Natural form

Fresh chives: thin, hollow, bright green stems in a loose bundle.

Shows the herb's defining physical traits — slender cylindrical stems, uniform green, and the way they cluster — so readers can identify it at a glance.

Herbs

Chive

Delicate, oniony herb for garnishing and finishing

Slender and gently oniony, chives snip over eggs, potatoes, and soups for a fresh, mild bite and a pop of green. Always add them raw at the end. Keep them cold.

Chives are slender, hollow green shoots from the onion family with a delicate, fresh, gently oniony bite — the lightest and most refined of the alliums. Their flavor is mild and ephemeral, so they're used raw and added last: snipped over eggs, baked potatoes, soups, and dips for a pop of color and a clean onion note. Heat kills their freshness, so never cook them. The purple flowers are edible and oniony too. Garlic chives (Chinese chives) are flatter, with a distinct garlic flavor for stir-fries and dumplings.

Measured in: g
Storage: Refrigerate
Shelf life: 7 days

Find it in

Produce

Types & varieties

Common chives

Slim, hollow stalks with a mild onion flavor.

Garlic chives (Chinese chives)

Flat leaves with a garlicky taste, used in stir-fries and dumplings.

Chive blossoms

Edible purple flowers — oniony and pretty for garnish.

How to use

Snip chives with scissors into short lengths or fine rings and scatter them over a finished dish — eggs, potatoes, soups, dips, fish. They add freshness and a hint of onion without the harshness of raw onion.

Always add raw, just before serving
Snip with scissors to avoid bruising
Use blossoms whole or pulled apart as garnish

How to store

Wrap chives loosely in a damp paper towel and refrigerate, or freeze snipped chives in a bag — frozen they keep their flavor for cooking better than they keep their texture for garnish.

Common uses

Scrambled and deviled eggsBaked potatoes with sour creamVichyssoise and creamy soupsCream cheese and dipsSmoked salmon and bagelsCompound buttersPotato and pasta salads