chicken liver
Definition
Noun: - The liver of a chicken used as food: This term refers specifically to the edible organ meat from a chicken, often prepared by frying, sautéing, or incorporating into pâtés and stuffings.
Usage
- As a countable noun: It typically refers to the liver from one chicken, but the plural form "chicken livers" is common when referring to multiple livers or the food ingredient in general.
- The recipe calls for one pound of chicken liver.
- Chicken livers are a good source of iron.
Examples
- As a food item:
- She sautéed the chicken liver with onions and herbs.
- A classic pâté is often made from chicken liver.
Advanced Usage
- Culinary contexts: The term is used almost exclusively in cooking and food preparation. It is not typically used in medical or biological contexts, where "liver" alone is sufficient.
- For this dish, you must clean the chicken livers thoroughly before cooking.
Variants and Related Words
- Chicken livers (n, plural): The standard form when referring to the ingredient.
- I bought chicken livers at the market.
Synonyms
- Poultry liver: A more general term that could include livers from other birds like duck or turkey.
- Offal: A broad term for the internal organs and entrails of a butchered animal, which includes liver.
Related Phrases
- To be chicken-livered (archaic/idiomatic): An old-fashioned idiom meaning to be cowardly. Note: This is a compound idiom and not a direct usage of the food term "chicken liver."
- He was too chicken-livered to confront them.
Noun
-
liver of a chicken used as meat
