How to Make Chicken Gizzard Soup from Scratch (Simple & Nourishing)
If you’re new to cooking gizzards and need a quick, simple, and flavorful way to serve them to your family, this chicken gizzard soup recipe (Polish style) is a perfect place to start. This deeply comforting, old-world farmhouse soup is creamy, garlicky, gently herbed, and built on a rich, nourishing broth.
It comes together quickly when you use pre-cooked gizzards (you can see how to pre-cook them here), making it an easy, practical meal for busy days. Even better, this soup reheats beautifully and tastes even richer the next day—perfect for make-ahead meals.
In this post, I’ll show you how to make this chicken gizzard soup using just a handful of simple, real food ingredients. I’ll also share family-friendly serving ideas, along with storage and freezer tips to help you batch cook and simplify your meal planning. Let’s get cooking!
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Gizzard Soup Recipe
- Budget-friendly and deeply nourishing: Chicken gizzards are rich in protein and collagen, and they’re one of the most affordable cuts you can buy—perfect for stretching your grocery budget while still serving real, satisfying food.
- Simple, forgiving cooking process: This recipe is very hard to mess up. Just be sure to use gizzards that have been pre-cooked until tender first. (You can learn exactly how to do that in my tutorial here.)
- Builds confidence with nose-to-tail cooking: If you’re new to organ meats, gizzards are a great place to start. They have a mild flavor and are one of the easiest to prepare, making this recipe ideal for beginners.
- Perfect for batch cooking and leftovers: This soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors deepen, and it freezes beautifully—making it a practical choice for meal prep and busy days.
Can You Make Soup With Chicken Gizzards?
Yes—chicken gizzards make an excellent soup. When simmered slowly, they become tender and help create a rich, deeply flavorful broth. Their high collagen content also adds body and nourishment, giving the soup a satisfying, silky texture.
Because gizzards have a very mild flavor, they take on seasonings beautifully. You can easily adapt this chicken gizzard soup recipe to different flavor profiles—think ginger, garlic, and soy sauce for a Chinese-style soup; cumin and oregano for a Mexican-inspired version; or marjoram and bay leaf for this classic Polish-style gizzard soup.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken gizzards: This recipe uses pre-cooked gizzards for ease and speed. If you’d like to learn how to prepare and cook them, see this quick tutorial. You can also substitute cooked turkey gizzards—just slice them into small, bite-sized pieces.
- Onions, carrots, celery: This classic Polish flavor base adds depth and sweetness to the soup. We sauté them in butter to build a richer, more developed flavor from the start.
- Potatoes: A traditional addition in many Polish soups (my grandma rarely made soup without them), potatoes add body and make this soup more hearty and filling.
- Garlic: One of the key flavor builders alongside the herbs. Fresh garlic gives the best flavor here.
- Broth: I use gizzard cooking broth here, but chicken, turkey, beef, or even lamb broth will work well. If you’re short on broth, you can use a mix of half broth and half filtered water.
- Herbs (bay leaf, parsley, marjoram): This combination creates that classic Polish flavor profile. Bay leaf and parsley are staples in Polish soups, while marjoram (a milder cousin of oregano) adds a slightly sweet, gently citrusy note. If you don’t have marjoram, substitute with a smaller amount of oregano, or a mix of thyme and parsley.
- Butter: Used to sauté the vegetables and add richness. You can also use tallow, chicken fat, or mild olive oil if preferred.
- Salt & pepper: I recommend unrefined salt and freshly ground black pepper for the best flavor.
You can find the full list of ingredients with exact amounts in the recipe card below.
Tools & Equipment
You only need a few basic kitchen tools to make this chicken gizzard soup:
- Large soup pot or Dutch oven
- Knife and cutting board
- Wooden spoon
How to Make Chicken Gizzard Soup (Step-By-Step Method)
Step 1
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery, and cook gently for 5–7 minutes, until softened. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Step 2
While the vegetables are cooking, slice the cooked gizzards into strips and set them aside.
Step 3
Stir in the garlic, marjoram, and bay leaf. Cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
Step 4
Add the potatoes, then pour in 6 cups of gizzard cooking broth (or bone broth). Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15–20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
Step 5
Stir in the sliced cooked gizzards and simmer for about 10 minutes, until warmed through.
Step 6
In a small bowl or cup, whisk together the sour cream and flour until smooth. Slowly whisk in 1–2 ladles of the hot soup to temper the mixture (this helps prevent curdling). Gradually stir it back into the soup, then simmer gently for a few minutes until slightly thickened and silky.
Step 7
Remove the bay leaf, then taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Let the soup rest for 10 minutes if possible before serving. Ladle into bowls and finish with a generous sprinkle of fresh parsley.
Serving Ideas
Here are some cozy and family-friendly ways to serve your Polish-style gizzard soup—perfect for both everyday meals and special occassions:
- With thick slices of crusty, buttered sourdough: The tangy bread pairs beautifully with the rich, savory broth and helps make this soup even more filling.
- Topped with fresh herbs and garlic: Finish each bowl with chopped parsley, dill, and a little raw garlic to brighten the flavors and add a fresh contrast to the deep, comforting broth.
- Add soft egg noodles: Stir in cooked egg noodles to turn this soup into a hearty, satisfying one-bowl meal.
- With cheese toasties or garlic bread: Ideal for dipping and soaking up every last spoonful of broth.
Make Ahead Option
This chicken gizzard soup recipe is perfect for making ahead. Simply prepare the soup as directed, then allow it to cool completely before transferring to jars or airtight containers.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days, or freeze in portions for up to 3 months for easy meals later on.
For best results, leave any natural layer of fat on top—it helps preserve freshness and flavor. Reheat gently on the stove before serving.
Chicken Gizzard Soup In Crock Pot
If you prefer a hands-off cooking method, this crock pot version of the chicken gizzard soup recipe is perfect for you. It delivers the same rich, creamy, and comforting flavors with minimal effort—just sauté the vegetables, add everything to the crock pot, and let it gently simmer until tender and full of flavor.
- In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery, and cook for 5–7 minutes until softened. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the crock pot.
- Add the potatoes, garlic, marjoram, bay leaf, and broth to the crock pot. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours (or HIGH for 3–4 hours), until the vegetables are tender.
- Stir in the sliced cooked gizzards and let warm for 10–15 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and flour until smooth. Temper with 1–2 ladles of hot soup, then stir the mixture back into the crock pot.
- Cover and cook on LOW for another 5–10 minutes, until slightly thickened and silky.
- Remove the bay leaf, adjust salt and pepper to taste, and let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.
Common Mistakes & Troubleshooting
- Gizzards too tough → For this chicken gizzard soup recipe, always use pre-cooked, tender gizzards. Raw gizzards take about 2 hours to soften, which would leave your vegetables overcooked.Cook them ahead using my simple tutorial, then slice and add to the soup for the best texture and flavor.
- Soup too bland → Season the soup gradually throughout cooking. Add a good pinch of salt when sautéing the vegetables, then season again when you add the potatoes and stock. Finally, taste the finished soup and adjust with a little more salt if needed. If you wait until the end to season, it’s much harder to get the flavor just right.
- Overcooking vegetables → To keep the vegetables perfectly tender in this gizzard soup, only simmer them for the time specified. Since they are chopped small, they cook quickly, so keep an eye on them—or set a timer—so they don’t overcook.
- Too thick or too thin → Start with less broth—you can always add more at the end if the soup looks too thick. It’s much easier to thin out a soup than to thicken one that’s already too thin.
- Feeling unsure about doneness → Trust texture, not the clock. Since the gizzards are already cooked, you only need to wait for the carrots and potatoes to soften. Once they’re tender, add the gizzards in and warm the soup briefly before finishing with cream.
Storage, Freezing & Leftovers
- This soup will keep for 3–4 days in the refrigerator and it actually tastes even better the next day!
- To freeze, let the soup cool fully, then transfer it to airtight containers. For best flavor, freeze for up to 3 months.
- Important tip: this soup contains potatoes which can become mushy when defrosted. If this is an issue for you, freeze your soup without potatoes and only add potatoes when reheating, or simply replace the potatoes in the recipe with more carrots.
- To reheat, warm your soup gently on the stovetop, adding a little more broth or water if thickened. Avoid boiling – it can toughen the gizzards.
Variations
- Tomato Gizzard Soup: Add crushed tomatoes or tomato paste for a slightly tangy, deeper-flavored broth with a richer color.
- Add extra herbs at end of cooking: finish the soup with fresh dill and a touch of garlic for a bright, classic Eastern European flavor.
- With grains or dumplings: add barley, rice, or small dumplings (kluski) to turn the soup into a complete, satisfying one-pot meal.
Recipe FAQ
A Simple Step Toward Traditional Cooking
I hope you enjoy this simple, flavorful, and creamy gizzard soup. It reminds me of my grandmother’s cooking—food that wasn’t fancy or complicated, but homey, nourishing, and everything a traditional meal should be.
If you’d like to start incorporating more organ meats into your cooking, you’ll find plenty of family-friendly recipes here on the blog (see links below). And if you love from-scratch cooking, sourdough, honey ferments, and all things traditional as much as I do, join my weekly newsletter for tips, recipes, and old-fashioned homemaking inspiration.
Family-Friendly Organ Meat Recipes
Mexican Style Chicken Liver Pâté
Barley Soup with Chicken Hearts
Simple and Flavorful Tripe Soup
Nutrient-Rich Chicken Liver Pâté
Polish Style Chicken Gizzard Soup
Equipment
- Large soup pot or Dutch oven
- Knife and cutting board
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 500g (18 oz) cooked chicken gizzards
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp dried marjoram
- 6 cups bone broth OR gizzard cooking broth (strained)
- 2 Tbsp butter
- ⅓ cup sour cream or crème fraîche
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1½ tsp unrefined salt, or to taste
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery, and cook gently for 5–7 minutes, until softened. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- While the vegetables are cooking, slice the cooked gizzards into strips and set them aside.
- Stir in the garlic, marjoram, and bay leaf. Cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the potatoes, then pour in 6 cups of gizzard cooking broth (or bone broth). Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15–20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
- Stir in the sliced cooked gizzards and simmer for about 10 minutes, until warmed through.
- In a small bowl or cup, whisk together the sour cream and flour until smooth. Slowly whisk in 1–2 ladles of the hot soup to temper the mixture. Gradually stir it back into the soup, then simmer gently for a few minutes until slightly thickened and silky.
- Remove the bay leaf, then taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Let the soup rest for 10 minutes before serving if possible. Ladle into bowls and finish with a generous sprinkle of fresh parsley.
Notes
- If you don’t have marjoram, you can substitute it with oregano (use slightly less, as it’s stronger) or a mix of thyme and parsley.
- Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
- Reheat gently on the stove over low heat until warmed through.
- This soup also freezes well for up to 3 months—thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
