Ketzitzat Kaved Katzutz

This chopped liver is rich, savoury, and deeply comforting, with sweet caramelised onion balancing the earthy flavour of the liver. Hard-boiled egg softens the texture, while parsley adds freshness to an old-world spread that is excellent on bread or as part of a mezze table.

Safety Warning

Chicken livers must be cooked through to a safe internal temperature and handled carefully to avoid cross-contamination from raw poultry.

Nutrition · per serving

405kcal

34gProtein

10gCarbs

25gFat

1.5gFiber

2 servings

Ingredients

8 items

For the chopped liver

chicken livers, trimmed300 g

onion, finely sliced180 g

hard-boiled eggs, peeled2

chicken fat (schmaltz)35 g

fresh parsley, finely chopped10 g

fine salt4 g

ground black pepper1 g

For serving

extra parsley, chopped5 g

Tips

•Serve with rye bread, challah, crackers, or cucumber slices.
•If you cannot find chicken fat, use rendered duck fat for richness; neutral oil works but gives a less traditional flavour.
•For the best texture, chop by hand rather than processing to a smooth paste.
•Chicken livers should be cooked through for safety; if in doubt, cut the largest one open and ensure there is no raw, bloody interior.

Steps

1
Put the eggs in a small saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer for 9 minutes. Drain and cool under cold running water, then peel. While the eggs cook, trim away any visible connective tissue or green spots from the chicken livers and pat them dry so they sear rather than steam.
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled300 g chicken livers, trimmed
2
Heat 20 g of the chicken fat in a heavy frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion with a pinch of the salt and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring often, until deeply golden and sweet. Proper caramelisation is important here: the onion should be rich brown at the edges, not burnt.
35 g chicken fat (schmaltz)180 g onion, finely sliced4 g fine salt
3
Push the onion to one side of the pan and add the remaining 15 g chicken fat. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the chicken livers in a single layer. Sear for 2-3 minutes per side until browned outside and just cooked through but still faintly pink in the centre; overcooked livers become grainy. Season with the remaining salt and the black pepper during cooking.
300 g chicken livers, trimmed35 g chicken fat (schmaltz)4 g fine salt1 g ground black pepper
4
Take the pan off the heat and let the livers and onions cool for 5 minutes so the mixture stays moist and the eggs do not become rubbery when mixed in.
5
Roughly chop the cooked livers, caramelised onion, and peeled eggs together by hand with a knife, or pulse briefly in a food processor for a coarse, spreadable texture. Do not puree; authentic chopped liver should retain some texture. Fold in the parsley and taste, adding more salt or pepper if needed.
300 g chicken livers, trimmed180 g onion, finely sliced2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled10 g fresh parsley, finely chopped4 g fine salt1 g ground black pepper
6
Transfer to a serving dish, scatter over the extra parsley, and serve slightly warm or at cool room temperature.
5 g extra parsley, chopped

Origin & History

Chopped liver is a classic Jewish dish with Ashkenazi roots that became deeply embedded in Israeli home cooking and deli culture. In Israel it is commonly served as a starter or Sabbath dish, often enriched with schmaltz and paired with bread, pickles, and vegetables.

israeli chicken-liver classic starter schmaltz spread

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Ketzitzat Kaved Katzutz

Steps

Put the eggs in a small saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer for 9 minutes. Drain and cool under cold running water, then peel. While the eggs cook, trim away any visible connective tissue or green spots from the chicken livers and pat them dry so they sear rather than steam.

2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled300 g chicken livers, trimmed

Heat 20 g of the chicken fat in a heavy frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion with a pinch of the salt and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring often, until deeply golden and sweet. Proper caramelisation is important here: the onion should be rich brown at the edges, not burnt.

35 g chicken fat (schmaltz)180 g onion, finely sliced4 g fine salt

Push the onion to one side of the pan and add the remaining 15 g chicken fat. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the chicken livers in a single layer. Sear for 2-3 minutes per side until browned outside and just cooked through but still faintly pink in the centre; overcooked livers become grainy. Season with the remaining salt and the black pepper during cooking.

300 g chicken livers, trimmed35 g chicken fat (schmaltz)4 g fine salt1 g ground black pepper

Take the pan off the heat and let the livers and onions cool for 5 minutes so the mixture stays moist and the eggs do not become rubbery when mixed in.

Roughly chop the cooked livers, caramelised onion, and peeled eggs together by hand with a knife, or pulse briefly in a food processor for a coarse, spreadable texture. Do not puree; authentic chopped liver should retain some texture. Fold in the parsley and taste, adding more salt or pepper if needed.

300 g chicken livers, trimmed180 g onion, finely sliced2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled10 g fresh parsley, finely chopped4 g fine salt1 g ground black pepper

Transfer to a serving dish, scatter over the extra parsley, and serve slightly warm or at cool room temperature.

5 g extra parsley, chopped