This right here ain’t your average chicken dish. We are talking crispy Southern fried chicken gizzards boos. I start by marinating the gizzards in a bold, spicy bath of buttermilk and hot sauce to get those flavors poppin right off the bat. Then I dunk them in a perfectly seasoned flour mix and fry them until they are golden-brown. Each bite gives you textures on textures: with a bomb crunch on the outside and a super tender, juicy inside. My fried chicken gizzard recipe ain’t playing around y’all. Get into it!
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They’re Lovin’ It! Here’s what They’re Sayin’:
“These were delicious ! Very happy hubby.”
—JOY
For every 10 fried chicken lovers, there is at least one fried chicken gizzard lover in the mix. In my family, that lover is my Uncle BB. For as long as I can remember, we have had to make a stop at a KFC in Effingham, Illinois on the way back from our annual round trips to Mississippi to visit my grandparents. Many places don’t make fried gizzards so I decided it was time to put a recipe for this unique Southern classic right here on the blog.
The secret to the best fried chicken gizzard recipe starts with marinating them in buttermilk to get them tenderized. This also begins the flavor building process because we toss in a little hot sauce too. Next, seasoned flour, similar to my breading recipe for chicken fried steak, coats the gizzards then we fry them up until perfectly crispy and delish.
What Are Gizzards?
Gizzards are a muscle found in most fowl or organs of the chicken. They are super small, and their texture is unlike what you would expect from chicken boos.
Because of their chewy texture, they can end up tough if they aren’t cooked properly that’s why we added a buttermilk soak to get you off on the right off. The acid in the buttermilk helps break down a bit of the toughness without taking away its signature taste y’all.
The Lowdown of This Chicken Gizzard Recipe
Cuisine Inspiration: Southern Soul Food Vibes
Primary Cooking Method: Frying
Dietary Info: Can be made gluten-free with ingredient swaps
Key Flavor: Spicy, Savory Goodness, Chewy Texture with a Crunchy Finish
Skill Level: Easy y’all (No Sweat Fam!)
Flavors on Flavors; Textures on Textures
Y’all know your girl Grandbaby Cakes don’t play around with flavor. We marinate in a spicy buttermilk mixture packing serious flavor then we dunk in a perfectly seasoned flour making that crispy, crunchy texture just right!
Budget-Friendly
Gizzards are beyond affordable so you can whip up a batch of these anytime you crave some while still saving money on groceries boos.
Easy and Quick to Make
This recipe has beyond simple ingredients and minimal prep so you can whip this up in a flash and get to snacking.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Fried Chicken Gizzards
- Gizzards: You can buy these by the package in the refrigerated poultry section in most grocery stores.
- Buttermilk: This gives that undeniable tangy flavor while also soaking into and tenderizing the gizzards.
- Hot sauce: We gotta add a bit to our marinade to make that flavor pop boos.
- Self-rising flour: We elevate standard all-purpose flour by using this instead because it adds a lightness and airiness to our breading.
- Seasonings: I use a combo of seasoned salt, black pepper, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and paprika to truly make that flour mix pop.
- Vegetable Oil: We use a neutral oil that holds up to the high heat and maintains even frying.
How to Cook Chicken Gizzards
How to Serve Fried Gizzards
- Sauces It Up: These fried gizzards pair well with a dipping sauce. Serve them up with more hot sauce, remoulade sauce, homemade gravy, or chipotle bbq sauce.
- Southern Fried Side Dishes: While you have the grease hot, drop in some fried okra, fried pickles, onion rings, and fried green tomatoes.
- More Southern Sides: These chicken gizzards are right at home with some soul food veggie sides like collard greens, Southern green beans, or mustard greens.
Recipe Substitutions
- Gizzards: Swap in some chicken livers or you can even cube boneless chicken thighs or breasts and make nuggets with this recipe.
- Buttermilk: Make your own by adding 2 tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice to 2 cups of buttermilk. Wait a few minutes until it curdles then use in the recipe.
- Hot Sauce: Swap in a few sprinkles of cayenne or some chili paste to get some heat in the buttermilk mixture.
- Self-Rising Flour: If you don’t have any lying around, all-purpose flour is just fine to use.
- Vegetable Oil: Any neutral oil will work here like canola. Just don’t use an oil like olive oil.
Recipe Variations and Additions
- Gluten-Free: Replace the self-rising flour with your fave 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour.
- Get Herby: Add some chopped herbs like rosemary or parsley into the flour mix for color and earthiness.
- Go Buffalo: After you fry them up, toss in my fave buffalo wings sauce for some saucy heat.
- Go Hot Honey: Drizzle these fried gizzards in this delish hot honey chicken sauce for some sweet and heat.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Marinate as long as possible: The marinating step is crucial to making the best fried chicken gizzards since it softens the toughness of the meat. If you skip out on this step or shortcut the time, you could end up with some beyond chewy gizzards.
- Set that Breading: I like to pop the breaded gizzards in the fridge for 20 minutes to really let that flour stick to them so it won’t come off in the hot oil.
- Deep Fryer: Works best if you have one. This way you don’t have to turn them over and they cook evenly on all sides. If not, try using a smaller, deeper pan so the level of oil is higher.
- Right Temp: Get that oil cranked up between 365°F and 375°F so they fry up crispy and don’t get soggy boos.
- Fry in Batches! Don’t overcrowd the fryer with too many gizzards or they’ll clump together and lower the oil temp boos.
How to Store and Reheat this Gizzard Recipe
Throw any leftovers into an airtight container or add to a freezer bag releasing all the air and pop in the fridge. When you are ready to reheat, add to your oven at 350°F on a parchment lined baking sheet and reheat for about 10-15 minutes until warmed through. You can also add them to your air fryer so you keep them super crispy!
How long will fried gizzards last in the fridge?
They should last up to 3-4 days.
Can I freeze this fried chicken gizzard recipe?
Yep you sure can boos. To freeze them up correctly, you should follow this two step process. First spread the gizzards evenly on a lined baking sheet. Pop in the fridge for 2 hours (this helps them not stick once you finish the freeze process). Once they are nice and solid, add to a freezer bag and label with the date. They should freeze well up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
The taste is very distinctive boos. They are much chewier than regular chicken meat, and the taste resembles dark meat like legs and thigh pieces from a whole chicken.
There are two ways to make gizzards more tender. The first is to cook them slowly over low heat in liquid to soften the meat. The second, which is perfect for fried gizzards, is adding a marinade with ingredients such as buttermilk to help break the toughness of the muscle down.
Besides frying them up, you can also grill them, braise them or even add some to stew. Do you boo!
Y’all these fried chicken gizzards are the TRUTH! If you are new to gizzards, give them a try and see what all the Southern fuss is about. They are absolutely delish when you try my method for frying them up to golden perfection. Get at it!
More Fried Food Recipes
Fried Chicken Gizzards Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken gizzards
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 1 ¼ cup self-rising flour
- 1 tablespoon seasoned salt plus 2 teaspoons
- 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Start by trimming the excess fat and gristle from the chicken gizzards.
- Add buttermilk and hot sauce to a plastic storage bag and shake to combine. Add gizzards to bag and allow to marinate for 2-3 hours.
- To a large bag, add flour, seasoned salt, black pepper, garlic powder, cayenne and smoked paprika and whisk until combined.
- Once gizzards are done soaking, add gizzards a few at a time to seasoned flour bag and shake to evenly coat then place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place in refrigerator for 20 minutes to set flour.
- Heat oil over medium high heat. Make sure oil is at least 2-3 inches tall in your vessel. The oil should heat to between 365°F and 375°F.
- Fry until golden brown then drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.
Notes
How to Store and Reheat this Gizzard Recipe
Pop your leftovers in an airtight container or add to a freezer bag releasing all the air. They should go in the fridge. When you are ready to reheat, add to your oven at 350°F on a parchment lined baking sheet and reheat for about 10-15 minutes until warmed through. You can also add them to your air fryer so you keep them super crispy!How long will fried gizzards last in the fridge?
They should last up to 3-4 days.Can I freeze this fried chicken gizzard recipe?
Yep you sure can boos. The freeze them up correctly, you should follow this two step process. First spread the gizzards evenly on a lined baking sheet. Pop in the fridge for 2 hours (this helps them not stick once you finish the freeze process). Once they are nice and solid, add to a freezer bag and label with the date. They should freeze well up to 3 months.Nutrition
This post was originally published in June 2018. It has been updated with new photos and content in August 2022.
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I think I over seasoned mine. So in the ingredient list you put 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons seasoned salt. So before you put them in the buttermilk would you add that amount and then when you’re seasoning the flour portion , do you put that same amount in again? I was confused by that.
No just add to the flour to season.
This was a hit! I had to alter the recipe a little considering I have children and no buttermilk. Will be using this recipe for now on!
Some of the best gizzards that I have ever had. I’m 74 and grew up on a farm where we grew most everything that we ate and I have traveled some and this is one treat that is hard to find. I just never could get mine to taste like the ones I had growing up. I will be using your recipe from now on. Thank you
Do you rinse off the buttermilk before dipping them in the flour?
No you definitely don’t want to lose the flavor. Keep all of that on it.
I LOVE Chicken Gizzards. It’s true that they can be tough at times. I have found that cooking in an InstaPot is the way to go. Place gizzards into the InstaPot, add 1 cup water. Using 15 Lbs pressure set pot for 25 minutes. Let pressure release naturally. Take gizzards out of the pot and refrigerate to cool down. This is when I mix hot sauce with the gizzards. After gizzards have cooled, roll in seasoned flour and fry. REMEMBER: The gizzards are fully cooked already. Just fry until the breading has turned a golden brown.
Thank you William, I am gonna prepare you recipe now!
Love it had mine already cooked in pressure cooker
you seem like a really good cook how about i challenge you to see what we both really made of
Ha!! You really thought that would work brother ?? Nice try though. 🙂
I have loved gizzards since my youth. My father introduced them to me and after my first taste I was hooked. This is killer good. The buttermilk does something in the translation that allows the full flavor of the gizzard to be experienced. It is a little longer prep time than I am used to or have seen in other recipes but well worth the wait. Tasted like I had transported myself to Atlanta! Delicious!
And they’re so inexpensive!
I really loved the flavor of the food, thanks for the recipe ,
I didn’t rate the recipe because I haven’t tried it yet but it sounds really good. I’m the only person I know in my family that will eat them. I live in Texas and it’s not too hard to find them at fast food places. We have Chicken Express and my husband has gotten them there for me. The only problem is you have to ask how long they have been on the heat table. They will usually do a fresh order for him. Once when we were out I got an order at a fast food resturant and the gizzards were the best I have ever had. I complimented the fry cook on how good they were and tender instead of being so chewy. He told me his secret was he parboiled them before battering and frying. That place was always so busy everytime we were there. It was a fast food place and their specialty was fried chicken. They did other things but the chichen was the reason people went there.
How long do you parboil them. I also clean’em and remove the inner rough portion of the gizzards.
I doubt they prepared a fresh order for him ( pre- boiling) that’s what you said cook did, well that would take a minute, fresh order, NO
Excellent!
does the buttermilk help make the gizzards tender?
Yes it does!