Chicken Hearts and Gizzards in Italian-Style Tomato Sauce

Serves 8

Chicken hearts and gizzards are distinctly dense and rich and this recipe—a variation of the one my grandmother made when I was a kid—is like home to me, my personal favorite comfort food. Since we enjoyed it in a number of guises, I’m giving you the same option here—use this sauce to top your favorite pasta, polenta, or simply spoon it over toasted bread. If you’re feeling particularly decadent, grill or toast bread slices spread with butter and minced garlic in a 400°F oven and dunk your way through an entire bowl.

If you think you can’t find hearts and gizzards in your supermarket, guess again. You’ll be surprised how close they are to the other chicken parts in your grocer’s refrigerator.

 

¹/₃ cup olive oil

2 pounds chicken hearts and gizzards

Coarse salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ¹/₂-inch dice

1 large onion, peeled and cut into ¹/₂-inch dice

6 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

¹/₄ cup tomato paste

¹/₄ cup dry white wine

5 pounds plum tomatoes, crushed by hand

1 cup water

¹/₄ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 bay leaves, crumbled

¹/₄ cup chopped fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

Pinch of crushed red pepper

 

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the hearts and gizzards, season with salt and pepper, and brown on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the hearts and gizzards to a plate and set aside.

2. Add the carrots, onion, and garlic to the pot and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stir to coat the other ingredients, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the white wine, bring to a boil, and let reduce for 2 minutes.

3. Add the tomatoes, water, extra-virgin olive oil, bay leaves, basil, thyme, and crushed red pepper. Stir, return the hearts and gizzards to the pot, raise the heat, and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, lower the heat, and simmer gently for 90 minutes until nicely thickened and richly flavored. If not serving immediately, let cool, cover, and refrigerate for a few days or freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat before proceeding.

4. Serve over toasted bread, pasta, or polenta.

VARIATIONS

Sweet Sausage in Italian-Style Tomato Sauce

If you just can’t warm up to the idea of eating hearts and gizzards, replace them with an equal quantity of sweet sausage removed from its casing(s). Brown the sausage in batches, breaking it up with a fork or wooden spoon as it cooks.