Chicken Breakfast Sausages
Ground chicken often gets a bad rap for being bland and pale, but these homemade chicken breakfast sausage patties will convince you to pick up a few pounds the next time you go shopping. A mix of spices adds smokiness and an aromatic lift, while maple syrup provides a welcome bit of sweetness and helps the patties brown and develop a nice crispy crust in a cast-iron skillet.
Look for “ground chicken,” not “ground chicken breast.” The former is usually a blend of dark and white meat with more fat, which results in juicier sausages. If your store doesn’t have ground chicken, pulse a few quartered boneless, skinless chicken thighs in a food processor until finely minced, or substitute ground turkey.
While this chicken breakfast sausage recipe yields a mildly spicy patty, you can freely adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to match your heat preference. No matter how you customize it, they’re fantastic served with runny fried eggs and a pile of hash browns for brunch. Or you could stack them onto English muffins with scrambled eggs, wrap in parchment paper and foil, and freeze for high-protein meal-prep breakfast sandwiches that you can reheat in your toaster or air fryer while you get ready for your day.
Recipe information
Total Time
20 minutes (plus 10 minutes for chilling)
Yield
Makes 10
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Combine 2 lb. ground chicken, 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 Tbsp. fennel seeds, 1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup, 2 tsp. smoked paprika, 1 tsp. garlic powder, and ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes in a large bowl; season with freshly ground black pepper. Mix vigorously to combine. Divide mixture into 10 portions, roll into balls, and place on a plate or baking sheet. Chill balls at least 10 minutes.
Step 2
Heat 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium. Working in 3 batches, arrange meatballs in pan; press into patties with an oiled flat-bottomed measuring cup. Cook, adjusting heat as needed to keep patties from browning too quickly and turning halfway through, until deeply browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to plates.
Step 3
Do Ahead: Balls can be formed 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.
Recipe notes
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