How to Cook Chicken Heart

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: February 24, 2023 References

Although chicken is one of the most ubiquitously consumed meets around the world, the heart is often left out of dishes. Chicken heart is the key ingredient in many fantastic dishes and, when prepared correctly, is a meat that is high in protein and low in carbs. Whether you're grilling them on the BBQ in the summer, or frying them in a pan for a salad, it's sure to be a delicious meal.

Ingredients

Fried Chicken Hearts

2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
1 clove of garlic
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil
2 pounds (0.91 kg) chicken hearts

Grilled Chicken Hearts

Chicken hearts
Salt and pepper

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Making Fried Chicken Hearts

1
Combine olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper to create a simple marinade. Use about 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil, 1 clove of minced garlic, 1 pinch of salt and pepper to make this marinade. This is a really quick and easy marinade but you can get as creative as you like here to really explore different flavors.^{[1]
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Research source} Some possible ingredients to mix in are:
- Chipotle peppers
- Onions
- Paprika
- Cayenne pepper
2
Put your chicken hearts into the marinade for 30 minutes. Store in the refrigerator while the hearts are marinating but when they are about to be cooked, the hearts should be close to room temperature and never frozen. Marinades allow flavors to develop and will also help to make the meat more tender.^{[2]
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- The length of time you marinate your hearts for can be as little as 10 minutes all the way up to several hours. The longer you marinate your hearts for, the more intense the flavor of the marinade will be.
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3
Heat 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of vegetable oil over high heat in a skillet. Use a vegetable oil here rather than olive oil, as olive oil has a lower smoking point and you're cooking over a fairly high heat. Nonstick skillets work best for frying chicken hearts.^{[3]
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- It will take around 2-3 minutes for your oil to get up to temperature.
4
Place the hearts into the hot skillet to brown them quickly. There should be a nice sizzle when the hearts make contact with the pan. If you don’t hear this sizzle, don’t put the hearts in the pan as this means the oil is not hot enough.
- When the oil isn’t hot enough, it means your meat isn’t getting a brown sear on the outside. Without this sear, the caramelization and browning of the outer layer will not occur.^{[4]
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5
Cook the hearts for 7-10 minutes after the initial browning. Make sure you stir frequently to ensure the meat is getting cooked on all sides. It also helps to cover the pan when not stirring to help lock in some of the heat from the skillet.^{[5]
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- Chicken hearts cook really quickly and can be quite tough if cooked past medium rare.
6
Serve the hearts once the hearts are cooked all the way through. To check if the hearts are cooked through, slice one open and it should be a soft pink in the middle. Let sit for a minute or two as they will be hot. Enjoy with salad, sauteed vegetables, or all on their own!

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Making Grilled Chicken Hearts

1
Trim fat, membrane, or any other tissue attached to the heart. When you purchase the hearts it’s possible that they still have ventricles, veins, or fat still attached to them. Trim these off as they will detract from the flavor.^{[6]
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- Cutting the heart in half helps you see if there are any things to be trimmed inside.
- Ventricles and veins have a stringy, white look about them and can be removed with scissors or a paring knife.
2
Soak your skewers in warm water for 10-30 minutes prior to grilling. Cooking with wooden skewers means that there is a small fire hazard. Soaking the skewers in water for 10-30 minutes will counteract this. It will also mean the skewers simply get a nice char rather than going up in flames.^{[7]
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- You can also find non-wooden skewers from most home goods stores if the fire hazard is still a concern for you.
3
Put 3-4 chicken hearts on a skewer .5 inches (1.3 cm) apart. Do your best to get as close to going straight through the middle of the heart as you can. Ideally you will have around 4 hearts on a skewer.^{[8]
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- Piercing straight through the middle will mean that you cook the hearts as evenly as possible.
4
Heat your charcoal grill to a medium-high heat. The time you need to give your grill to heat up may vary here, but you want the temperature to be fairly high. Chicken hearts cook fast so get a nice brown outer layer by heating the grill well first.
- Here you can also experiment with using wood chips in the charcoal to get a bit of a smokey flavor in the meat.
5
Season the hearts with salt and pepper. As with many meat dishes, this will help elicit much of the flavor from the meat and add vibrancy. It will also assist in the browning process to caramelize the outside layer.
6
Cook for 5-10 minutes while turning occasionally. Chicken hearts cook fairly quickly so keep an eye on them because your grill is on a relatively high temperature. As raw chicken is a huge health risk, the hearts should be thoroughly cooked through before taking them off the heat.^{[9]
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- Although making sure the hearts are cooked through is important, if they are overcooked they will be very tough.
- Make sure the hearts have a nice brown char on the outside, as this will really add to the flavor.

Community Q&A

Question

Can I boil chicken hearts?

Community Answer

Yes, this helps seal in the juices (though it will make them rubbery).

Warnings

Even though chicken hearts aren't technically a white meat, there is always a potential for bacteria and disease to be spread. Be careful to thoroughly clean any surfaces, plates, or hands that the raw meat touches.

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