Chicken Liver

Low FODMAP

Typical portion

Any typical portion Low

Chicken liver is Low FODMAP, a plain organ meat that's essentially protein and fat with nothing fermentable to stir things up.

Pure chicken liver carries negligible fermentable carbohydrate, so it sits comfortably low at any typical portion with no subgroups to worry about.

Enjoy it pan-fried or in a simple pate, and keep the seasoning garlic- and onion-free by reaching for garlic-infused oil and the green tops of spring onions for flavor.

Why chicken liver is rated low

Plain chicken liver is low FODMAP. It is organ meat made up mostly of protein and fat with little carbohydrate, and its rating is estimated from what it is made of rather than from a measured serving. That puts it low at Any typical portion, the only rung on its ladder. Low here describes a normal helping of plain liver, not an unlimited amount. The real issue with chicken liver is how it is usually eaten: pâté, chopped liver and liver with onions all bring in FODMAPs that the liver itself does not carry.

What changes your risk

Pâté Most pâtés, homemade or shop-bought, start with shallot or onion and garlic cooked in butter, and many are finished with cream. Cream is not low FODMAP at ordinary servings, so the spread can land far from where plain liver sits.
Chopped liver Traditional chopped liver is mixed with a generous amount of fried onion. In that dish the onion, not the liver, decides the rating.
Liver and onions The classic pan dish cooks the liver in the same pan as sliced onion and often finishes it with stock or gravy. The onion's FODMAPs are water-soluble and move into that sauce.
What it is spread on Pâté on wheat toast or ordinary crackers adds the bread's FODMAP load to the plate, which stacks with any onion or garlic already in the spread.

What else works

Chicken hearts, chicken gizzards and other plain poultry are similar plain proteins. The lookalikes that are not low as usually made are shop-bought pâté, chopped liver, liver and onions, and liver spreads seasoned with onion or garlic. A homemade pâté can be made without them: cook the livers in butter with garlic-infused oil and herbs, and blend with extra butter instead of cream. Spread it on gluten free crackers, rice crackers or traditional sourdough spelt toast instead of ordinary wheat bread.

How to keep it low

Buy chicken livers fresh and use them within a day or two, or freeze them straight away. Trim off the connective tissue and any green-tinged spots, which taste bitter. Pat them dry and sear them in a hot pan with butter and garlic-infused oil, then keep cooking until they are cooked all the way through with no pink left in the centre. For a pâté, cook the livers through in the same way before blending, add the green tops of spring onions or chives for an onion note, and check the label on any brandy, stock or seasoning before adding it.

Common questions

is chicken liver low fodmap

Yes. Plain chicken liver is rated low FODMAP at Any typical portion. The rating is estimated from what it is made of, which is mostly protein and fat with little carbohydrate.

is chicken liver pate low fodmap

Usually not as bought. Most pâtés are made with shallot or onion and garlic, and many contain cream. A homemade version made with garlic-infused oil and butter keeps it low.

how do you make low fodmap chicken liver pate

Cook the livers all the way through in butter and garlic-infused oil with herbs, then blend with extra butter instead of cream. Use chives or the green tops of spring onions for an onion flavour.

can you have liver and onions on a low fodmap diet

Not in the classic form, because the onion's FODMAPs end up in the pan sauce. Cook the liver in garlic-infused oil and finish with leek leaves or the green tops of spring onions instead.

Learn more

Informational only, not medical advice. Individual tolerance varies. Talk to a healthcare professional or a dietitian for personal guidance.

Chicken Liver 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.