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Tzhvzhik Armenian

Armenian Tzhvzhik (Braised Chicken Giblets)

A tasty, wholesome, satisfying dish from the Armenian kitchen! Armenian tzhvzhik is chicken giblets—liver, hearts, and gizzards—braised in tomato sauce. What sets it apart is the ginger, which gives the dish a bright, peppery kick.

Snezhana

Recipe author

Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Chicken livers

200

Chicken hearts

200

Chicken gizzards

200

Onion

Tomato paste

Garlic

Ginger

Ground coriander

Salt

Ground black pepper

Butter

Vegetable oil

Water

100

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 46 % 12 g

Fats 38 % 10 g

Carbohydrates 15 % 4 g

140 kcal

GI: 100 / 0 / 0

Cooking method

Step 1:

Gather the ingredients on the list. If any of the giblets are frozen, let them thaw at room temperature.
Step 2:

Rinse them well and trim off any excess fat and membrane.
Step 3:

The chicken hearts and gizzards need to be boiled first: simmer them in salted water over low heat for 30 minutes from the time the water boils.
Step 4:

Drain the water, tip the giblets into a colander, let them cool a little, and cut them into small pieces.
Step 5:

The chicken livers don't need pre-boiling—they cook quickly. Cut them into strips or cubes, whichever you prefer. Peel the onion and cut it into cubes.
Step 6:

Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet. Add the onion and cook until translucent, then add the livers. Stir and cook together over medium heat for about 2–3 minutes, until the liver just lightens in color.
Step 7:

Add the boiled hearts and gizzards to the liver, along with the pat of butter, the tomato paste, salt and ground black pepper to taste, the pressed garlic, and the grated ginger and coriander. Stir and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring now and then with a spatula. Then pour in a little water, stir, cover, and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly.
Step 8:

And it's done. You can serve tzhvzhik on its own—just the giblets in their sauce—or with a side; mashed potatoes, rice, or buckwheat all work beautifully, since the gravy makes any side dish juicy and flavorful. Enjoy!

Tzhvzhik is a traditional Armenian dish, hugely popular back home, where it's made both for everyday meals and for special occasions. The word "tzhvzhik" means "liver" in Armenian, but it's made with more than just liver—chicken gizzards, hearts, spleen, even kidneys, basically the whole range of giblets. It's also made with additions like prunes, mushrooms, herbs, bell peppers, and tomatoes, though the classic version uses just tomatoes or tomato paste.