Homemade chicken breakfast sausages are a healthier alternative to store bought. This chicken sausage recipe will show you just how easy they are to make.
Why I love making Homemade Chicken Sausages
As important as it is to have a go-to pancake recipe, I’d argue that having a homemade breakfast sausage recipe up your sleeve is just as essential.
These chicken apple sausages have become a staple in my household for three simple reasons:
- Healthy and packed with protein
- Easy to make ahead of time (and can even be frozen)
- My family loves them!
Plus, with the addition of apple, these breakfast sausages have that sweet and savory thing going on that I just can’t get enough of.
If you’re looking for an easy, protein-packed start to your morning then you’re going to love these homemade chicken sausages!
How to make chicken breakfast sausage from scratch?
As convenient as store bought sausages can be, trust me when I say that making your own is not only healthier, but also super simple and just as flavorful.
All you need are a handful of whole ingredients - no fillers or mystery additives here!
Let me show you exactly how I make homemade chicken apple sausages, along with my top tips!
Ingredients needed to make homemade chicken breakfast sausage
There are eight ingredients you’ll need to make these chicken sausages:
- Ground chicken
- Apple
- Onion
- Fresh parsley
- Sea salt
- Garlic granules
- Ground black pepper
- Avocado oil
To keep these sausages from getting too tart, I recommend avoiding green apples and using something sweeter such as a Gala or Fuji apple.
For the ground chicken, I recommend using a mix of chicken breast and thigh if possible to keep the sausages lean, but still moist and full of flavor.
Depending on the cut of chicken you end up using, you’ll want to adjust the amount of oil you use. If you use all white meat, for example, you’ll need more oil than if you use a higher ratio of thigh meat.
Making the chicken sausage meat
If you’ve ever made meatloaf or turkey burgers, then making chicken sausage meat will seem very familiar. Simply combine all the chicken sausage meat ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
While you can use a spoon, I find that they best way to ensure an even distribution of ingredients is to put on my food prep gloves and jump right in there to mix it all by hand.
Forming the chicken breakfast sausage patties
There are two ways to form the sausage patties: using a large cookie scoop or rolling by hand.
If using a cookie scoop, I fill the scoop until it’s just nearly full, release the sausage onto my work surface, and then flatten it with the palm of my hand.
I like this method as it’s easier to make the sausages uniform in size.
TIP: A big sturdy cookie scoop like this one will help you shape the sausage patties quickly and evenly.
Alternatively, you can divide the mixture into 15 equal-sized balls and shape into patties.
How thick to make homemade chicken sausage patties
As for thickness, it depends on how soon you plan on cooking them. For sausages you’re going to cook immediately, I like to make them about ¾-inches thick.
However, feel free to make them thinner or thicker based on personal preference. Just keep in mind that the thicker they are, the longer they’ll take to cook through.
TIP: If you plan on freezing your chicken breakfast sausages, then I recommend making them no thicker than ½ an inch.
Any thicker and you’ll have to thaw them before cooking, rather than being able to cook them straight from the freezer.
Cooking the chicken sausages
When chicken sausages cook, they’ll shrink a bit in diameter and get fatter. However, they won't shrink quite as much as pork sausage patties (here's my recipe for classic pork breakfast sausage patties if you want to give them a try). With this in mind, I like to make these chicken patties on the flatter side.
Now, there’s one key tip when cooking chicken sausages: do not press down on them while cooking!
Pressing down on chicken sausages can cause all that juicy goodness to run out of the patties and onto the pan, leaving you with drier patties.
I cook each chicken breakfast sausage patties on a lightly oiled, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes on the first side.
Flip, and then cook until the other side is browned and the sausages are cooked through.
This chicken sausage is a healthy breakfast
If there’s one meal that many of us likely don’t get enough protein at, it’s breakfast.
Chicken is a great way to add protein in the morning, without excess saturated fat. It also happens to pair beautifully with slightly sweet apples.
The other great thing about this recipe is that I know exactly what’s in them.
Plus, they can even be adapted to better fit your nutritional needs or preference. On a low sodium diet? Simply leave out the salt and use a sodium-free seasoning blend instead!
Why homemade chicken sausages are healthier than store bought
The first time I took a look at the ingredient list on a package of breakfast sausages I was surprised.
Not only was it longer than I’d expected, but it also contained nitrates, a bunch of fillers, and phrases like “natural flavorings.”
Homemade chicken breakfast sausages on the other hand are healthier in several ways:
- No nitrates
- Free of fillers
- Lower in sodium
- Made with just a few whole ingredients
Plus, since they can be made ahead of time and stored in the freezer, they're just as convenient as store bought!
This chicken apple sausage can be made paleo
This chicken apple sausage recipe can also be made paleo!
While all the ingredients are already paleo, it’s important to use an oil that’s also compliant.
The majority of vegetables oils are not considered paleo. However, there are a few exceptions to the rule:
- Avocado
- Coconut
- Olive
So, as long as you use avocado oil like the recipe suggests, then you can rest assured that these patties are paleo-friendly.
I've had great success with this Avocado Oil. I'm linking to Amazon so you can see it, but check your local grocery stores for a better price.
What to serve with this Chicken Breakfast Sausage
In addition to being an easy way to get more protein at breakfast, these chicken breakfast sausages pair well with a variety of breakfast and brunch recipes!
We love to eat them with:
- Muffin tin eggs for the ultimate make-ahead breakfast
- No Mayo Coleslaw on the side for some veggies
- Of course, can't go wrong with chicken sausages as a side for Brioche French Toast
I really hope this breakfast recipe makes it on your table soon. It’s definitely a recipe I like to make ahead of time and have ready to go in the freezer for a quick, healthy breakfast.
Love this breakfast recipe?
Don't miss these other similar recipes:
- Homemade Sausage Breakfast Patties with Pork
- Homemade Turkey Sausage
- Puff Pastry Breakfast Hand Pies with Sausage, Egg and Cheese
- Sausage and Egg Breakfast Casserole
Any questions? Feel free to ask in the comments below or email tina@theworktop.com
Chicken Breakfast Sausage
Print Recipe Save RecipeEQUIPMENT
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken (use a mix of chicken breast and chicken thigh if possible)
- 1 small apple - peeled and minced
- ⅓ medium onion - minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic granules
- ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
Instructions
Make the chicken sausage meat
- In a large bowl, mix everything together well. I find that the quickest and surest way to make sure everything is well mixed is to don on my food prep gloves, and use my fingers to really mix it together.
Make the chicken sausage patties
- There are a couple different ways you can do this. I like to use a large cookie scoop. I scoop in the chicken sausage meat it so it's just nearly full, release the scoop, then flatten it with my palm. Alternatively, you can just divide the sausage meat into 15 rough balls, and shape each ball into a sausage patty.
- Make 15 equal sized chicken breakfast sausages. I make them about ¾-inch thick if I am going to cook them straight away, but you can make according to your preference.
- If you are going to freeze half the batch, make the ones you are going to freeze no thicker than ½-inch, if you plan on cooking from frozen. Otherwise, you will need to defrost the chicken sausage patties before cooking.
Cook the chicken breakfast sausages
- Heat some oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the patties (you might need to do it in batches) and cook the first side for about 3-4 minutes, or until browned. Flip then cook the other side until browned and the sausage is cooked through.The most reliable way to to check if a chicken sausage patty is cooked through is to use an instant read thermometer. The internal temperature of each sausage should be 165°F / 74°C.
- If you are cooking from frozen, follow the same instructions, but you will need to slightly increase the cooking time. If the chicken breakfast sausages are browned but not cooked through, turn the heat down and finish cooking.
Anu says
Looks Great