These air fryer chicken gizzards are ready in just 20 minutes and taste so good! If you love gizzards, this is one recipe you need to try.
Ever wondered what to do with chicken gizzards when cooking a whole chicken? Well, wonder no more! This air fryer recipe will tell you the best way to make delicious and tender chicken gizzards your entire family will love!
Chicken gizzards are a popular delicacy in Africa and many other countries worldwide, thanks to their nutritional value and taste. You can eat them as a snack, in stir-fries, or as a full-blown meal with vegetables.
So, whether you're a gizzard lover or just have an adventurous palate and this is your first time trying it, this chicken gizzards recipe is for you. This recipe is also low carb, gluten-free and keto-friendly.
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Why you'll love this recipe
I love that air-fried chicken gizzards are delicious and healthy. There are several ways to eat them, so they never get boring. They're also chock full of nutrients, so my kids can benefit from all the vitamins and minerals while snacking.
Another great thing about this recipe is that it is super easy to make, especially in my air fryer. It can be ready in about 20 minutes with just a few ingredients. Before I got my air fryer, I would fry my gizzards in a deep fryer, but that used a lot of oil. This is my favorite method of preparing gizzards.
If you need another gizzard recipe, try this mouthwatering peppered gizzard.
What are chicken gizzards?
A chicken gizzard is a part of the organs in a chicken. They're located in the digestive tract of a chicken. Since chickens do not have teeth but beaks, they swallow their food whole. The gizzard is a tough muscle that helps the muscular stomach break down its food.
These organs are called offal meat or giblets like chicken livers and the heart. So the next time you see them in a plastic bag when you buy a whole chicken, don't throw them out. They're edible and good for you!
Equipment Used
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I use my Ninja air fryer for this recipe. Cooking chicken gizzards this way is quick and hassle-free.
The air fryer is one way to fry dishes without using a deep frier, which soaks up a lot of oil. It's one of my best investments, and I use it several times daily. If you're in the market for one, check out this list of the best affordable air fryers.
Ingredients Used
You need just a handful of staple ingredients for this recipe.
- Chicken gizzard: You can get clean chicken gizzards from the meat section of your local grocery store.
- Olive oil: Use your favorite cooking spray or olive oil spray. The oil will make the spices stick to the gizzards. You can also drizzle a bit of oil on the air fryer basket or tray before putting in the gizzards, so they don't stick to it.
- Spices: Garlic powder, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, and salt for taste.
How to prepare and clean gizzards
If you buy gizzards from a butcher, you might need to clean them yourself.
To do this:
- Slice each gizzard lengthwise.
- Empty the contents, then rinse the inside of the gizzard.
- Make sure you empty the contents in the trash and not your sink.
- Peel away the skin attached to the insides and rinse again.
- Finally, dry each with a paper towel, and your gizzards are ready to cook.
How to make this recipe
- Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F. If your air fryer does not have a dedicated preheat button, switch it on to 350F and let it heat for three to four minutes.
- Combine all the spices in a large bowl.
- Pour the chicken gizzards into the bowl and thoroughly mix them with the spices.
- Drizzle a little olive oil, then use your fingers to lightly coat your air fryer basket or tray with it.
- Place gizzards in a single row in the air fryer.
- Air fry at 350 for 15 minutes.
- Shake the air fryer every 5 minutes to ensure the gizzards are golden brown.
- If you want your gizzards super crispy, air fry for 5 more minutes.
Storing and Reheating
Store leftover chicken gizzards in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for a few days to retain freshness.
To store them for longer, you can put them in an air-tight plastic bag or flat plastic container in the freezer for up to three months.
You can reheat it either in the microwave or air fryer for a few minutes until hot. If frozen, put them overnight in the fridge to defrost first.
What can I eat this recipe with?
You can enjoy this deliciously healthy dish or snack in different ways. Eat them as a snack with hot sauce, buffalo sauce, African pepper sauce, or your favorite dipping sauce for movie nights.
Tips and variations
- You can boil the gizzards first before air frying if you want them extra tender and soft.
- Use your favorite seasoning salt or spice mix for the gizzards to get the extra deliciousness you love.
- Cut the gizzard into bite-sized pieces before air frying so you can pop them in your mouth.
Frequently asked questions
Chicken gizzards are a delicious appetizer that is super healthy! In fact, they're part of the healthiest parts of a chicken. Like the other organs or giblets in a chicken or bird, they're an excellent source of essential vitamins and nutrients and are rich in proteins.
Yes, you can air fry frozen gizzards. After you clean the chicken gizzards and pat them dry, they will thaw a bit. Just prepare them and air fry them, as I have shown in this chicken gizzard recipe, and they'll turn out perfect.
You should ensure not to overcook the gizzards, so they don't turn out hard and unpleasantly chewy. Instead, air fry them for roughly 20 minutes if you like tender gizzards with a slightly chewy texture. If you want them extra soft, you can cook them in hot water for just a few minutes first.
Related Recipes
- If you like liver meat, try this delicious Liver and Onions recipe.
- This Nigerian Offal Pepper Soup is so filling and nutritious.
- I love to eat these Chicken Hearts with Mushrooms and sometimes mix them with my favorite veggies.
- For something spicy, try these Peppered Snails.
- These Ethiopian Beef Tibs will leave you licking your fingers!
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Chicken Gizzards
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lbs chicken gizzard
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Wash and pat dry the chicken gizzards.
- Preheat the air fryer to 350F.
- Combine all the spices in a bowl.
- Mix chicken gizzard with the spices.
- Arrange the chicken gizzards in a single row in the air fryer and spray with cooking oil.
- Air fry at 350F for 15 minutes.
- Shake the air fryer every 5 minutes to ensure the gizzards are evenly browned.
- If you want your gizzards super crispy, air fry for 5 more minutes.
Notes
- This recipe previously had the gizzards air fry for 20mins at 400F, but it came out too tough for some. I have modified the recipe so that you can have better control over how tough and crunchy you want the gizzards to turn out.
- You can boil the gizzards first before air frying if you want them extra tender and soft.
- Use your favorite seasoning salt or spice mix for the gizzards to get the extra deliciousness you love.
- Cut the gizzard into bite-sized pieces before air frying so you can pop them in your mouth.
My late grandmother used to cook this for me when I was younger but gizzards are a bit tough to find when I moved to Canada. The nearby grocery stores just recently carried it again so I think gizzards started to get into the mainstream now.
Cooking and eating it again definitely brought me back to the simpler time with the warmth and love of my late grandmother. So thank you for this recipe.
You're welcome, Rei!
So glad that I found this recipe, it's quick, easy and very flavorful! Recommended
It's one of my favorites too!
I'm going to have some for dinner today. Have always love them broil, so now will try 15 minutes @ 350 Air fry. Thanks for the information. whoop whoop
I hope you enjoy it, Duncan!
I made these for dinner tonight but I made modifications to the spices since I don't like cayenne and didn't have any dried oregano. I used onion powder, garlic powder and salt and cooked the 2nd batch for 15 minutes as 20 minutes on the 1st batch was to overdone. They tasted delicious and will definately make again.
I'm glad you enjoyed it, Doris!
20 mins is too long. I followed the recipe as stated and my batch came out like beef jerky.
I made some changes to the instructions. I understand not everyone likes their gizzards tough, and some like them slightly more tender.
Really lovely, thank you so much for sharing!
Love, Geraldine
I'm so glad you enjoyed the air fryer gizzards, Geraldine!
I just followed this recipe. I opted to boil the gizzards first to soften them. My modification would be that if you did what I did when you put it into the air fryer to only do like 350-375 for 10 minutes. I did 400 for 20 and the gizzards almost burnt.
Thanks for the input. I have made some modifications to the cooking instructions.
After the 20min mine seemed overdone. Although it wasn’t like they weren’t edible they definitely were! I ate them all, seasonings were perfect, I still very much enjoyed it, the 20min at 400 just seemed a little too long. Not sure if anyone else had this issue. I’ll have to try it again!
Thanks for the feedback, Miranda. I made some changes to the cooking time to account for different preferences.
I liked this idea, but the gizzards shrunk and dried up following the directions (400 degrees for 20 minutes)
Thanks for the feedback, Mike. I made some changes to the recipe based on the feedback from several readers. I hope you try it again!
I used black pepper instead of cayenne pepper and still too spicy for my crowd. But I liked them.
I'm glad you enjoyed it!