Can’t find a lower sodium Italian Chicken or Turkey Sausage for the 21 Day Fix? Read on to find out How to Make Homemade Italian Sausage with Ground Chicken or Turkey!
I get this question all the time – where can I find Italian Chicken or Turkey Sausage that is lower in sodium?
Turns out, it’s tricky. I am lucky enough to have a Wegman’s near me, and their lean Italian Poultry Sausage happens to be lower in sodium than most brands at about 400mg per serving. Just as a reference, one teaspoon of salt contains 2,300 mg of sodium and we should all try to stick to that amount or less in a day.
If you don’t have a Wegman’s, you can try a butcher shop, or a Whole Foods; they might also have some options for you.
I happen to love Italian Chicken Sausage and I use it in a TON of my recipes because it gives such yummy flavor without a lot of fat. I don’t stress a ton about sodium in a lean, healthy chicken sausage because I don’t eat a lot of packaged, processed food, so my sodium intake is already low. BUT, if you can’t find a poultry sausage with 400mg or less of sodium, or if your body reacts poorly to sodium, you need another option!
So what’s a FIXer to do?
If you can’t find a lower sodium Italian Sausage, you can very easily just make your own!
How to Make Homemade Chicken or Turkey Sausage
It’s super easy to make! Just start with some lean ground chicken or ground turkey – lately I have been preferring ground chicken in everything. But either works and this would also be yummy with beef!
Then you need some seasonings:
1 T minced garlic (fresh!)
1 tsp parsley
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp basil
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (or more to taste – or omit if you want a sweeter sausage)
½ tsp salt
sprinkle of black pepper (or more to taste – you can add a lot more, I am just not a huge fan)
These seasonings need to be mixed into your ground meat along with 1 tsp of olive oil and one tsp of maple syrup or honey.
Then you can cook this Homemade Chicken or Turkey Sausage according to the directions in your recipe! I have been browning it as part of my food prep and either freezing it or portioning it in the fridge to serve in quick bowls and sauces through the week.
Is this Homemade Italian Poultry Sausage a healthy choice?
Yes! This is a much healthier choice than many brands of Italian Poultry Sausage out there, especially those of you who can’t find a lower sodium option at your store or butcher. You will reduce the sodium level by more than half by using this recipe and you will also be able to purchase a leaner cut of meat, as well.
What are some recipes that use Italian Chicken or Turkey Sausage?
Like I said before, I love the flavor in Italian Poultry Sausage, so I have a whole bunch of recipes that you can use this Homemade Italian Poultry recipe in! Here are some examples!
21 Day Fix Zuppa Toscana (Instant Pot/ Stove Top)
Healthy Instant Pot Lasagna Soup | 21 Day Fix Lasagna Soup [Gluten-free]
Healthy Instant Pot Baked Ziti | 21 Day Fix Instant Pot Baked Ziti [Gluten-free]
Instant Pot Low Carb Stuffed Pepper Soup [21 Day Fix | 2B Mindset]
Instant Pot Sausage and Lentil Soup (21 Day Fix/Stove-top Option)
Instant Pot Sausage Broccoli Pasta (21 Day Fix)
Instant Pot Brown Rice and Sausage Stuffing (21 Day Fix)
Spicy Sausage and Veggies {21 Day Fix}
21 Day Fix Pumpkin Pasta with Spicy Sausage (Gluten Free|Instant Pot Option)
21 Day Fix Stuffed Acorn Squash with Sausage, Spinach, and Feta
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Can’t find a lower sodium Italian Chicken or Turkey Sausage for the 21 Day Fix? Read on to find out How to Make Homemade Italian Sausage with Ground Chicken or Turkey!
Ingredients
1 lb lean ground turkey or ground chicken
1 T minced garlic (fresh!)
1 tsp parsley
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp basil
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (or more to taste – or omit if you want a sweeter sausage)
½ tsp salt
sprinkle of black pepper (or more to taste – you can add a lot more, I am just not a huge fan)
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp maple syrup (or sub honey)
Instructions
Mix spices together. Taste and adjust spice level if desired.
Add 1 tsp olive oil and 1 tsp maple syrup to 1 lb of ground meat. Gently mix in seasonings, being careful not to over handle the meat.
If you have time, allow the meat to sit in the refrigerator for a few minutes or a few hours so the flavors can meld. If you don’t have time, skip this step! I usually skip 🙂
Brown your meat or cook according to your recipe directions!
This recipe freezes well – both cooked and uncooked.
Notes
21 Day Fix Containers – 1 Red, 1/4 tsp
Weight Watchers FS Points: using 93% lean meat – 5pts per serving. using 99% lean meat – 1pt per serving
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of skillet
Pamela Downs says
I have been buying/using the Italian Turkey Sausage from Aldi forever and they recently stopped carrying it. This is the first recipe I tried to make my own and it is outstanding! My husband loved it! Used the exact ingredients/measurements and it was a keeper. Will be making this again and again!
★★★★★
Nancylynn says
YAY!!! And it’s funny bc I haven’t seen it either – now I know why!
Robin says
I just tried your recipe and it was delicious! I used it as a meat base for soup. Thank you for this recipe
★★★★★
Nancylynn says
SO SO Happy!!!!!!