Chicken Liver Mousse Recipe

By
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.
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Updated on 09/23/21
Chicken Liver Mousse

The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 3 mins
Setting: 80 mins
Total: 113 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
573 Calories
52g Fat
5g Carbs
23g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 573
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 52g 66%
Saturated Fat 31g 154%
Cholesterol 604mg 201%
Sodium 752mg 33%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 0g 2%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 23g
Vitamin C 25mg 125%
Calcium 57mg 4%
Iron 10mg 57%
Potassium 326mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Chicken liver mousse is a classic of the French kitchen that has been adopted across the world. Why? Because it is quick to make and utterly delicious to eat. For a pre-dinner snack or as canapés at the grandest party, this simple pâté can excel in any situation.

The clue to the lightness and creaminess of this pâté is in the name. This is a mousse, not a coarse pâté made from meat and offal, nor is it a terrine which endures long, slow cooking for a wholesome, chunky pâté (again using both meat and sometimes offal and nearly always wrapped in bacon or Pancetta to prevent it becoming dry).

It takes moments to assemble, then some time for chilling, but none of it takes much effort, and you are rewarded with a delicious, light, creamy mousse, perfect for spreading on warm toast, your favorite crackers, or onto a sliver of sourdough.

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces chicken livers, fresh or frozen

  • 4 tablespoons milk

  • 7 ounces unsalted butter, diced

  • 1 small shallot, minced

  • 1/4 cup dry sherry or dry white wine

  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground mace 

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. If you are using frozen chicken livers, defrost before using. 

    Chicken Liver Mousse ingredients

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  2. Clean the livers by soaking the livers in the milk for 20 minutes.

    liver soaked in milk

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  3. Drain and pat dry with kitchen paper and remove any connective tissue with a sharp knife, then chop into 1/2-inch chunks. 

    liver on a plate

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  4. Heat 1 ounce of the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat until the butter has melted and is foaming. Add the minced shallots and cook until they are softened and translucent.

    shallot in a pan

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  5. Turn the heat up and add the chopped livers. Cook for 3 minutes, turning with a spatula; do not worry of the centers are a little pink, that’s fine.

    liver and shallot in a pan

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  6. Put the livers to one side to cool slightly. As they are cooling, reheat the pan they were cooked in over high heat and add the sherry or wine. Stir to scrape up any bits of liver on the pan (also know as deglaze) and let this bubble until reduced to a bare tablespoon.

    liver cooking in a pan

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  7. Add back the livers to the pan, and toss to coat.

    liver in a pan

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  8. Tip everything into a food processor. Add the thyme, salt, black pepper, mace and ginger and blitz to combine. Add the cream, 3 ounces of the butter, and blitz until super-smooth.

    liver mousse in a bowl

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  9. Using a fine sieve, push the liver mousse through the remove any lumps or remaining bits of connective tissue into a bowl. Using a wooden spoon whip the mousse once again and now it will be light and airy and exceedingly smooth.

    liver mousse passed through a sieve

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  10. Decant the mousse into either a serving dish or individual jars. Try to avoid any holes, so gently push the mousse into the dish using the back of a spoon. Put into the refrigerator for an hour to set. Individual jars will only need 30 minutes. While the mousse is setting, melt the butter in a small saucepan over a low heat then leave to cool. 

    liver mouse in a jar

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  11. Once cooled, pour a layer of butter over the mousse, return to the refrigerator until chilled and ready to serve.

    Chicken Liver Mousse in a jar

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

Tip

  • Once set, the mousse is ready to eat or will keep for up to five days in the fridge.

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