Chicken Gizzard

Why chicken gizzard is rated low

Chicken gizzards are low FODMAP. The gizzard is a muscular part of the bird's digestive tract, and like other plain poultry it is protein with almost no carbohydrate. The rating is estimated from what it is made of rather than from a measured serving, and it sits low at Any typical portion. That is the only rung on the ladder. A normal plate of plain gizzards is low, and the rating does not extend to an unusually large helping. In practice the gizzard is rarely the issue. The coating, the braising liquid and the sides decide where the meal lands.

What changes your risk

• Breading and batter Fried gizzards are usually dredged in wheat flour, and the seasoning mix often includes garlic powder and onion powder. The coating carries the FODMAPs, not the gizzard.
• Braising liquid Gizzards need long, slow cooking to turn tender, which usually means simmering them with onion and garlic. Those FODMAPs are water-soluble and soak into the liquid, so the gravy still carries them after the vegetables are strained out.
• Stock cubes and powders Ready-made chicken stock and bouillon commonly list onion or garlic. Even a little store-bought stock can undo an otherwise plain pot of gizzards.
• The rest of the plate Gizzards are often served in dishes like dirty rice, which is traditionally cooked with onion and celery, or with bread and onion gravy. Each of those adds to the meal's total load even though the gizzards add almost nothing.

What else works

Other plain poultry cuts behave the same way: chicken thigh, chicken heart and plain chicken breast are all plain protein and work in the same stews and stir-fries. The lookalikes to be careful with are battered bar-style fried gizzards, gizzard stews and gravies built on onion, and dirty rice. For a crisp coating, use rice flour or fine polenta instead of wheat flour. For flavour, swap onion and garlic for garlic-infused oil, chives, leek leaves or the green tops of spring onions.

How to keep it low

Gizzards are often sold already cleaned, but check for any tough yellow lining or silverskin and trim it off. Simmer them low and slow in water with carrot, leek leaves and the green tops of spring onions until tender and cooked all the way through, or use a pressure cooker to shorten the wait. Then sear them in garlic-infused oil for colour. Cooked gizzards freeze well, so batch-cook a pot, portion it out and you always have a plain base to build a meal on without reaching for a store-bought stock.

Common questions

are chicken gizzards low fodmap

Yes. Chicken gizzards are rated low FODMAP at Any typical portion. The rating is estimated from what they are made of, which is plain protein with almost no carbohydrate.

are fried chicken gizzards low fodmap

Not usually as served. The gizzards are fine, but the wheat flour coating and the garlic and onion powder in most seasoning mixes bring in FODMAPs. A rice flour or polenta coating with plain seasoning keeps them low.

can you eat chicken gizzards on the low fodmap elimination phase

Yes, plain cooked gizzards at Any typical portion fit the elimination phase. Cook them without onion, garlic or store-bought stock, and use garlic-infused oil or chives for flavour.

what to braise chicken gizzards in without onion

Water or homemade stock with carrot, leek leaves and the green tops of spring onions gives a savoury base. Garlic-infused oil adds garlic flavour without the FODMAPs, because they do not dissolve into oil.