Chitlins, often spelled chitterlings, are a type of food made from pig intestines. In the US, they are a common soul food offering, though their cleaning and preparation can take a good deal of time. They are especially popular served during Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations among African American families.

The origin of chitlins is from the various foods served to slaves during the winter. When hogs were slaughtered in the South, African Americans were often given the intestines, instead of the meat of the pig. This led to a gradual dependence on the food as a "treat" during the winter months. Post-slavery, chitlins were an inexpensive, traditional way to evoke the good memories of the past, as opposed to the bad ones.

Because chitlins are intestines, they have to be cleaned with extreme care. They can contain fecal matter, which can translate to ingesting numerous forms of bacteria including E. Coli, yersinia, and salmonella. If chitlins are sold uncooked, they need to be cleaned, and hand picked of any remaining fecal matter. Guides on cooking chitlins often suggest boiling them for 5 minutes to sterilize them prior to preparing them.

Chitlins can be added to stews or soups, and some people prefer them cooked and then deep-fried. When deep-fried, chitlins may be dipped in mustard, or other spicy condiments. Chitlins also are used for casings, so before you reject the idea of chitlins, don’t forget if you’ve had sausages, you’ve eaten them.

Many people say that chitlins are the type of food you either love or hate. The smell when stewing can be somewhat foul, and many find it distasteful. They were often cooked outdoors to avoid the smell overpowering small living spaces. The finished chitlins don’t retain this smell. Some people hate the smell of cooking chitlins but enjoy the end result.

Southern US soul food is not the first cuisine to use offal. Korean cuisine offers makchang, which is grilled pork intestines. Many cultures consume either sheep or cow intestines. People may be familiar with haggis, and tripe.

In celebration of chitlins, there are now many chitlins festivals in the US. The yearly Chitlin Strut, in Salley, South Carolina began in 1996. Now about 70,000 people attend this festival each year and each year, consume over 100,000 pounds (45,000 kg) of chitlins.

Black musicians from the 1930s onward regularly performed at informal clubs or juke joints across the US. These were called the Chitlin Circuit. They were often the only way that black performers could perform in Southern states and make a living from their art or acquire new fans.