Chicken Liver and Pineau Pâté

4.80 (31)
⏱ 20 mins 🍽 Serves 6-8 as a snack or starter 🌶 french ✅ Easy 🏷 Side dish

This indulgent French pâté combines chicken livers with the sweet, fortified flavour of pineau, similar to sherry. Crispy lardons and thyme add savoury depth. The mixture is blended until smooth, sealed with a layer of butter, and chilled until firm. It's a classic starter, ideal served with toasted brioche and cornichons for a contrasting crunch and tang. Serves 6 to 8 as a snack or starter.

Chicken Liver and Pineau Pâté

Ingredients

  • 500g chicken livers
  • 100g butter
  • 100g unsmoked lardons or chopped streaky bacon
  • 1 garlic clove crushed or finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried
  • 5 tbsp pineau or sherry
  • herb sprigs to garnish, rosemary, thyme or bay
  • toasted brioche or raisin bread and cornichons, to serve

Method

  1. Rinse the chicken livers, trimming away any dark spots and sinew. Dry them with kitchen paper. Melt 25g of the butter in a pan until foamy, then fry the lardons or bacon until crisp. Introduce the garlic, chicken livers and thyme, cooking briskly for about 5 mins until browned externally but still pink and soft inside.
  2. Pour in the pineau, season with salt and pepper, and let it bubble for a few mins. Take off the heat. Process the mixture in a food processor until completely smooth, then transfer to a jar or dish, levelling the surface.
  3. Melt the rest of the butter. Place a herb sprig or bay leaf on the pâté, then carefully pour the clear melted butter over the top, avoiding the sediment. Allow it to cool, then refrigerate until firmly set. Serve scooped directly from the dish with toasted brioche, cornichons and a sprinkle of sea salt.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories263 kcal
Fat20 g
Saturates11 g
Carbs1 g
Protein18 g
Sodium380 mg

Recipe details

Skill levelEasy
CategorySide dish
Cuisinefrench