Easy and freezer-friendly, Chicken Breakfast Sausage patties are perfect to have on hand for egg sandwiches and other favorite morning dishes.
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Breakfast sandwiches are very popular in our house. To keep up with high breakfast sandwich demand I store plenty of English muffins in the freezer, sliced and shredded cheeses in the fridge, and cooked meats that can be grabbed in a flash.
And these Chicken Breakfast Sausage Patties are perfect to have on hand!
A New England diner favorite, sausage and egg breakfast sandwiches are typically made with pork sausage. Using a homemade chicken breakfast sausage means you and your family can enjoy leaner breakfast sandwiches—and you're in complete control of the spices and seasonings that go into the patties!
Why you'll love homemade breakfast chicken sausages
This ground chicken sausage recipe is handy because the patties are easy to reheat. Keep them on hand for egg sandwiches or to have as a side with other breakfast and brunch dishes.
You can also use the mixture as you would bulk sausage, to cook up for savory recipes like breakfast burritos, egg bakes, and more.
Because this breakfast sausage recipe is made with lean chicken, it's a healthier alternative to pork sausage.
These chicken sausage patties have a savory blend of spices—a flavor profile that's not sweet like maple breakfast sausage. However, they're not so spicy that you would pass them by in the morning.
Freeze these sausage patties for a quick breakfast
Homemade chicken sausage freezes very well, whether as patties or as bulk sausage. Having sausage patties in the freezer makes it a cinch to make breakfast sandwiches on busy mornings, or to serve them as a side with pancakes, omelets, or waffles.
The recipe below has all the details on how to freeze and thaw the chicken sausage.
🔪 How to make Chicken Breakfast Sausage
Chicken sausage patties ingredients:
- Ground chicken: Lean ground sausage is the meat base for these breakfast sausages. In the grocery store meat aisle, look for packages of ground chicken or ask the butcher to grind some for you. If you have a meat grinder at home, you can also make your own from chicken breasts.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Because chicken is so lean, adding olive oil to the meat mixture helps the sausage stay moist and tender after cooking.
- Garlic: Use a microplane or a sharp kitchen knife to mince a fresh garlic clove; it adds so much flavor to the sausage.
- Salt: Without it, these sausage patties would be flat and kind of boring-tasting.
- Seasonings: My seasoning blend includes onion powder, ground pepper varieties, rosemary, and cayenne.
Spice tip
For a flavor that more closely resembles traditional pork breakfast sausage, add a little ground sage and fennel seed to the spice mixture for this chicken sausage.
Make the chicken mixture
Mix the ground chicken with garlic, spices, and olive oil.
Shape the patties
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Shape small portions of the chicken mixture into 2-inch diameter patties.
Cook up the sausages
Cook the patties for 5-6 minutes in a skillet until they're lightly browned on both sides and cooked through.
Tips:
- As you mix the ingredients together it may seem like there's too much oil, however, I find that it's just right in the end. The oil adds much-needed moisture to the sausage patties as they cook, as they stay moist through reheating from cold or frozen. No one wants a dried-out sausage patty!
- To use this Chicken Breakfast Sausage in bulk sausage recipes, skip the step of shaping the patties. Instead, cook the sausage mixture once everything is mixed together. Add it to a skillet over medium heat; cook the sausage, breaking up clumps, until the meat crumbles are cooked through.
- There are instructions in the recipe below for storing the chicken sausage in the fridge or freezer.
What to make with Chicken Breakfast Sausage
The breakfast sausage patties are the perfect size to use in egg sandwiches made with English muffins or bagels. Add in your favorite cheese (I love cheddar or pepper Jack) and don't forget some hot sauce on the side.
Chicken breakfast sausage can also be used in recipes calling for bulk sausage, like breakfast burritos, egg casseroles, and hash. Add the chicken sausage crumbles to creamy pepper gravy and serve it over warm biscuits.
A chicken sausage patty or two is also tasty as a side dish with brunch and breakfast dishes like scrambled eggs, omelets, and waffles.
FAQs
Because chicken breakfast sausage patties are thin, they'll cook through fairly quickly. When done, they will be golden brown on the outside, white all the way through, and lightly firm to the touch. The internal temperature on a digital thermometer should be 165°F.
Sausage made with ground chicken is lower in fat than sausage made with ground pork. According to The Spruce Eats, the fat content in a serving of ground pork is about 11 grams, with 4.5 grams of that being saturated fat. By comparison, a serving of ground chicken contains only 6 grams of fat, including 2 grams of saturated fat. That makes homemade chicken sausage a healthier option. It's also free of sodium nitrates that are commonly used as preservatives in packaged pork sausage.
Trader Joe's take on chicken sausage has a spice blend that includes the pepper, salt, rosemary, and chili pepper found in my Chicken Breakfast Sausage recipe, as well as cloves, sage, red pepper flakes, and thyme.
Homemade Chicken Breakfast Sausage Patties are perfect to keep on hand for savory, hearty breakfasts for you, your family, and your overnight guests!
The Chicken Breakfast Sausage recipe is below, and here are some ways to use this sausage—as patties and as crumbles:
💬 How do you like these breakfast sausage patties? Leave a comment below.
📖 Recipe
Chicken Breakfast Sausage
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Ingredients
- 1½ pounds ground chicken
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper (optional)
- ½ teaspoon crushed rosemary
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
Instructions
Make the sausage mixture:
- Place the ground chicken in a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the grated garlic to the bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the parsley, salt, onion powder, Sichuan pepper (if using), rosemary, cayenne and white pepper. Add the spice mixture to the chicken.
- Mix the ingredients together by hand just until ingredients are incorporated. The mixture will be very wet from the olive oil.
Shape the patties:
- Line a work surface with a plastic cutting board or a sheet of plastic wrap.
- Take 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture and gently shape it into a patty about 2 inches in diameter. Place the patty on the parchment. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
Cook:
- Line a plate or cooling rack with a paper towel.
- In a large skillet heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat, tipping the pan around or using a silicone brush to coat the pan surface with the oil.
- Place 4 or 5 of the chicken patties into the pan at a time. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the surfaces of the patties have lightly browned.
- Flip the patties and cook for another 2-3 minutes until they're cooked through. Remove the patties to the paper towel. Repeat the cooking process with the remaining patties.
- Serve the patties while still warm.
To make bulk sausage:
- Skip the step of shaping patties. Instead after the chicken, spices, and oil are mixed, cook the bulk sausage, breaking it up as it cooks.
Store in the fridge:
- Cooked Chicken Breakfast Sausage patties or bulk sausage can be stored tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To freeze sausage patties:
- Place the cooked, cooled patties in a single layer on a plate or baking sheet. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for two hours.
- Once the patties are frozen and firm, they can be placed into a resealable freezer bag and stored in the freezer for up to two months.
To freeze bulk sausage:
- After mixing the chicken, spices, and oil, put the raw mixture in a releasable freezer bag and press out all the air. Freeze the mixture, and keep for up to 2 months.
- Let the bulk sausage thaw overnight in the fridge. Then, cook it in a skillet over medium heat, breaking up the crumbles, until the meat is cooked through.
To thaw the patties:
- Allow the patties or bulk sausage to thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Alternatively, place one or two frozen patties on a microwave-safe plate and heat in the microwave for 15 seconds. Flip the patties over and microwave for another 15-20 seconds until they are heated through.
Notes
- As you mix the ingredients together it may seem like there's too much oil, however, I find that it's just right in the end. The oil adds much-needed moisture to the sausage patties as they cook, as they stay moist through reheating from cold or frozen. No one wants a dried-out sausage patty!
- To use this Chicken Breakfast Sausage in bulk sausage recipes, skip the step of shaping the patties. Instead, cook the sausage mixture once everything is mixed together. Add it to a skillet over medium heat; cook the sausage, breaking up clumps, until the meat crumbles are cooked through.
- There are instructions in the recipe below for storing the chicken sausage in the fridge or freezer.
Nutrition
Belinda
Quick, easy, and tasty. I guesstimate everything but I used the ingredients listed. Made breakfast sandwiches with egg and cheese and put in the freezer. Hopefully they heat up well. But I ended up eating one lol it smelled so good I couldn't wait till tomorrow.
Nancy Mock
Belinda, thanks so much for your lovely feedback! I can so relate to sneaking one early for a taste test, LOL. I'm happy you like the recipe and I hope they made your breakfast sandwiches extra delicious!
armchairsquid
Those do look good. Are there non-breakfast sandwich applications for this device?
Nancy Mock
Ooh, now there's a question I'd like to investigate! I'm certain many non-sandwich treats could be created in this maker. It's main point of brilliance is the hot plate that can cook a liquidy ingredient & then drop it into the rest of the creation. Perhaps the sky is the limit!
Lori L MacLaughlin
That's a neat little gadget. And those sandwiches look delicious! It takes English muffins to a whole new level. 🙂