It’s super easy to make your own breakfast sausage at home with just ground meat and a handful of spices. This Maple Chicken Breakfast Sausage Recipe is the perfect breakfast protein. Enjoy it as a side to eggs or pancakes, in homemade breakfast sandwiches, or in your favorite breakfast casserole!
For years, my Italian Chicken Sausage Recipe has been one of the most popular blog posts on Confessions. And so I am pumped to finally add a homemade Chicken Breakfast Sausage recipe to the mix and you guys are going to LOVE this one, too! It’s my new favorite breakfast protein to enjoy with my coffee cake baked oats, gluten free pancakes or in one of my Frittata Recipes or breakfast casseroles, or even on a breakfast sandwich made on a gluten free english muffin.
Why You Will Love these Breakfast Sausage Patties
- A delicious source of protein for your morning meal
- A great option for easy meal prep to help on those busy mornings.
- Freezer friendly, so batching is recommended
- Budget friendly and contain just a few simple ingredients
- Delicious alone, with a side or fruit, or a perfect addition to a bigger breakfast or healthy brunch.
- They can be made as sausage crumbles and used in your favorite egg cup recipe, skillet potatoes or hash, or in an egg omelette.
Ingredients
- ground chicken – you can use store bought ground chicken breast or make your own by chopping chicken breasts in your food processor
- poultry seasoning – I find it super easy to use a store bought blend, but you can also make your own homemade poultry seasoning
- smoked paprika – regular paprika works totally fine, too
- garlic powder and onion powder
- dried rubbed sage – this is different that just dried sage, but you can use that in a pinch, as well
- cinnamon or nutmeg – nutmeg warms up the sausage and the cinnamon helps to bring out the sweetness
- kosher salt or sea salt and black pepper
- pure maple syrup – for a subtle maple flavor and a touch of sweetness
- olive oil and olive oil spray
See the recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
This homemade breakfast sausage is totally customizable!
- Swap in ground turkey or ground pork for the chicken. You can also use ground meat from chicken thighs instead of chicken breast meat.
- For a strictly savory breakfast sausage, you can omit the maple syrup and cinnamon.
- Add red pepper flakes for a more spicy sausage.
- Swap maple syrup for brown sugar if that’s all you have on hand.
- Any neutral oil, such as avocado oil, will work in place of olive oil.
- Swap in fresh herbs like fresh sage instead of dried.
- Add in diced apples for chicken apple sausage.
Equipment
For this recipe, you don’t need any special equipment, but it’s helpful to have:
- Mixing bowls and measuring cups
- A nonstick skillet or cast iron skillet
- A flat spatula
- Large spoon or cookie scoop
- Parchment paper
Step by Step Instructions
This recipe comes together in four easy steps. For the full recipe, be sure to check out the recipe card below.
Step One: In a large mixing bowl, combine ½ tsp salt, and remaining dry ingredients with maple syrup and olive oil.
Step Two: Add ground chicken to the bowl, and gently combine ground chicken with the spice mixture, but don’t over mix.
Step three: Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, scoop out 12 even sausage balls and place on a parchment paper lined plate or baking sheet for less mess. Sprinkle tops of meatballs with half of the remaining salt.
Step four: Add half of the sausage balls to a hot skillet, salt side down, pressing them with a spatula to form patties. Cook on medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook another 2-3 minutes or until golden brown and the internal temperature is 165F. Repeat with the remaining meat mixture.
Expert Tips
- Be sure to preheat your pan before cooking your sausage patties – a hot pan will ensure a nice caramelization. Remember – color = flavor!
- If your meat mixture is sticky, spray a little cooking oil on your spatula or your fingers to helo. Do no use a spatula with holes when pressing down your patties.
Recipe FAQs
This depends on what your goals are, but these homemade chicken sausage patties are made from lean ground chicken and real food ingredients while store-bought sausage can have higher levels of saturated fat.
Can I freeze breakfast sausage patties?
Yes! In fact, I love making a big batch and freezing these patties for whenever I need a breakfast protein. Simply let your chicken patties cool, then place in a freezer safe, airtight container or ziplock baggie. Store for up to 3 months.
Yes! Just skip the step where you form the meatball and patties, and just cook the ground meat mixture in a pan, using a wooden or plastic spoon to crumble up like ground sausage.
I prefer using a skillet for this recipe, but you can cook them in your oven or air fryer, as well. Be sure to line your sheet pan or air fryer basket with parchment paper, and cook sausage on 400 degrees until the chicken registers 165 on a digital meat thermometer.
Meal Prep and Storage
- Meal Prep these breakfast chicken sausages up to 4 days in advance. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze in an airtight container or ziplock freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- Reheat sausage in the microwave, the air fryer, or in a warm skillet.
Healthy Breakfast Recipes
These homemade chicken breakfast sausage patties would be delicious with one of these yummy breakfast recipes:
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating & a review in the comments section! We love hearing from you!
Maple Chicken Breakfast Sausage Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 ½ tsp poultry seasoning
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika or sub regular paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp dried rubbed sage
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon or nutmeg
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt divided use
- dash black pepper or up to ¼ tsp if you like pepper
- 2 ½ Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp olive oil
- Olive oil or cooking oil spray
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ½ tsp salt, and remaining dry ingredients with maple syrup and olive oil. Add ground chicken to the bowl, and gently incorporate into the ground meat with the spice mixture, but don’t overmix. If you have time, cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours to allow flavors to meld. I often skip this step because I don’t have time. All good.
- Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, scoop out 12 even sausage balls and place on a parchment lined plate or baking sheet. Sprinkle tops of meatballs with half of the remaining salt.
- Preheat a skillet or cast iron frying pan over medium high heat. Add olive oil spray to the pan. Add 6 balls to the pan, salt side down, pressing them with a spatula to form patties. It helps to use a solid spatula without holes or a silicone spatula with this. If sausages stick, spray spatula with cooking oil spray first.
- Cook the patties for 2-3 minutes, the sprinkle top side with remaining salt. Flip to finish cooking for another 2-3 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165F. Repeat with the remaining meat.
- Refrigerate and use within 5 days, or freeze to use for the future.
- To use from frozen, microwave to defrost or let thaw overnight.
Jenni Bourne says
Absolutely fabulous! my kid loves these and its great for those counting their macros. Its perfect for a grab and go breakfast before school or work. I am making these again tomorrow and freezing them like one of the comments from earlier. They taste delicious and I used good quality amber maple syrup from Ontario.
Nancylynn says
This made my day! Thank you for your comment!
Julianne Lease says
Love these so much! I added some chopped green apples to mine too- yum!!
Nancylynn says
That sounds DELICIOUS! Thank you for sharing!
Greg K says
I found it to poultry seasoning forward. I would cut it in half next time
Nancylynn says
Ok, thank you for your feedback!
Gina D says
I’ve been making these for a few months now and I LOVE them!! I make a big batch and freeze them. Great way to get more protein in with breakfast. Thanks for this one!!! You’re the best😘
Nancylynn says
Yayyy Gina! Thank you for your comment and for taking the time to rate the recipe.
tamara says
can you bake these instead of frying?
Nancylynn says
Sure! 400 degree oven until the internal temp of the sausage registers 165 degrees F, should be about 15-20 min.
Amanda Billingsley says
These are delicious! The perfect blend of sweet and savory and my new go-to recipe for breakfast protein. I love everything you do Nancylynn!!!
Nancylynn says
Thank you Amanda! Love that we have a new go-to breakfast protein!