Go Back
image of bacskai csirkemaj - a Hungarian dish of stewed vegetables and chicken liver mixed with tarhonya
Print Pin

Bacskai Csirkemáj - Bacska Chicken Livers with Tarhonya

A traditional Hungarian dish from Hungary's Bacska region chicken livers in a lecso sauce, and mixed with tarhonya.

Ingredients

Tarhonya

  • 200 g tarhonya
  • 2 tbsp zsír
  • 500 ml chicken stock (or water)
  • salt to taste

Bácskai Chicken Liver

  • 3 tbsp zsír
  • 500 g chicken livers (cleaned and halved)
  • 1 onion (finely chopped)
  • 3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
  • salt to taste
  • 2 Hungarian TV paprika (chopped into thin slices or small squares)
  • 2 tomatoes (chopped)
  • 1 tsp dried marjoram
  • 1 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 100 ml chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp parsley finely chopped

Instructions 

Tarhonya

  • Heat the zsír in a pan until it melts, then add the tarhonya and fry till it starts to brown.
  • Add the chicken stock and a good pinch of salt and stir well. Cover the pan and simmer very gently for around 14 minutes or until the tarhonya grains have absorbed all the chicken stock.
  • When done, set aside and allow to rest. Before adding the tarhonya to the chicken livers, stir with a fork to separate the grains.

Bácskai Chicken Liver

  • Heat 2 tbsp of zsír in a pan, and when melted, , then fry the chicken liver until browned on both sides. Set aside.
  • Add another tbsp of zsír to the pan. When melted, add the chopped onion and a good pinch of salt and cook for apprx 5 minutes until it softens. Then add the Hungarian TV paprika and cook for another 5 minutes or until the Hungarian TV paprika has softened.
  • Take the pan off the heat and add the sweet Hungarian paprika and stir to mix well.
  • Return the pan to the heat and add the tomato paste, the chopped tomatoes and marjoram along with the chicken stock.
  • When the vegetables are simmering gently, add the chicken livers (including any resting juices), then simmer for a further for about 10 minutes, or until the chicken livers are just cooked.
  • Just before the chicken livers are cooked, add in 1 tbsp of chopped parsley and stir through the sauce.
  • When cooked, mix the chicken liver sauce and the tarhonya together in a large serving bowl, and garnish with the remaining parsley.
  • Serve with pickles.