Chicken Liver Mousse Recipe with Balsamic Onions
This chicken liver mousse recipe is perfectly creamy and flavorful with the addition of balsamic onions. Serve this chicken liver mousse recipe alongside some toasted bread for a delicious appetizer, or just enjoy by the spoonful!
If you love liver as much as I do, I have a few other recipes you would enjoy. Take a look at this fried chicken liver recipe, my country fried pate, and this yummy recipe for brussels sprouts and beef liver stir fry.
Best Chicken Liver Mousse Recipe
Want to try out a fancy-ish appetizer? Why not whip up the best chicken liver mousse recipe ever as an appetizer while you wait for the main course? Get some fresh, crusty bread, pickles and a butter knife and your appetizer is ready to serve.
The best part, you can do it ahead of time! So when you’re ready to serve, just get it out of the fridge and set it on your serving plate. See why I call this the best chicken liver mousse recipe? How awesome is that?
What is the difference between pate and mousse?
Both pate and mousse have liver as an ingredient, but there quite a few differences. Pate is traditionally filled with liver, ground meat, and vegetables, then baked in a vessel (check this Country Style Pate Recipe as an example). On the other hand, mousse is a lighter, creamier way of serving liver. Ingredients are typically whipped together to keep the entire mixture airy.
Chicken Liver Recipe as an Appetizer
Recently I went out with my girls and as an appetizer we ordered some liver mousse with fresh baguette. That was the moment when I realized that I absolutely love liver, but have never served it as an appetizer, or as a mousse. We were all very hungry so the little ramekin filled with the chicken liver recipe disappeared in a blink of an eye.
Going through the aisles of the grocery store the other day, my eye caught a glimpse of liver and in an instant, I knew that it was coming home with me. I also knew exactly what I was going to make with it: that rich, mousse-y chicken liver recipe. As fast and easy as it comes together, it’s a shame I didn’t make it before.
If you love a good cheese plate as an appetizer, this chicken liver recipe is the perfect addition! All you need to do is add a charcuterie board with sliced deli meats & a ramekin of this mousse, and you have a delicious appetizer!
How to make the Chicken Liver Mousse Recipe:
- Prepare all of the ingredients for the chicken liver mousse recipe. Rinse the chicken liver and blot with a paper towel.
- Sauté the onions until golden. Transfer the onions to blender with a slotted spoon. Reserve the oil.
- Use the oil to sear the chicken livers until velvety smooth on the inside and nice and golden on the outside. Add the chicken liver to the blender and leave it to cool. Discard the oil.
- Once cool, blend until smooth. Add the butter, cream cheese, brandy (if using – see below), thyme, and cream and blend after adding each ingredient. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add chopped parsley and mix. Transfer to ramekins and tap until the top of the mixture is flat
- Melt butter and pour enough to cover the top of the liver mousse. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Can I replace the brandy?
If you don’t want to use the brandy in this chicken liver mousse recipe, there’s no replacement. Simply omit it.
Make the balsamic onions:
- Saute the onions, add sugar, balsamic vinegar, white wine, salt and pepper and continue cooking until the liquid is mostly cooked off. Allow to cool.
How long will this chicken liver mousse recipe keep in the fridge?
If the chicken liver mousse recipe is covered with butter and refrigerated right away it will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. For the best flavor profile possible, however, I recommend you eat it as soon as possible.
Simple Appetizer recipes:
- Colorful Sautee – Simple salad with carrots, mushrooms, and peppers.
- Homemade Salmon Caviar Recipe – How to make homemade caviar.
- Country Style Pate – Flavored meat spread.
Chicken Liver Mousse Recipe with Balsamic Onions
A simple chicken liver mousse recipe with balsamic onions that makes for a great appetizer or side dish.
Ingredients
Liver Mousse Ingredients
- 1/3 cup neutral oil (for frying the onions and the liver)
- 1 cup yellow onion thinly sliced
- 1 lb chicken livers (rinsed and patted dry)
- 2 oz unsalted butter (room temperature or melted)
- 1 tbsp brandy (optional)
- 2 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
- 2-4 Tbsp heavy cream
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
Balsamic Onions Ingredients
- 1 cups onion thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 4 Tbsp white wine
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black ground pepper
To cover
- 2 oz unsalted butter melted
Instructions
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Prep: Rinse the livers in a colander until the water runs clear. Then, blot with a paper towel to remove extra moisture.
Peel and slice enough onions to make 3/4th cup.
Chop dill and parsly.
Prepare and measure the rest of the ingredients
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Saute Onions: Preheat a large skillet with 1/3 cup of oil to medium high heat and add 1 cup of sliced onions. Saute over medium heat, stirring often untill golden in color (~10 min). Remove the onions with a slotted spoon to a blender, leaving the oil behind.
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Sear the chicken livers: Preheat the oil again over medium-high heat and sear the chicken livers on each side until cooked through, but not overcooked, about 1-2 minutes per side. Do not overcrowd the skillet. The livers can have a little bit of pink inside, similar to a steak. Remove with a slotted spoon to a blender and allow to cool. Discard the oil and clean the skillet.
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Balsamic Onions: add 2 tbsp oil and 1 cup of thinly sliced onions to the skillet and sweat the onions, stirring often until they start to caramelize slightly and become translucent (~10 min). Now add 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar & 4 tbsp white wine. Keep cooking and stirting until the sugar is dissolved & most of the liquid is evaporated. Sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste. Set aside.
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Whip the chicken liver mousse: Blend the chicken livers and onions in the blender until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed (this blender spatula is the best). Add 2 oz of unsalted butter, 2 oz room temperature cream cheese and 2-4 tbsp of cream, blending well before each addition. Now add, 1/4 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp salt & pepper, mix, taste and adjust the seasoning. Lastly, add finely chopped parsley and fold it in.
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Add the liver mousse to a serving dish and serve right away. To serve later, add the chicken liver mousse to ramekins and gently tap the ramekins until the top evens out flat.
Now, melt enough butter to cover the top of chicken liver mousse with a thin layer of butter, it will keep the mousse fresh longer.
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Refrigerate until ready to serve.
To serve the chicken liver mousse
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Serve with a sliced baguette, pickled cornichons or butter pickles or pickled vegetables.
Recipe Notes
The liver mousse will keep well in the fridge covered, for up to 4 days.
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Absolutely delicious! Always a huge hit at parties!
Love this, its so easy to make. I do want to give you a tip or who ever else might be wondering about the “iron” aftertaste. If you soak it in milk for a few hour it will get rid of the iron taste, improve the taste and lighten the color.
This looks delicious! Can the mousse be made using a blender instead of a food processor? I just got married and have very few appliances to work with! Thanks!
Hi Mrs. P,
I am not sure how powerful your blender is, but I know that if its one of the more powerful ones then it shouldn’t be a problem.
Oh I love it! My husband and I like to get the liver pâté’ at Papa Hayden and this totally reminded me of it. I want some now. Thank you:) ( pinned)
You’re welcome 🙂 Thanks for commenting!