Chicken Liver and Sage Paté

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A simple homemade paté recipe, chicken liver and sage paté is full of late summer and fall flavors. Easy to pull together for your next wine and cheese tasting!

A classic addition to a wine and cheese plate, patés are incredibly easy to make at home. And this is a perfect entry-level paté recipe for the home chef!

Liver paté is a very useful recipe if you have extra chicken livers left over after a few of these Crispy Orange and Sage Roast Chicken dinners!

This chicken liver and sage paté has all the flavors we need to end summer and move into the cozier fall months. It only takes about 15 minutes to pull together. 

But you have 2 hours waiting time on each side. So make sure you plan in advance for this one!

Confused about mousse vs. paté, Our Daily Brine has a lovely explanation for you!

TL;DR

• Soak livers in milk for 2 hours
• Cook the liver, garlic, and shallot in butter until “medium-rare”
• Place in a blender. Add in fresh herbs, seasonings, brandy, and cream. 
• Blend until smooth.
• Optional: Push your paté through a sieve or mesh strainer to even out the consistency.
• Set paté in the fridge for 2-4 hours.
• Serve.

Jump to Recipe

How to Make Chicken Liver and Sage Paté

Making paté is actually fairly simple. There are two basic methods: sauté and bain-marie.

Sauté means you cook the livers, by sautéing them, (oh, what-a-give-away!) before you blend the ingredients together.

Bain-marie is a harder method. You’ll blend everything together pre-cooking. (Yes, that means raw livers and all.) Then you cook it in a water bath. This is much fancier and tends to have a more luxurious texture and taste. But it’s also harder. So let’s stick with the sauté method for this recipe.

All you really need to do is cook the liver then toss everything in the blender. Then it’s just a waiting game while the paté sets in the freezer.

That said, there are a few additional steps that make your paté just that much better!

Soak the Liver in Milk

You see this piece of advice anywhere there’s a recipe for liver. But why is this technique used? 

A simple little protein called casein. Casein in milk pulls out impurities, metals, and toxins in blood. So it’s a great way to clean the liver. And consequently removes some of that bitter flavor people associate with organ meats.

Of course, you don’t need to do this. But I find it does affect the taste ever so subtly. You could also soak the meat in other liquids to tenderize it if you don’t have milk. Almond milk or even water work, though not as well.

Cook the Liver to “Medium-Rare”

As this recipe uses the “sauté method,” you do need to cook the livers. Raw liver paté is a no-no. No one wants to eat that.

If you don’t feel like using the sauté method, you can blend all your ingredients together, including raw

Cooking your liver all the way through is one option. But for flavor’s sake try cooking them just until they are browned on all sides. That way they are still a little pink in the center and still have that rich flavor. It makes a huge difference!

Strain your Paté for Smooth Consistency

Because you’ve used fresh herbs in this recipe, it’s especially important to put your paté through a strainer. Otherwise you end up with bits of herbs and stems and leaves mixed in for an uneven texture.

This is the most time consuming part of the process. (Except the 2 hours waiting for the liver to soak. But you were watching Netflix during that time, I hope.) 

But the results of strained paté are just so worth it. The texture is smooth and the eating is much more pleasant. No picking stray bits of herb stems out of your teeth.

Substitutions and Variations

Chicken livers: If you don’t have chicken livers, I’d recommend finding a recipe specifically for duck livers or foie gras as there is a different flavor profile.

Herbs: When it comes to the herbs, remember that chicken is quite versatile! You could try with other herbs like rosemary, oregano, basil.

If you don’t have fresh herbs, dry ones will work as well. (You’ll still want to strain the paté.) Use only about 1 tsp per herb as dry herbs are more potent.

Cream: The cream adds a much lighter, softer, more approachable consistency to the paté and I don’t recommend substituting the cream out unless absolutely necessary.

If you are lactose intolerant, try almond milk or non-dairy cream. Though you may need to add 1 tbsp butter to increase the fat content.

Brandy: Adding brandy is optional, but I highly recommend it! The flavor pairs perfectly with chicken livers and really enhances the depth of the paté. And there isn’t enough alcohol to get anyone drunk, so this recipe is still kid-friendly…if you’ve got a kid who eats livers.

You don’t have to buy a whole bottle of brandy either. Those little airplane bottles of Hennesy are the perfect amount for a paté!

Don’t have brandy? Try a splash of bourbon or un-flavored rum. It will change the flavor slightly, but still work. Don’t want any alcohol? Try adding apple cider instead.

Anchovies: Also optional. I love the intense savory flavor anchovies add to paté. Especially with chicken livers which are the most mild livers you can buy. A good entry-level liver. But if you hate anchovies, take them out. You may find you want to add a bit more salt to your taste.

Storing Chicken Liver and Sage Paté

You’ll want to store your paté in the fridge. If you’re keeping it in a mold or ramekin, just cover the top with plastic wrap.

Because you are using partially uncooked meat, you’ll want to finish the paté within 3 days, even stored in the fridge. So don’t make it too far in advance!

Fortunately patés are served cold. So you don’t need to worry about reheating. Just remember to take it out of the fridge at least 5 minutes before serving to take away some of the chill.

What to serve with Chicken Liver and Sage Paté?

Paté makes an excellent appetizer dish. That’s why you see it so often at soirées and wine and cheese tasting parties. (Assuming you frequent those sorts of events.)

But chicken liver paté also has a very rustic, country flavor to it. So you can find it paired with other cozy appetizers like this Mushroom and Leek Galette.

For classics, try pairing it with aged cheeses like Gruyere or Cheddar. Paté also cuts some of the intense flavors of something like a Danish Blue. For additional sides, make sure you have a savory like salted almonds or cornichons. Also always include a sweet like dried apricots, dried cherries, blackcurrant preserves, or fig jam.

All of this is just part of setting up a good cheese plate!

Wine Pairing for Chicken Liver and Sage Paté

Paté was made for wine pairings! There are so many good options, it really depends what else you’re serving and what mood you want to create. Below are some suggestions.

Whites:

• Chablis – a full-bodied flavor for heavier patés and plates
• Chardonnay (oaked) – a very heavy and strong wine 
• Dry Riesling – very crisp and clean, good if you have lots of fruit
• Sauternes – *classic choice* a bit sweeter, perfect for rich paté or other smoked meats
• Champagne – is there anything bubbly doesn’t pair well with?!
• Amontillado Sherry – *unique choice* complex with nutty and earthy notes

Reds:

• Pinot Noir – *classic choice* a fruity, earthy wine that offsets intense savory, very rustic
• Cotes du Rhone – earthy, but more rustic and country-style than Syrah
• Syrah – very rich, earthy, heavy red
• Ruby Port – *unique choice* sweet and fruity, excellent against savory flavors