By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 4, 2026
Serves 4
121 cal · 18 min
Chicken Pâté
Recipe GLPRef478ebbca395a
A silky French-style pâté made from tender chicken livers blended with butter, aromatics, and fresh thyme. This elegant appetizer spreads beautifully on crackers and has a rich, savory depth. The chicken livers are cooked thoroughly to a safe internal temperature, then transformed into a smooth, luxurious spread with a hint of red wine vinegar and warm spices.
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Ingredients
¼ pound Chicken liver
2½ tablespoons Butter, divided
½ Yellow onion, chopped
1 Large egg
1 teaspoon Fresh thyme
½ teaspoon Red wine vinegar
dash Salt
dash Cayenne pepper
Directions
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once melted and foaming, add the chopped yellow onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent.
Pat the chicken liver dry with a paper towel. Add the liver to the skillet with the onions and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, turning occasionally, until the external surface is deeply browned and the internal temperature reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer when checked in the thickest part. The liver should be cooked through but still tender inside.
Transfer the cooked liver and onions to a food processor. Add the remaining 1.5 tablespoons of butter, the whole egg, fresh thyme leaves, red wine vinegar, salt, and cayenne pepper.
Blend on high speed for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed, until the mixture becomes completely smooth and creamy with no visible chunks. The texture should be light and spreadable.
Transfer the pâté to a serving dish or ramekin, smoothing the top with the back of a spoon. Serve at room temperature or chilled with crackers, toast, or fresh vegetables.
Comments
Chicken liver is the main hurdle: Food Lion and Harris Teeter stock it reliably in their meat departments, but you may need to ask at the counter, and it's not a grab-and-go item at ALDI or Walmart. The 18-minute stated time is misleading—you're really looking at 35–40 minutes once you account for sautéing the onion, cooking the liver through, pulsing it smooth, and chilling it to proper pâté consistency, which the recipe likely skips over. Cost per serving runs about $2–2.50, driven by the butter and egg, making it reasonable for a dinner party starter but not a casual weeknight. This is a fussy, same-night dish that demands attention and precision; it does not reheat well and is best served at room temperature within a few hours of making.
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