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    Home » Recipes » South African recipes

    Peri Peri chicken livers served with crusty bread

    Published: Jun 17, 2019 · Modified: Jun 15, 2025 by VJ · This post may contain affiliate links · 16 Comments

    Jump to recipe

    Peri Peri chicken livers are made with tender chunks of chicken livers, swimming in a tomato and onion gravy, spiced up with chilli.  Grab your crusty bread roll and dive right in.

    A bowl of peri peri chicken livers with crusty bread.
    Jump to:
    • Peri Peri Chicken Livers
    • What is Peri Peri?
    • Recipe information
    • Ingredients for Peri Peri Chicken Livers
    • How to make Peri Peri Chicken Livers
    • Questions
    • Save for later
    • Related recipes
    • 📋The recipe

    Peri Peri Chicken Livers

    Peri Peri Chicken Livers is a traditional South African starter, served in restaurants all over the country, and if you like hot and spicy food, you are going to love this dish.

    These peri peri chicken livers are served in a soup bowl accompanied by a crusty Portuguese roll. The chicken livers are swimming in a mouthwatering sea of tomatoes and onion sauce, liberally flavoured with peri peri chilli. Instead of a crusty bread roll, you could serve this dish with slices of Irish seeded bread.

    To eat it you break off chunks of the bread roll and dip it into the sauce. The chicken livers are usually cut small enough to spear with your fork. No knife is needed. It is not really an elegant dish to eat, but oh my goodness - the taste is out-of-this-world.

    I've been known to order two peri peri starters at once and eat them both instead of a main meal!

    I know a lot of people turn their noses up at chicken livers ('urgh - I don't like liver'), but believe me, once you have tried this peri peri chicken liver recipe, you will be converted. The chicken livers have a lovely creamy, buttery taste, and do not taste 'livery' at all.

    What is Peri Peri?

    In case you are wondering what Peri Peri is, it is a hot red chilli pepper, similar to a Bird's Eye Chilli.  It is cultivated in South Africa and the adjoining southern African countries.  The word Peri is Swahili for pepper, so peri peri becomes pepper pepper, or strong pepper, the duplication of the word being used as an intensifier.

    In South Africa, you can buy a bottle of ready made Peri Peri Sauce, the most popular being brands made by Knorr or Nandos.  I always kept a bottle of this in my kitchen so I could whip up a batch of chicken livers at a moment's notice. About a quarter of a bottle (approximately 50 ml) is normally enough to flavour your chicken livers.  Unfortunately, it's not so easy to source this in England, even at the South African shops, so I've had to improvise a little with the ingredients and make this recipe without the benefit of this sauce.

    I made these many times when we were entertaining.  If we were having a barbeque (the traditional sort where the meat only gets cooked once the beer is finished), then I would always make sure there was a huge dish of chicken livers to stave off the hunger pangs.  I'd get people coming inside with empty plates - 'Got any more of those chicken livers?'.  Luckily, I always did.

    Recipe information

    • Prep time - 20 minutes
    • Cooking time - 30 minutes
    • Yield - 2 as a main / 4 as a starter
    • Calories - 209 per serving (starter-sized excluding bread)
    • Main equipment - I like to cook these in a deep wok with a lid so that they can simmer away without drying out. You can also make this dish in a slow-cooker - see further down the post for instructions.

    Ingredients for Peri Peri Chicken Livers

    You can get the complete list of ingredients and full instructions for making South Arican-style peri peri chicken livers on the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

    Ingredients for peri peri chicken livers.
    • Fresh Chicken Livers you can use frozen if you can't get hold of fresh, but defrost them before using.
    • Onions (roughly chopped)
    • Tomatoes (roughly chopped and retain the juice) you will need roughly the same amount of tomatoes by volume as the onions. If you don't have fresh tomatoes, substitute them with the equivalent amount of canned tomatoes.
    • Salt - this is optional - add to your own taste.
    • Sugar - I always add a small amount of sugar when cooking with tomatoes to bring out the flavour.
    • Red bird's eye chilli - de-seeded, membranes removed and finely chopped.
    • Dried Chilli Flakes - (not pictured) this is optional and depends on the spiciness of the red chilli (use your own judgment - add more if you like it extra spicy, or add less for a milder taste).
    • Worcestershire Sauce
    • Tomato Paste (or puree)
    • Garlic - finely minced (or you can substitute with a teaspoon of garlic paste )
    • Sunflower Oil (for sweating the onion)
    • Half a cup of water (not pictured).

    How to make Peri Peri Chicken Livers

    Prepare the ingredients

    First of all, you should prepare your ingredients:

    • Rinse the chicken livers in cold water and pat dry on kitchen paper.
    • Chop the chicken livers into bite-sized pieces, discarding any bits of sinew.
    • Chop the tomatoes and onions into a chunky dice. Aim for a 1cm to 2cm dice, but don't be too particular about getting everything the same size.  The tomato mostly cooks away into the sauce, and the onions become lovely and soft and translucent.
    • If you have overripe tomatoes, so much the better.  You need as much liquid as possible from the tomatoes because they provide most of the liquid for this dish. Make sure to keep all the liquid along with the chopped tomatoes
    • Remove the seeds and membranes from the chilli and chop finely.
    • If you are using fresh garlic cloves, chop them as finely as you can with a sharp knife, or use a garlic twister to mince the garlic.

    Cook the peri peri chicken livers

    The next step is to cook it all.

    Steps for cooking the chicken livers.
    • Heat 2 tablespoons sunflower oil in a wok or large frying pan, add the onion, chopped chilli and garlic and fry gently over low heat to soften.  It is important not to let the garlic brown or you may get a bitter taste (image 1 above). To speed up the process you can cover the pan with a lid and let the onions sweat gently, but keep your eye on it so the onions don't burn.
    • Add the chicken livers and continue frying, stirring all the while, until they change colour and are no longer pink (image 2 above).
    • Add the rest of the ingredients, give it a good stir and bring it to a boil (image 3 above).
    • To cook this dish in a wok - turn the heat down to a low simmer, put the lid on the pan and leave it for 30 to 40 minutes.  The livers will be well-cooked after this time, but you can leave them on a very low heat to keep warm until you are ready to serve. They won't overcook.
    • To cook this dish in a slow-cooker - transfer everything into a slow-cooker and cook on low for at least 3 hours.
    • Check for flavour. If you find that it doesn't have enough 'bite' add a little more chilli.
    • Check occasionally to make sure the dish is not boiling dry. If it does start to dry out add a splash of water to keep it moist.
    • The lowest setting on my stovetop is ideal, but yours may be stronger, so keep checking.  The aim is to reduce the liquid from the tomatoes by about half.
    • If you want to thicken the sauce slightly, mix 1 to 2 teaspoons of cornflour (cornstarch) with a tablespoon of cold water and drizzle it into the chicken livers. Stir until thickened to your liking.

    Serve

    This peri peri chicken recipe will feed 4 as a starter, and 2 as a main meal.  If you want to make a bigger batch, double the quantities of everything except the chilli.  Use your own judgment on the chilli.  Remember, you can put it in, but you can't take it out.

    I like to taste and adjust as I go along.  The best way to do this is to take a small piece of bread and dip it in the sauce in the pan.  That way you get a feel for what the final flavour will be, and how hot the chilli has made it.

    Serve with plenty of crusty bread to mop up the delicious juices. Or perhaps you'd like to try it with Seeded Irish Soda Bread.

    These peri peri chicken livers are delicious when served on a bed of white rice with a fresh green salad on the side. They also make a quick and easy supper when mixed with a bowl of freshly cooked noodles. I've even been known to eat the leftovers on toast for breakfast!

    A bowl of peri peri chicken livers.

    If you'd like to be notified of new recipes, why not subscribe to my newsletter? To say thank you, you will receive a free recipe e-book containing some of my most popular cakes and desserts.

    Questions

    Can I freeze peri peri chicken livers?

    Yes, these freeze beautifully.  Ladle the livers into suitable containers and pop them into the freezer.  You can leave them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
    To defrost, you can use the defrost setting on your microwave or tip the frozen livers into a pan and heat gently on the stove to defrost, stirring occasionally.
    Once defrosted, place in a saucepan on the stove over a gentle heat and leave until the livers are piping hot.

    Should I soak the livers in milk before cooking them?

    This is entirely up to you. Some people like to soak the chicken livers in milk for 30 minutes before cooking as they believe it removes any impurities in the livers and improves the flavour.
    I have never soaked my livers in milk when making this recipe.

    How do I know when my chicken livers are cooked?

    Chicken livers are cooked when the internal temperature reaches 73C or 165F. The livers may still be pink on the inside, but not raw.
    That said, however, this recipe has quite a long cooking time, so there should be no problem with the chicken livers being undercooked.

    Are chicken livers good for you?

    Chicken livers contain a high percentage of iron, as well as vitamins A, C, B6 and B12. They are also rich in thiamin, phosphorus, riboflavin, copper, and zinc.

    Save for later

    Why not pin this recipe for peri peri chicken livers to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily? Just click the image below.

    Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.

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    📋The recipe

    A bowl of peri peri chicken livers next to a plate of crusty bread.

    Peri Peri Chicken Livers

    Peri Peri Chicken Livers - tender chunks of chicken livers, swimming in a tomato and onion gravy, spiced up with chilli.  Grab your crusty breadroll and dive right in.
    Recipe by: Veronica
    Appetizer, Main Course
    Any, South African
    Calories 209
    Prep 20 minutes minutes
    Cook 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 2 as main or 4 as starter
    Print Pin Comment Bookmark Saved!
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    4.91 from 22 votes

    (Click the stars to rate this recipe)

    Equipment

    • Sharp Knife
    • Chopping Board
    • Wok or large frying pan

    Ingredients

    • 8 ounce (225g) fresh chicken Livers you can use frozen if you can't get hold of fresh
    • 1 large onion (roughly chopped)
    • 4 medium tomatoes (roughly chopped and retain the juice) approximately the same amount by volume as the onions. Can substitute with canned tomatoes.
    • 1 birds eye red chilli you could use 2 if you like really spicy food.
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes (use your own judgment) (optional)
    • 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
    • 2 Tablespoons tomato puree (or tomato paste)
    • 1 clove garlic (or you can use garlic paste)
    • 1 to 2 Tablespoons sunflower oil (for sweating the onion)
    • ½ cup water

    Instructions

    • Rinse the chicken livers in cold water
    • Chop the chicken livers into bite-sized chunks, discarding any bits of sinew
    • Roughly chop the onions and tomatoes into approximately 1cm dice
    • Remove the seeds and membranes from the chilli and dice finely.
    • If using fresh garlic cloves, peel and mince finely.
    • Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan (with a lid)
    • Add the onion, chopped chilli and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent. Do not allow them to brown
    • Add the chicken livers and continue frying with the onion until they change colour and are no longer pink
    • Add all the remaining ingredients. Make sure you add any juice that resulted from chopping the tomatoes.
    • Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer.
    • Simmer on the lowest heat you can get, with the lid on, for at least 30 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down and formed a rich gravy with the onions. The liquid from the tomatoes should be reduced by about half.
    • Serve with crusty rolls or chunks of bread to mop up all the delicious gravy

    Notes

    To make this dish in a slow cooker - once all the ingredients have been added to the wok and brought to a boil, transfer them to a slow cooker and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours.
    I have specified 30 minutes as the simmering time.  You can simmer for longer if needed - the ideal is to reduce the liquid from the tomatoes by about half.  
    If you prefer a thicker sauce, mix 1 to 2 teaspoons of cornflour with a tablespoon of water and drizzle in, stirring until thickened.
    If you want to make a bigger batch of this so that you can freeze it (it freezes beautifully) then just double up on all the ingredients except the chilli. 
    Use your own judgment on how much chilli you will need.  My rule with chilli is -  add less at the beginning, then taste, then add more if needed.  Remember, you can put it in but you can't take it out.
    The best way to do a taste test is to take a piece of bread and dip it in the sauce.  That way you get a feel for what the heat will be like when it is served.
    Calories have been calculated for one serving as a starter for 4 people.  It does not take into account the bread that may be served alongside the chicken livers

    Nutrition

    Calories - 209kcal | Carbohydrates - 12.3g | Protein - 15.5g | Fat - 11g | Saturated Fat - 1.9g | Cholesterol - 317mg | Sodium - 717mg | Potassium - 535mg | Fiber - 2.5g | Sugar - 7.8g | Calcium - 30mg | Iron - 7mg

    I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.

    Unless otherwise stated, a cup is the standard US cup containing 240 ml. In all my recipes this cup is assumed to hold 140g of flour. For help converting other ingredients between cups, grams, ounces and other measures, see my recipe conversion calculator.
    All my recipes are developed and tested at sea-level. For tips on adjusting recipes for high altitudes see my post on baking at high altitudes.
    Tried this recipe?If you made this recipe I'd love it if you could leave me a comment and let me know how it went!
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    If you made this recipe and enjoyed it, I'd love it if you could give me a star rating in the comments below. And if you'd like to get in touch, you can email me at [email protected]. I'd love to hear from you. And don't forget to subscribe to my mailing list so you can grab yourself a copy of my FREE COOKBOOK!

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    About VJ

    Before I started my food blog I was an IT Consultant. Now that I've swapped an office for a kitchen I have a lot more time to spend on things that interest me such as trying out new recipes. Most of my cooking is based around quick and easy meals, mostly made from scratch, using everyday pantry ingredients.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      4.91 from 22 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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    1. JAY

      November 12, 2023 at 5:34 am

      5 stars
      Hi. Tried today ur recipe.... IT IS DELICIOUS!!!

      Reply
      • VJ

        November 12, 2023 at 8:21 am

        5 stars
        Thank you so much!

        Reply
    2. Larry

      September 12, 2023 at 11:24 pm

      A good recipe but I found that the sugar should be deleted, and some lemon juice added to approximate the Nando flavour. Otherwise very good.

      Reply
      • VJ

        September 13, 2023 at 2:54 pm

        Thanks for your comment. I think tastes vary so I'll say that I would keep the sugar (I like the sugar to cut through the tartness of the tomatoes). However your comment on the lemon juice has been noted and next time I make these I will add some lemon juice and see what it does to the taste!

        Reply
    3. Jayne wilson

      July 10, 2023 at 3:20 pm

      5 stars
      I have gad chicken livers in a couple if restaurants, they are always in a spicy gravy and had been seriously tender. This is the first recipe I have found that's sounds similar. I'm going to try this in my slow cooker and fingers crossed they will come out the same melt in mouth texture. Looking forwards to trying it. Now to find the chicken livers !

      Reply
      • VJ

        July 10, 2023 at 3:49 pm

        5 stars
        Good luck - I'm sure it will turn out well. I used to make my chicken livers in a wok and leave then on a low heat when I was entertaining and they were always juicy and tender. I hope you enjoy the recipe.

        Reply
    4. Daniel Scholtz

      March 15, 2023 at 12:16 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe thanks

      Reply
      • VJ

        March 15, 2023 at 12:20 pm

        You are very welcome!

        Reply
    5. Kevin Hughes

      October 01, 2022 at 6:30 pm

      5 stars
      A simple and easy-to-follow recipe, that hits the spot. Chicken livers and Ciabatta are now one of my favorite things to make!
      Also I really appreciated the visual aid for the ingredients list. It made it much easier to picture what I was buying when I went to the shops. First time seeing the ingredients list like this and I think it makes for an effective way of sharing the recipe with others.

      Reply
      • VJ

        October 02, 2022 at 5:30 am

        5 stars
        Thank you for your lovely feedback. I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe too 🙂

        Reply
    6. John Murphy

      February 19, 2022 at 1:17 pm

      5 stars
      Tried this recipe for lunch to day most enjoyable have added this to my recipe file, will most definitely do this dish again. I used range free chicken livers from Woolworths they just melted in our mouths and the heat from the birds eye chilli and chilli flakes was perfect for our taste.

      Reply
      • VJ

        February 19, 2022 at 2:36 pm

        5 stars
        Brilliant! So pleased you liked them! Thanks for letting me know.

        Reply
    7. Richard

      April 24, 2021 at 9:24 am

      5 stars
      Hi VJ. I made this twice and it was sensational. The tomato gravy was very rich. The first time I chucked in some whole dried Kashmir chilies and they gave it a great kick. The next time I used a Carolina Reaper chilli 🙂 but being that type of chilli the flavour didn't really stick. I have saved this to my collection. Thanks so much, another very bankable recipe in this case using chicken livers which are an ingredient very much unloved in Perth.

      Reply
      • VJ

        April 24, 2021 at 10:16 am

        5 stars
        Hi Richard
        Thanks for letting me know. So pleased you enjoyed them.

        Reply
    8. Jade Jon de Hutton

      February 27, 2021 at 2:24 pm

      Can you use tinned tomatoes?

      Reply
      • VJ

        February 28, 2021 at 10:25 am

        Yes, absolutely. Thanks for pointing this out. I'll update the post accordingly 🙂

        Reply

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