Chicken Heart Products

While not as traditional in modern Western cuisine as chicken wings or roast chicken, chicken hearts offer incredible health benefits as a small but mighty source of vitamins and nutrients. Chicken hearts are an integral part of some types of European and Asian cuisines and offer an inexpensive way to add variety, flavor, and important nutrients to your diet. 

In addition to other organ meats, chicken hearts have recently received recognition for health benefits such as the cardioprotective effect they can have, leading to reduced risk of heart disease. The B vitamins in chicken hearts are associated in some studies with reducing cholesterol, helping to maintain healthy blood pressure, and preventing such brain ailments as Alzheimer's disease and dementia. 

Chicken hearts are extremely high in protein, which is an important part of a healthy diet. A one-cup portion of simmered chicken hearts provides an impressive 38 grams of protein, which goes a long way toward the daily intake goals of 46 grams for women and 56 grams for men. 

If you're looking to add this superfood to your diet routine, look no further than Instacart. Add chicken hearts to your cart, and an Instacart shopper will get to work on your order with same-day shipping!

The first step when cooking with chicken hearts is to clean them properly. When working with poultry in general, it's very important to maintain a clean workspace to reduce the chance of dangerous bacteria from uncooked chicken making it into your food. Always clean your hands before and after you have worked with chicken to remove any traces of juices, and scrub knives and cutting boards with hot sudsy water to remove all traces of bacteria. 

No matter how you intend to prepare them, it's important to carefully prep the chicken hearts before cooking. (If you're particularly squeamish, you may want to ask a friend with a stronger stomach for assistance). First, trim away any veins or arteries, as well as any blood clots. While there is nothing wrong or dangerous with these parts, their removal will reveal a consistent texture that will be easier to cook evenly. Depending on the preparation you choose, you may want to leave the chicken heart intact or slice it in half so that it lays flat. 

You may choose to grill your chicken hearts; this is a favored practice in Brazil. The chicken hearts are seasoned with coarse salt and laid directly over hot coals to enable them to absorb the smoky, rich flavors. Unlike other offal, such as liver, which ideally needs to be pre-soaked before cooking, chicken hearts need only a bit of salt to let their flavor shine.

Chicken hearts respond well to more immersive seasoning profiles. Drop them in a marinade of soy sauce, ginger, and other flavorings for a minimum of 30 minutes so they can absorb these savory flavors. In addition to grilling, try pan-frying chicken hearts for a new flavor profile. Unlike beef hearts, which require slow cooking for optimal results, chicken hearts thrown into a pan with some olive oil, salt, and seasonings of your choice can be on the table after five minutes of cooking.