowl with cool water and add some salt. Stir so it is dispersed nicely and then let it sit for 2 hours.

Same kinda thing when making something like liver and onions where you might soak it in milk or buttermilk for a while first. Before cooking chicken organs you’d want to “loosen it up” a bit or else the texture will be chewy and really not very appetizing.

When done you’d need to drain and rinse them before moving on to the next steps. Whether you wanted to bread and make these deep fried, saute with butter or serve this way you’ll want to boil next. You can certainly use your own onion gravy recipe or use a bottled sauce instead but I have included an easy mixture below too.

How to Cook Chicken Gizzards for Dogs

If you are here because you want to prepare these for your pup, skip the gravy entirely. Just use the soaking and boiling steps. Then drain and allow to completely cool to room temperature before letting them enjoy any of these homemade dog treats.

You don’t want them to get burned for sure. Leftovers can be kept in a freezer bag in the fridge.

1. Bag of gizzards from chickens
2. Salt and water to soak
3. Gravy
   1. chicken broth
   2. milk
   3. cornstarch or flour to thicken
   4. butter
   5. onion
   6. minced garlic
   7. could add cayenne pepper or hot sauce for heat

Then season with salt and pepper when done and adjust as needed. Perfect protein packed side dish.

How Long to Boil Chicken Gizzards

You’ll want a good 30 minutes at a low rolling boil to get the right texture your mouth will enjoy. This is for 1.5 pounds so if you were batch cooking with a lot more than that you would need more time. You can test along the way and see if it is fork tender or not.

• Let’s start by pouring your gizzards into a large bowl.
  • Sprinkle with salt and mix together.
  • Fill bowl with water and let soak for 2 hours.
  • Then drain and rinse thoroughly.
• Put tender gizzards in a large saucepan full of water (or part water part chicken broth), heat to medium, bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer for 30 minutes.

Then let those cool when done and dry on paper towels. You can make air fryer chicken gizzards next. This is a great recipe if you love fried chicken gizzards but want to make a healthier version. Just toss in seasoned flour mixture and “bake” until golden brown. In less than 20 minutes you’ll have this killer snack. OR make gravy below.

To make this gizzards recipe in a thick gravy, continue…..

• While that is boiling, dice onions, place in sauce pan with 1 tbsp butter. Saute until translucent and golden. Add minced garlic, 2 tbsp butter and allow to melt.
• Sprinkle in your flour or cornstarch.
  • Whisk together well so it doesn’t clump up at all
  • Do this until you get a creamy thickening roux.
• Whisk in milk and chicken stock until smooth. Add chicken gizzards. Bring to simmer, reduce to medium low.
• Season accordingly with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper etc…. Any bay leaves added prior should be removed and serve!

If you want the sauce to be thinner then just add more broth or water into the mix.

How to Cook Chicken Gizzards

How to cook chicken gizzards and gravy so they are fork tender and delicious. Dice and make it into gizzard gravy or eat for dinner.

Course Appetizer, Entree, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken, gizzards, gravy, tender

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Servings 6

Calories 102kcal

• 1.5 lbs chicken gizzards
• 1 c chicken broth
• 2 tbsp salt for soaking
• chicken dripping gravy
• 1 c milk whole or 2% is best
• 4 tbsp cornstarch or flour to thicken
• 1 tsp basil
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 small onion diced
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 pinch salt and pepper to taste

• Place gizzards in a large bowl, sprinkle with 2 tbsp salt and mix together. Fill bowl with water and let soak for 2 hours. Then rinse thoroughly.

• Put soaked gizzards in a large saucepan full of water, bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.

• While that is boiling, dice onions, place in sauce pan with 1 tbsp butter. Saute until translucent and golden. Add minced garlic, 2 tbsp butter and allow to melt.

• Sprinkle in your flour or cornstarch. Whisk together well so it doesn't clump up at all, do this until you get a creamy thickening roux.

• Whisk in milk and chicken stock until smooth. Add chicken gizzards. Bring to simmer, reduce to medium low. Add more chicken stock if you want to thin the gravy out. Sprinkle in basil and salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition Facts

How to Cook Chicken Gizzards

Amount Per Serving (1 oz)

Calories 102 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Cholesterol 21mg7%

Sodium 2539mg110%

Potassium 87mg2%

Carbohydrates 8g3%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 243IU5%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 58mg6%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.