Broiled Bacon Wrapped Chicken Livers
These bacon wrapped chicken livers make up one of my all-time favorite appetizers. The delicious combination of salty bacon wrapped so snugly around rich, juicy chicken livers provides the perfect indulgence while your guests are waiting for dinner.
I love bacon wrapped chicken livers so much that when I was in college and cooked for myself in the dorm to save money, bacon wrapped chicken livers were one of my staples.
I know. It was probably weird for a college student to eat bacon wrapped chicken livers. In a dorm room. But I never said I was normal.
People who claim they don’t like chicken livers eat these livers wrapped in bacon and say, “Maybe I do like chicken livers. These are delicious!” It’s the combination of salty bacon with rich, tasty livers that gets them every time.
And you know what’s fun? There are only two ingredients to this fast and easy recipe that can be on the table in less than a half hour.
We are a participant in Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and other affiliated sites. #CommisionsEarned. You can read my disclosure here.
Ingredients
- Chicken livers – organic and air chilled. (I buy them at WholeFoods.)
- Bacon – Uncured, nitrate free, sugar free and Whole30. I LOVE the bacon I get from ButcherBox, a meat subscription company that delivers its products right to your door. I love this service! It’s like Christmas every month. Check it out if you prefer grass-fed, organic and sustainable meats, like me.
Helpful tips
- Take out ahead of time the amount of toothpicks you’ll need, so you’re not contaminating the toothpick container with greasy fingers.
- I usually fan out my toothpicks on a dessert plate to make them easy to pick them up.
- The chicken livers I used to buy in college were on the small side, but the ones available nowadays are on the big side. If your chicken livers are large, you can cut them down to a more manageable size. Kitchen scissors are perfect for this task.
- Cut the slab of bacon in half and separate the slices so they will be easy to pick up.
- Place the oven rack in the second highest slot of the oven – but not too close to the heating element – and set the broiler on high.
- You CAN eat chicken livers medium rare. They are sweet and creamy that way so don’t over cook the livers as they will be grainy and tough.
How to make bacon wrapped chicken livers
Pre-step
Line a jelly roll pan with foil and set aside.
Step one
Gather the ingredients – bacon and chicken livers.
Step two
Unwrap the bacon, cut the whole slab in half and separate the slices.
Step three
Rinse chicken livers under running water to remove the blood. If they’re too big to wrap with half a slice of bacon, cut them down to size; this can be in half or even in thirds. Pat the livers dry with a paper towel. Gather the appropriate amount of toothpicks while your hands are clean.
Step four
Move the oven rack to the second highest slot in the oven. You don’t want it to be too close to the heating element.
Turn the broiler on high and give it five to ten minutes to come to temperature.
Would you like to save this recipe?
Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
Don't worry, I promise not to spam you.
Step five
Place a piece of chicken liver on a bacon half and roll the bacon around the liver. Secure the bacon with one of the toothpicks.
Step six
Place each one of the bacon wrapped chicken livers on the foil lined pan.
Step Seven
Broil for 8 minutes. Shift the pan slightly to the right or to the left every 2 minutes so the chicken livers broil evenly under the element.
Step eight
Set the broiler to low heat, flip each setup and broil for 6 more minutes. Again, shift your pan slightly to the right or to the left every 2 minutes so the chicken livers cook evenly under the element.
Time to plate this delicious bacon wrapped appetizer.
And now for the bite.
YUM!
Perfect.
I hope you enjoyed this chicken wrapped chicken livers recipe as much as I enjoyed eating them.
If you love chicken livers, you’ll love this pâté recipe as well.
And as always, may all your dishes be delish!
If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on the blog, I’d love the hear what you thought about it in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!
Broiled Bacon Wrapped Chicken Livers
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken livers (rinsed, cut and patted dry)
- 11 slices bacon (uncured and cut in half) (every bacon package has a different count – so don't stress if there are less or more slices)
Instructions
- Line a jelly roll pan with foil and set aside
- Place the oven rack in the second highest slot in the oven and preheat the broiler on high
- Place each chicken liver on a half piece of bacon and roll the bacon around the liver. Secure the bacon with a toothpick
- Place each wrapped chicken liver on the pan
- Place in oven and broil for 8 minutes, but stand there and move the pan every 2 minutes to evenly brown the bacon wrapped chicken livers
- Lower the broiler temperature to low. Take the pan out and flip each chicken liver
- Place back in oven and continue broiling for 6 minutes, moving the pan every 2 minutes
- Serve
- Bite
- Enjoy
Would you like to save this recipe?
Enter your email below & we’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
Don't worry, I promise not to spam you.
See all my favorite tools and gift ideas at my Amazon Store page!Check out Elaine’s Amazon Store!Notes
- Take out ahead of time the amount of toothpicks you’ll need, so you’re not contaminating the toothpick container with greasy fingers.
- I usually fan out my toothpicks on a dessert plate to make them easy to pick them up.
- The chicken livers I used to buy in college were on the small side, but the ones available nowadays are on the big side. If your chicken livers are large, you can cut them down to a more manageable size. Kitchen scissors are perfect for this task.
- Cut the slab of bacon in half and separate the slices so they will be easy to pick up.
- Place the oven rack in the second highest slot of the oven – but not too close to the heating element.
- You CAN eat chicken livers medium rare. They are sweet and creamy that way so don’t over cook the livers as they will be grainy and tough.
This is one of my husband’s favorite things to eat. Ever! They never last long. Great share.
Thank you, Terry.
Why would I share?
I like the way you think, Tony!
Thanks Maria 🙂
Chicken Livers are a favorite of mine but I usually leave the cooking of them to my mom. I will have to pass this recipe on to her!
Thanks Erin! 🙂
This is a delicious combination! I’m not an offal fan, but chicken livers I can deal with! Oh and haggis, of course 🙂
Hehe. Thanks Sasha and I like haggis too! 🙂
I have to say that I didn’t think I’d like these, but I do!
I’m so glad seeing as we’re married and you’re stuck with me making them. 😉
I’m a real hog when it comes to chicken livers. Here’s a recipe for Rumaki I’ve enjoyed for years. I wonder what you think of it AND what you might do to perk it up?[I do NOT mean make it HOT…]
RUMAK
(Reader’s Digest Secrets of Better Cooking)
±16 servings
3/4+ C marinade
1/2 C soy sauce 1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 C sherry 1# chicken livers
1 T sugar ±12 water chestnuts 1/2d
1 t curry powder ±12 slices bacon, 1/2d
1/2 t ginger, powdered regular, not thick-cut
round NOT flat toothpicks
Combine 1st 6 ingredients & mix well to dissolve sugar;
• cut livers into 2-3 pieces, depending on size & wrap 1 chestnut 1/2 + 1 liver piece in 1/2 a bacon slice;
• secure w/toothpick & marinate at least 3 hours @room temperature, or overnight in fridge, turning several times;
• place on broiler pan 5″ from heat & broil, turning 1x, ’til bacon’s crisp, ± 7-8* minutes/side.
HOOP’S NOTE:
For chicken-liver lovers this is a superb douver!
I too am a hog when it comes to chicken livers. I adore them. I’m going to email you just to clarify the ingredients! I can’t wait to try Rumak!!
Love how easy this is to make! Perfect holiday appetizer and so delicious. 🙂
Indeed. Thank you Lisa!
Love how simple this appetizer is— only two ingredients! Bacon wrapped apps are always a hit!
They certainly are. I could probably eat bacon wrapped pine cones and be happy. 🙂 Thanks for your comment, Emily!
I love chicken livers! The addition of bacon is just the icing on the cake. These are so delicious.
Yay! It’s fun to find another chicken liver lover! Thanks so much Krissy.
My husband is always looking for the liver when I make giblet gravy. He will love this recipe.
Thanks Erica. I love giblet gravy. I adore organ meats which some people find funny. But this appetizer is a huge hit to non-liver lovers too!
Wow, such an easy recipe and packs great flavor. Definitely one of the best chicken liver recipes I’ve ever stumbled upon. 🙂
Thanks so much Anita! I’m so pleased to hear that!
This bacon wrapped chicken livers recipe is absolutely amazing! The combination of the salty bacon and juicy chicken livers made this recipe so perfect and delicious.
Thanks so much Dennis! I appreciate it!
These were great and you’ve given such detailed instructions (ie. grab the toothpicks while your hands are clean) – thank you! I need this kind of help with new recipes. Great job and wonderful recipe!
Hehe. Thanks Tara. I’m obsessive about my hands being clean when I’m cooking. (and other times too). 🙂
These bacon-wrapped chicken livers are tasty and perfect for serving at any upcoming holiday party. Such a great way to start the night.
Thanks Kelly! Yes! I love this recipe and always look forward to having it over and over.
I love chicken livers and they make a great paté. The bacon wrapped appetizer was amazing. Thanks for all the great tips to make these!
Thank you Analida! It’s an appetizer that takes people by surprise!
I’ve always been a fan of chicken livers but I’d never had them as an appetizer. Well, I’m very curious about food and tastes so I picked up some at the grocery store and made them with bacon. They were delicious. I may just be as nutty about them as you are.
Hehe. I’m so pleased you gave them a try Marisa and liked them! Thanks so much!
I love chicken livers..for the holidays I always make pate. This was delicious and now my go-to appetizer.
Thanks Tammy! Mmm. Pate! I love it too! I hope you enjoy this recipe when you make it!
What an awesome recipe with chicken livers! I love wrapping them in bacon too but I have never heard of a college kid eating them – but coming from me – I gotta give you high fives for it ;D
Hehe. I’m sure I grossed out everyone on my floor, but I love the darned things! Thank you!
My co-worker always ask me to pass a good chicken appetizer recipe. I will definitely pass this recipe to her, looks easy and neat.
It is super easy and if she loves chicken livers, she’ll love these! Thank you Uma!
I’ve tried bacon wrapped chicken, shrimp and many other things, never with livers. This was delicous and I’d make them again. The texture of livers and crispy salty bacon made it an interesting bite.
Thanks Jo. It’s one of my favorite things wrapped in bacon. Second place is bacon wrapped scallops!
This looks fantastic! Have you ever tried preparing this recipe in a crock pot?
No, Patricia. Interesting though, are you thinking you would pre-cook it in the crock pot and then broil them?
Elaine,
I would like to know what you thought of the Ramuki. I am going make Liver wrapped in bacon today, but didn’t know if I should try it this way.
Hi DD, I have only had Rumaki once at a function. I like it but prefer just the livers with the bacon basically because the chestnut takes up space inside the bacon. I love chicken livers and when you get bacon with it, my day is made. I’m going to make them this New year’s Eve! If you like chicken livers, you’ll enjoy this recipe. Let me know how it goes.
Do you find that thin sliced bacon works better than thick for this recipe?
I go with thick bacon, it’s not super thick but it isn’t thin and see thru, if you know what I mean. Look at some of the process shots and you can see what I’m talking about. I can wrap the liver with no problem because it’s a hearty piece of bacon. Let me know how it goes. I’m sorry, I didn’t see this until today.
It had been a while since I was able to make these, I used to always make them for holidays. We would always sprinkle the bacon with a little brown sugar before wrapping. I came across your recipe while trying to remember cooking time and heat method. Thank you for having the only recipe I saw that matched my old family tradition. Getting ready to make them now!! This is the most perfect recipe!!! Thank you for sharing!! Happy holidays!
Happy holidays, Robin. That made me nostalgic, as my uncle used to make homemade maple bacon. That’s how we had it when he made this dish. Now, I want to make it for Christmas and sprinkle brown sugar as you do!! Thanks for your comment. It made my day.
So these brownsugar is sprinkled on the inside, not the outside? (For some reason it only let me give this 2 stars!!)
Hi Donna, I don’t sprinkle any brown sugar on my livers, but if you want, I’d sprinkle it in the middle! And if you want more, you can roll it in it before placing the toothpick in. I hope that helps.
Can I assemble these, freeze, take out the night before and leave in refrigerator, then cook?
I have never done it before, but since you can freeze both items individually, I’m assuming you can freeze them once assembled to cook them later.
I lived down south in New Orleans for several years. This was one of my favorite Appetizers for Cookouts, Nothing is better than Crawfish with potatoes, and corn, Burgers, Steak, Chicken, Southern taggy coleslaw, potato salad, dirty rice, red beans and rice. Only use small chicken livers that are small and almost slimy. You do not want firm tough chicken livers. 3 to 5 max per guest. They should be soft after grilling and melt in your mouth. They will be very rich in taste. Brush with garlic or a mixture with a little bit of Bourbon. Some people use brown sugar, I don’t care for the taste. I like the rich taste.
I can’t seem to get the small chicken livers anymore. I do cut some up but it’s not the same. I would love everything on your cookout list. I too do not like brown sugar with my livers. Thanks for your comment, Robert.
So simple, so good! Very helpful directions.
Thank you, Paula. I’m glad you liked them. Thanks also for coming back to the site and letting me know.