Apple Onion Chicken Breakfast Sausage Recipe (Paleo)
This apple onion chicken breakfast sausage recipe has just the right balance of sweet and savory flavor, and is perfectly seasoned with a few herbs and spices. It freezes well, which makes it great for meal prep!
Servings 13 servings
Calories 147kcal
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil plus more for frying
- 1 large onion finely diced
- 2 medium crisp sweet apples washed, cored, and diced small (not peeled)
- 1 large clove garlic
- 2 pounds ground chicken breast
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 3/4 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh sage or 3/4 teaspoon dried, crushed sage leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds gently crushed in your palm
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Melt 3 tablespoons coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and apple, and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat down to medium-low, add the garlic, and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly. Turn off the heat and cool completely.
- Combine the cooled apple/onion mixture, ground chicken breast, thyme, salt, sage, fennel seeds, black pepper, nutmeg, and vinegar in a large bowl. Just mix until the apples and onion are incorporated, being careful not to over-mix.
- Scoop the sausage mixture into 3-tablespoon-sized balls (I use an ice cream scoop for this), and then flatten the balls into 2 1/2 to 3-inch circles. (Like making mini hamburgers.)
- To cook on the stovetop, heat a large skillet or griddle (I use my cast iron griddle, but a nonstick surface will also work) over medium to slightly medium-high heat. Add a little bit of coconut oil and spread it around to coat the skillet or griddle. Add the sausages and cook until they’re golden on both sides and fully cooked inside, about 3 to 4 minutes per side, flipping once. You can work in batches if they don’t all fit at once. (Don’t press down on the sausages as they cook because this will release the juices that keep them moist.)
- To cook in the oven, preheat the oven to 425F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and grease it with a little coconut oil. Line the sausages up on the prepared baking sheet, and bake until they’re fully cooked, about 5 to 6 minutes per side, flipping once. (Note that if they’re cooked in the oven, they won’t be golden on the outside unless you run them under the broiler.)
- Serve the sausage with eggs or vegetable hash if desired.
Notes
- Net Carbs: 4g per serving
- Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes about 26 sausage patties, and each serving is 2 sausage patties, for a total of 13 servings.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Don’t skip this! It doesn’t make the sausages tart like you might think; it basically tenderizes the meat.
- Storage: Store cooked breakfast sausage covered in the fridge for up to 4 days, or in an airtight container layered between pieces of parchment paper in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Reheating: You can reheat this breakfast sausage right from the freezer (there's no need to thaw it first!). To do so, put the frozen sausages into a skillet with a splash of water, cover the skillet, and cook until warm throughout, flipping once.
Nutrition
Serving: 2sausages | Calories: 147kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 356mg | Potassium: 410mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 41IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg