Mild and Easy Chicken Liver Pâté Recipe
This chicken liver pâté recipe is so smooth and has a beautiful, mild flavor. Even my kids love it. The chicken liver and butter make it creamy, while the onion, celery, and parsnip add sweetness that perfectly balances out the liver, so you don’t get that overpowering liver flavor.
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The best part? You only need one frying pan and a food processor to create this delicious pâté that’s perfect on crusty bread for brunch or lunch, or sophisticated enough to serve on a charcuterie board when company comes over.
Never made liver pâté before? Don’t worry – it’s way easier than you think! I’m sharing this Latvian family recipe for chicken liver pâté (“vistas aknu pastēte”) that came from an old Latvian friend of my mother’s, Frida, and I’ll walk you through every step.
Table of contents
Why you will love this recipe:
- Mild flavor: Onion, bay leaf, celery, and parsnip balance the stronger liver taste – no overpowering liver flavor.
- Simple One-Pan Method: Just one skillet and one blender needed – so you have a quick and easy cleanup.
- Budget-friendly: No fancy ingredients here. Making your own chicken liver pate is way less expensive than the ones you can buy in grocery stores!
- Make-ahead, stress-free entertaining: Make up to 3 days in advance 🙂
- Perfect for brunches and lunches at home: This is the kind of thing that makes your weekend brunch feel special—like you’re eating at your favorite café, but in your pajamas.
Ingredients
Chicken livers – free-range chicken livers are best if you can get them
Butter – Unsalted or salted, but if you use salted, then adjust the seasoning. You can also substitute a bit of duck fat or goose fat for added flavor
Onion – I use yellow, but any kind will do
Celery – adds mild, sweet flavor
Parsnip – brings natural sweetness to balance the liver
Bay leaf – adds a “woodsy” kind of slight flavor
Lemon juice – what can I say…yum!
Nutmeg – optional, but gives it a nice sweetness.
How to Make Chicken Liver Pâté
Prepare the veggies: Slice up the onion, peel and chop the parsnip, and wash and finely slice the celery stalk. You’ll want to really make sure you slice the celery finely, otherwise you may get these strands of celery in your pate
Clean the livers: Wash the chicken livers under running water until the water runs clear. Clean out any bits you don’t like.
Sauté the veggies: Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, parsnip, and celery. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the onion becomes translucent. Remove from the pan and place on a plate/bowl.
Cook the chicken livers: Add another 2 tablespoons of butter to the same pan. Add the chicken livers and sauté on medium heat for 5-7 minutes until they are slightly browned.
Simmer everything together: Add the veggies you put aside, one cup water and the bay leaf to the chicken livers. Simmer for about 20 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring often and making sure the livers are evenly cooked. Don’t brown—just simmer gently. The pan should stay moist and not dry, so if you need to add more water, you can, but not too much. At the end of the 20 minutes, most of the water should have evaporated.
Test for doneness: After 20 minutes, taste a piece of celery. If it’s cooked and not crunchy, remove the pan from heat and remove the bay leaf. If not, add a bit more water and continue to simmer until done.
Blend until smooth: Transfer the chicken livers and vegetables to a food processor (or use a stick blender). Blend until smooth.
Add final ingredients: Add the rest of the butter, lemon juice, nutmeg, and salt to taste. Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
Refrigerate and serve: Transfer to glass containers, cover, and refrigerate for a couple of hours to firm up.
How to Serve Chicken Liver Pâté
- Serve on toasted sourdough, seed or rye bread with a garden salad for a simple brunch
- Spread some on toasted baguette slices or water crackers as a tasty appetizer.
- Or you can make a charcuterie board for friends or a special occasion.
Storage
- Make ahead and refrigerate for up to 3 days in advance in an air-tight container or covered in cling wrap.
- It’s best to spread on toasts or crackers right before serving.
- I have never frozen this pate before.
Looking for more cafe-style brunch ideas? Try my avocado and shrimp toast recipe, my cottage cheese sandwich recipes or my canned salmon and cream cheese toast recipe.
Recipe for Mild and Easy Chicken Liver Pâté
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Mild and Easy Chicken Liver Pâté (Vistas Aknu Pastēte)
Equipment
- 1 large frying pan
- 1 Food processor stick blender, thermomix, blender,…
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken livers
- 1 1/2 sticks butter 12 Tablespoons or 165 grams
- 1 small onion
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 small celery stick thinly sliced
- 1 small parsnip peeled and sliced
- 1 lemon Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Prepare the veggies: Slice up the onion, peel and chop the parsnip, and wash and finely slice the celery stalk. You’ll want to really make sure you slice the celery finely, otherwise you may get these strands of celery in your pate.
- Clean the livers: Wash the chicken livers under running water until the water runs clear. Clean out any bits you don’t like.
- Sauté the veggies: Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, parsnip, and celery. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the onion becomes translucent. Remove from the pan and place on a plate/bowl.
- Cook the chicken livers: Add another 2 tablespoons of butter to the same pan. Add the chicken livers and sauté on medium heat for 5-7 minutes until they are slightly browned.
- Simmer everything together: Add the veggies you put aside, one cup water and the bay leaf to the chicken livers. Simmer for about 20 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring often and making sure the livers are evenly cooked. Don’t brown—just simmer gently. The pan should stay moist and not dry, so if you need to add more water, you can, but not too much. At the end of the 20 minutes, most of the water should have evaporated.
- Test for doneness: After 20 minutes, taste a piece of celery. If it’s cooked and not crunchy, remove the pan from heat and remove the bay leaf. If not, add a bit more water and continue to simmer until done.
- Blend until smooth: Transfer the chicken livers and vegetables to a food processor (or use a stick blender). Blend until smooth.
- Add final ingredients: Add the rest of the butter, juice of 1/2 lemon, nutmeg, and salt to taste. Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
- Refrigerate and serve: Transfer to glass containers, cover, and refrigerate for a couple of hours to firm up.
- Serve on toasted sourdough, seed or rye bread with a garden salad for a simple brunch, or spread some on toasted baguette slices or water crackers as a tasty appetizer. Or you can make a charcuterie board for friends or a special occasion.
