Chicken Heart
Typical portion
- Any typical portion
Chicken heart is Low FODMAP, a plain organ meat that's essentially pure protein and fat with nothing fermentable to trouble your gut.
- Chicken heart is almost all muscle protein and fat with negligible carbohydrate, so there are no FODMAPs to build up, and it stays low at any typical portion.
Sear or skewer them simply with salt and herbs, and lean on garlic-infused oil for flavor instead of the raw cloves.
Why chicken heart is rated low
Chicken hearts are low FODMAP. They are muscle meat, mostly protein and fat with almost no carbohydrate, and their rating is estimated from what they are made of rather than from a measured serving. That estimate puts them low at the ladder's single rung, Any typical portion. There is no climb on the ladder to moderate or high, but no serving on the ladder past an ordinary plate either, so low means a normal helping, not an open buffet. What can push a plate of hearts over is the marinade, the sauce and whatever shares the skewer or the plate.
What changes your risk
- Marinades Grilled heart skewers are often marinated with garlic and onion, sometimes with ordinary yoghurt as well. Each of those brings in FODMAPs that the hearts themselves do not carry.
- Bottled sauces and rubs Barbecue sauces and ready-made spice rubs often contain onion powder and garlic powder, and some sauces are sweetened with honey or high fructose corn syrup. Read the label before brushing them on.
- Pan sauces Hearts seared in a pan are often finished with sliced onion or deglazed with a store-bought stock. The onion and garlic in that liquid end up coating every piece.
- What comes alongside Hearts served with garlic bread, wheat pita or an onion salad stack those foods' FODMAPs into the same meal, even though the hearts add almost nothing.
What else works
Chicken gizzards, chicken thigh and plain beef are similar plain proteins that cook the same way, hot and fast on a grill or skewer. The lookalikes that are not the same are restaurant heart skewers in a garlic and onion marinade, and hearts sold pre-marinated in a seasoning blend. For the marinade, garlic-infused oil, chives, the green tops of spring onions, salt and pepper give plenty of flavour. Serve them over rice, potato or quinoa rather than wheat pita or garlic bread.
How to keep it low
Buy chicken hearts fresh or frozen, trim off the fat cap and any vessels at the top, and rinse out any blood inside. Pat them dry so they sear rather than steam. They cook quickly over high heat, which keeps them tender, and they thread neatly onto skewers. Make your own marinade from garlic-infused oil and herbs instead of buying pre-seasoned hearts, since the ingredient list on those often starts with garlic or onion.
Common questions
are chicken hearts low fodmap
Yes. Chicken hearts are rated low FODMAP at Any typical portion, a rating estimated from what they are made of. They are protein and fat with almost no carbohydrate.
are grilled chicken heart skewers low fodmap
The hearts are low, but restaurant skewers are often marinated with garlic and onion, which brings in FODMAPs. Skewers marinated at home in garlic-infused oil and herbs stay low.
what marinade can i use for chicken hearts on low fodmap
Garlic-infused oil with chives, the green tops of spring onions, salt and pepper works well. Skip bottled marinades and rubs unless the label is free of onion and garlic.
can i eat chicken hearts during the elimination phase
Yes, plain chicken hearts at Any typical portion fit the elimination phase. Keep the seasoning free of onion and garlic, and watch the sides.
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Informational only, not medical advice. Individual tolerance varies. Talk to a healthcare professional or a dietitian for personal guidance.
Chicken Heart is an estimated rating: it is inferred from the food's ingredients and composition and cross-checked, not measured directly in the papers below. The low, moderate and high cutoffs are still those of Varney et al. (2017).
References
- Fructan and free fructose content of common Australian vegetables and fruit. Muir et al. (2007), J. Agricultural and Food Chemistry 55(16):6619-6627.
- Measurement of short-chain carbohydrates in common Australian vegetables and fruits by HPLC. Muir et al. (2009), J. Agricultural and Food Chemistry 57(2):554-565.
- Quantification of fructans, galacto-oligosaccharides and other short-chain carbohydrates in processed grains and cereals. Biesiekierski et al. (2011), J. Human Nutrition and Dietetics 24(2):154-176.
- Dietary sorbitol and mannitol: food content and distinct absorption patterns. Yao et al. (2014), J. Human Nutrition and Dietetics 27(Suppl 2):263-275.
- FODMAPs: food composition, defining cutoff values and international application. Varney et al. (2017), J. Gastroenterology and Hepatology 32(Suppl 1):53-61. Supplies the low, moderate and high cutoffs used on this page.
Last reviewed October 17, 2026.