Grilled Chicken Hearts
Oi Gente!!
Grilled chicken hearts are a delicious Brazilian barbecue classic that you can easily make at home. Read on through to find out where to buy and how to prepare chicken hearts, and with just 2 ingredients plus a hot grill this easy chicken hearts recipe can be part of your barbecue festa, too!
Looking for other Brazilian Churrasco recipes? Check out my Picanha Recipe – Brazilian Coulote Steaks – our most loved and most popular recipe!!
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Coração de Frango – An Unmissable Part of the Brazilian Churrasco
If you’re new to Brazilian churrasco, I get that the idea of chicken hearts on sticks may freak you out a little. But, I grew up eating coração de frango, how we call chicken hearts in Portuguese, and for me and many other Brazilians, these little offal-y bits are an unmissable part of the churrasco experience.
They’re so SO good! And, in my opinion, the simpler, the better. Perfectly chewy little hearts roasted on open flame with nothing but rock salt. That’s all you need, amigos!
If you’re never tried chicken hearts, they taste just like dark meat chicken. They’re just a little chewier, and have notable sweeter and metallic notes. And, as far of chicken hearts nutrition go, they’re a great source of protein, Iron and zinc.
I hope you love this classic Brazilian chicken hearts recipe as much as I do!
Bom Apetite!
Beijinhos xx
Make it a complete churrasco with these classic side dishes: Brazilian Rice / Molho a Campanha – Brazilian Salsa Vinaigrette / Farofa – Tosated Cassava Flour. Then wash it all down with a Caipirinha cocktail!
Where to buy chicken hearts
Chicken hearts are actually pretty easy to find these days. In Los Angeles, I always find them in the butcher section of Whole Foods. Just ask the butcher and they’ll grab them for you. If your local grocery store doesn’t sell them, try a Hispanic carniceria or any other neighborhood butcher shops.
For those of you not in the United States, I’ve done some quick research and looks like you can also find chicken hearts with not much trouble in butcher shops all over Europe and Australia as well.
How to prepare chicken hearts for grilling
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Lucky you, there are really no fancy tricks for how to clean chicken hearts. If they have too much fat and arteries flopping at the top, you can go ahead and cut that off, but usually, when you buy them by the pound in a butcher shop they’re already cleaned up. All you have left to do is season them, which lucky you again, it’s just salt!
So, to season chicken hearts for grilling, just add some sal grosso style rock salt, stir and assemble them on skewers, and you’re all set. After that, no marinating needed – off the the fire they go immediately!
How to cook Chicken Hearts on the grill
Make sure your grill is clean and well oiled to avoid the skewers from sticking to the grill. Then, grill the skewers over direct heat for about 5-10 mins, turning them halfway through to make sure they seal evenly on both sides.
After sealing them, move them over away from the flames into indirect heat for them to finish cooking another 15-20 mins, depending on the size of your hearts.
Chicken hearts are naturally chewy, but definitely not rubbery. If they’re rubbery, they’re overcooked!
E, pronto! All ready!
This grilled chicken hearts recipe is a great backyard party appetizer, or a full on upgrade on your barbecue to a fun churrasco that you can serve along with sausages, chicken, and picanha. Happy grilling!!
These Brazilian side dishes are a great match for Grilled Chicken Hearts
Molho a Campanha – Brazilian Salsa Vinaigrette
Farofa – Tosated Cassava Flour
Don’t forget a classic Brazilian dessert to end your meal!
Brigadeiro Recipe – Brazilian Fudge Balls
Pave de Chocolate – No-bake Chocolate Biscuit Cake
Other Brazilian Churrasco Recipes
Picanha Recipe – Brazilian Coulote Steaks
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Grilled Chicken Hearts
Ingredients
- 1 lbs chicken hearts
- 2 tsp rock salt
Instructions
- Make sure your grill is clean and well oiled to avoid the skewers from sticking to the grill, then preheat your grill to 350F.
- Trim any excess fat and long arteries from the top part of the chicken hearts, if present.
- Add the clean hearts to a bowl, and season them with the sal grosso style rock salt. Stir and assemble them on skewers.
- Then, place the skewers on the hot grill over direct heat and grill for about 5-10 mins, turning them halfway through to make sure they seal evenly on both sides.
- After sealing them, move the skewers away from the flames into indirect heat for them to finish cooking another 15-20 mins, depending on the size of your hearts.
