Mexican Style Chicken Liver Pâté
A creamy and flavorful Mexican-inspired chicken liver pâté made with spices, lime, and butter for a nourishing spread.
Equipment
- immersion blender or standard blender
Ingredients
For the liver pâté
- 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- ½ dried red chilli, de-seeded (see notes)
- 2 tbsp butter, divided
- ½ small onion, peeled and finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¾ tsp unrefined salt, divided
- 1 cup raw chicken livers, cleaned
- ½ tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp coriander
- ½ tsp dried oregano (you can also use Mexican oregano)
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp crème fraîche
- 2 tbsp cilantro
- ¼ cup raw milk, optional (for a thinner, lighter spread)
To garnish (optional)
- pickled red onions
- fresh cilantro
- lime zest
- toasted pumpkin seeds
- chilli flakes
- olive oil
Instructions
- Toast pumpkin seeds and dried chili in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Set aside.
- While the chilli and pumpkin seeds are toasting, slice the chicken livers into a few pieces (they will cook quicker and more evenly when sliced).
- Melt 1 tbsp butter in the pan. Add onion, garlic, and half the salt; sauté 5–7 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Stir in the remaining butter, sliced livers, cumin, coriander, oregano, pepper, and the rest of the salt. Cook 3–4 minutes per side, until browned but still slightly pink inside.
- Pour in lime juice to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits for extra flavor.
- Let cool slightly, then transfer to a large cup or jar (or the bowl of your standard mixer) with the pumpkin seeds, chili, and crème fraîche.
- Blend until smooth. For a softer, spreadable pâté, add up to ¼ cup milk. Add cilantro and pulse to combine.
- Taste and add a little more salt or lime juice if necessary.
- Spoon into jars, cover, and chill for 2 hours. Garnish with olive oil, dried chili, pickled onions, lime zest, or fresh coriander.
- To serve, spread it on sourdough toast or crackers with a squeeze of lime. You could also serve this pâté as part of a mezze or tapas platter with pickled vegetables or pair it with fresh herbs, sliced radishes, or crusty bread for a rustic snack.
Notes
- For a mildly spicy spread, use 1/2 dried red chilli and remove the seeds. If you like lots of heat, use 2 whole chillies and keep the seeds in.
- This pâté will solidify quite a bit when chilled in the fridge. If you want it to be easy to spread on bread straight out of the fridge, blend up to 1/4 cup of milk into it with the other ingredients.
- Keep covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freeze in small jars or portions for up to 3 months — thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.