How to Make Tender Chicken Gizzards

Everyone is always asking us about how to make tender chicken gizzards. The process is not hard but you can easily mess things up to a point that the gizzards will take like rubber and bounce like a tennis ball.

There are many different ways to prepare gizzards so that they come out moist and juicy, ready for you to fry, you can chop them up for cornbread dressing or simple eat them straight out the pot.

We've polled all of our website readers and compiled the very best tips and techniques for you below. Check out what these people have to say and you'll learn how to make tender chicken gizzards the right way.

More Great Advice On How to Make Tender Chicken Gizzards

Jul 18, 2018
Tasty Gizzards (by Ella)
I put my gizzards in a pan with a little olive oil, garlic, chicken broth & bay leaves & simmer for about 1 1/2 hours. I keep an eye on them because the booth dries up so you have to keep adding a little more when that happens. After an hour I add some salt, pepper & onion powder. They turn out very tasty.

Jul 04, 2018
Baking soda works best! (by: Anonymous)
I've tried the: slow cooker, coke and buttermilk methods. Then I tried the baking soda method.
I soaked them for 1 hour in 1 tablespoon of baking soda and 1 quart of water. Then I drained the water and put one tablespoon of baking soda directly on the gizzards, tossed them really well and let them sit for 30 minutes. Rinsed, battered and then fried. Delicious and tender - w/o being mushy - and the texture was the same just softer.

The coke and buttermilk didn't do anything - even though I let them sit overnight. The slow cooker at 5 hours changed the texture and made them mushy. At 4 hours they were still tough. Anyway, I won't cook them any other way in the future but with baking soda. Thanks to Chef for posting.

Jun 02, 2018
Soft and spicy chicken giblets (by: Anonymous)
Patience, and more patience. Wash and rinse giblets. Add to pot, include a few cinnamon sticks, chicken stock, crushed garlic and a little peri peri powder. Add water and bring to boil. And keep this up on medium heat for about 4/5 hours..tender as you can ever get.

Mar 20, 2018
Tender Gizzards (by: MICHAEL SELLERS)
Cover gizzards in cold water two inches above them bring to a rolling boil and boil 10 to 15 minutes keeping 2 inches of water above them remove from heat and place them in water and all in the refrigerator over night.

Jan 03, 2018
Gizzard cookin (by: Big Daddy Darren)
I found the way to cook these bad boys is boiling about 3-5 hrs. I also use a fish fry packet instead of flour. Turns out to be some good eats ...boi

May 24, 2017
Baking soda works (by: Anonymous)
Just tried this. Baking soda works. Soaked the gizzards overnight and add baking soda to the water the next day for about 1 hour. Drained the water, rinsed them and fry'em up. Oh so tender.

Mar 24, 2017
Boil them first (by: CooyonCajun)
I boil mine in crab boil until extremely tender then lightly bread and flash fry. Awesome!!!

Dec 10, 2016
Gizzard Chef (by: Anonymous)
I tried Gizzard Chef's method and man were those gizzards tender and good. Quit spending hours when THIS WORKS. Thanks Gizzard Chef.

Jun 30, 2016
Tender Gizzards (by: CANECUTTER )
Anyone ever try precooking gizzards in the Microwave?

Apr 20, 2016
Best Way To Prepare Tender Gizzards (by: Tasha)
To make gizzards tender, soak them in buttermilk overnight. Rinse them, batter them and fry them!

Dec 30, 2015
Tender gizzards (by: Anonymous)
I have to agree that pressure cooked gizzards are very tender and a quick way to cook them. I use chicken broth, enough to cover, onions, salt and pepper. Pressure cook the gizzards for twenty minutes . Dry them off, then fry them with some barbecue sauce and onions. The unused broth can be used for soups, or other wet recipes.

Nov 29, 2015
Tender gizzards (by: Anonymous)
I can packages of gizzards and hearts by the hundreds.
Put them in pint or quart jars add whatever season you like and set them in the canner. You would not believe how soft and tender they are.
When your ready for gizzards open a jar and cook them up how ever you like. (Delicious)

Aug 20, 2014
The most tenderest gizzards you will ever eat (by: Gizzard Chef)
I have been cooking gizzards for ever, I have boiled them, soaked them, and then I deep fried them. But in order to get the most tenderest gizzards that you will ever eat, soak them in a bowl of water and a teaspoon of baking soda. Be sure not to use too much baking soda because you will ruin them. After soaking for 45 min to 1 hour rinse them well and then season them to your taste and deep fry. If you want to know how to make tender chicken gizzards, these are the best gizzards ever!

Plate of Fried Chicken Gizzards

Jul 05, 2014
Trick to pressure cooking (by: Ken E)
Pressure cook for 15 to 20 minutes, cool dry them, and dip in egg, roll them Panko flakes, and fry until brown, salt and serve.

Sep 18, 2013
All it takes is patience (by: Capt. Jean-Luc Gizzarde)
To those who say to boil them for 15 minutes before frying...what is your definition of tender? Just boil them for hours until they're as tender as you like. One hour will make them edible. Five hours will make them "fall off the bone" tender (if they had, you know, bones). A pressure cooker will reduce the time required, but a big pot of boiling water and some good old fashioned patience are my favorite way. A gizzard can get so tender that you can't tell it from thigh meat, and as someone above said, it doesn't take a lick of talent, just patience.

Nov 13, 2012
This is how to make tender chicken gizzards (by: SherryT)
You put them in a pot and cover with chicken broth. Add some celery, onion, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Simmer them for at LEAST five hours. You will need to add more liquid as it evaporates. This is ALL you have to do. They will break apart in your fingers because they are so tender.

Now you can bread and fry them if you like. Or just chop up and put into your stuffing, which is what I do most of the time. This just takes patience; not talent. And, the broth you are left with is excellent to use both in the stuffing (in place of water) and the gravy.

Nov 10, 2012
Roundtree Recipe you would not believe Try them (by: Roundtree's Recipe)
You are all WRONG. Trust me on this- buy a liter of Coca Cola slow simmer your gizzards in the cola for about 30 40 min. Until done. Then spice up/ season your gizzards and season flour to your liking then fry in already heated oil for just a minute - enough to get the flour crispy because the gizzards are already tender and cooked before you battered them up.

Would you agree this is a unique way of how to make tender chicken gizzards?

Dec 10, 2011
How to make tender chicken gizzards (by: Anonymous)
Pressure cook your chicken gizzards for 4 minutes, then batter and fry them.

Nov 24, 2011
This is how to slow slimmer chicken gizzards (by: Anonymous)
Slow simmer for 3-5 hours,,should tender em up.. then you fry em..

Nov 24, 2011
Yum yum gizzards (by: Big E)
Okay rookies here is the trick! Slow simmer them gizzards, about 3 hours or longer. Then batter em up and fry em....yum yum

Dec 28, 2010
Best Chicken Gizzards Ever (by: THUGNIT2DEF)
For the best gizzards ever, try soaking them in vinegar. Or simmer in vinegar and water till brown. Best to use batter and drop them in the deep fryer til golden. They are already done from the boil. Does not take long for batter to crisp when deep frying. Reheating any food sucks, so eat them up.

Sep 17, 2010
Soft Gizzards (by: Anonymous)
I have tried everything! They say to boil them before frying, but I have done that, and it just makes them hard and tough again. So, what I do is I fry them, and then steam them. My whole family does this. I wondered if there was an easier way or faster way. Absolutely not.

That's all folks. By now you should know how to make tender chicken gizzards. Before you leave this website be sure to check out some of our other chicken recipes.