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This homemade Italian chicken sausage recipe is packed with protein and flavor, is healthier than store-bought, and is incredibly versatile!

If you haven’t started making your sausage yet, let this post be your sign! My Italian chicken sausage recipe is ridiculously easy and can be used in many dishes. This is truly one of the easiest recipes you’ll ever make. Combining the chicken, seasonings, and olive oil takes about five minutes. The most time-consuming part of this recipe is resting the meat for flavor.

You have complete control of the ingredients when you make sausage from scratch. This is the first in a series of homemade sausage recipes, and I’m starting with an Italian chicken sausage recipe because it’s my favorite. Italian sausage is very versatile—and not just for pasta! I’ll give you ideas below.

The most important part of this recipe is to season generously, especially when using chicken. We want a mouthwatering, flavorful sausage, so you’ll notice I use a generous amount!

If you’re into healthy, high-protein meal prep, this recipe is for you. Chicken is lower in calories and high in protein!

Italian Chicken Sausage Recipe

Why We Love It

Good ingredients. No nitrates, less sodium, and no mystery ingredients.
Protein. Chicken is packed with protein and works beautifully in this recipe.
Freezer friendly. Make a double or triple batch and freeze it into single and meal-size portions.
Flavorful. My favorite thing about making homemade sausage is that we can pack it with flavor!
Doesn’t suck. A lot of recipes with ground chicken are dry and flavorless. That is not the case here!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ground chicken. I buy pre-ground, but feel free to grind your own to save money.
Olive oil. We’re using a leaner cut of meat but adding back heart-healthy fat.
Seasonings. I like using them separately to control the amounts.

Ingredient notes. Smoked paprika is my secret ingredient in this homemade chicken Italian sausage recipe. It provides a subtle smoky flavor without overpowering the Italian flavors.

Pro tip. Virtually every kind of homemade sausage has fennel in it. Fennel makes sausage taste like sausage. I use fennel seeds because that’s what I typically have on hand, and I grind them using a mortar and pestle. If you prefer to buy ground fennel, I have the ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.

Used In This Recipe
Organic Olive Oil	Smoked Paprika	Nonstick Pan + Lid

How to Make

Add the ground chicken, olive oil, and the seasonings to a bowl.
Mix gently until thoroughly combined.
Refrigerate for at least eight hours, but preferably overnight.
When ready to cook, spray a hot skillet with avocado oil.
Cook the sausage over medium-high heat until nicely browned and cooked through.

Helpful Tips

Don’t skimp on the resting time. Resting the meat for at least eight hours allows the seasonings to penetrate, and the flavor will be much better. It also makes shaping the meat into patties or links a little easier.
This is one of my favorite food prep recipes. You can make a double or triple batch and freeze it raw or cooked. I prefer to cook it first so it’s ready to go straight out of the freezer. If you cook it fresh, shape it into patties or links first and freeze it between layers of freezer paper.

Serving Suggestions

Italian sausage makes delicious soups. Bean soup, potato soup, and vegetable soup would be delicious!
Sausage and mushroom pizza is one of our favorite ways to use this Italian chicken sausage recipe.
I love adding this to eggs for a quick sausage veggie scramble, but it also works well with omelets and frittata.
You could make grilled sandwiches with Italian sausage, tomatoes, pesto, mozzarella, or fontina cheese.

Italian Chicken Sausage Recipe Variations

The sky is the limit in terms of flavor combinations. I stick to classic Italian flavors, but if you like spicy things, add some cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper to the meat before mixing.
If you want to hide some veggies from your kids, you could finely dice zucchini, mushrooms, and onions, sauté them until they’re completely soft, and mix them into the meat. For extra-picky kids, I recommend running the veggies through a food processor.
I wanted to keep this recipe simple, using mostly pantry ingredients, but fresh herbs would be delicious. Use a generous amount of fresh parsley or basil for a pop of fresh flavor!
Many homemade sausage recipes include a little sugar or honey, but I prefer this recipe without sweetness. Feel free to experiment if that’s your vibe.
This also makes delicious breakfast sandwiches! You can shake the meat into patties, fry it on both sides until it reaches 165°, let it cool completely, and freeze it for quick and easy sandwiches. Alternately, you can shape the meat when it’s raw, freeze it between freezer layers, and cook the patties fresh for breakfast sandwiches.

Storage

To store in the refrigerator, let the sausage cool, transfer it to a covered container, refrigerate, and use within three days.
To freeze, let the sausage cool, transfer it to serving-size freezer containers, and freeze for up to six months.
To reheat in the microwave, remove the sausage from the freezer, transfer it to a microwave-safe bowl, cover it with a damp paper towel, and cook on defrost for 30 seconds. Check to see if the meat is warmed through, and continue heating at 30-second intervals until it’s hot to your liking.
To reheat on the stovetop, transfer the frozen meat to a small pot, add about a quarter cup of water, cover, and cook on medium for 5 to 10 minutes or until heated through. The water helps to defrost the meat without drying it out. You only need a little to do the job. Watch it close so the water doesn’t evaporate and burn the meat.

Check out our vegetarian, dairy-free, gluten-free, and low-carb recipes if you have food sensitivities!

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Italian Chicken Sausage Recipe

This homemade Italian chicken sausage recipe is healthier than store-bought, requires minimal ingredients, and is packed with protein and flavor!

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Prep Time: 5

Rest Time: 8

Total Time: 15

Ingredients

1 pound ground chicken
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons fennel seeds or 1 teaspoon ground fennel
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried basil dried
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

Instructions

Add the ground chicken, olive oil, and seasonings to a bowl.
Mix gently until thoroughly combined.
Refrigerate for at least eight hours, but preferably overnight.
When ready to cook, spray a hot skillet with avocado oil.
Cook the sausage over medium-high heat until nicely browned and cooked through.

Notes

Don’t skimp on the resting time. Resting the meat for at least eight hours allows the seasonings to penetrate the meat, and the flavor will be much better.
Resting the meat also allows you to shape it better. I often make these into patties for sandwiches.
Italian sausage makes delicious soups. Bean soup, potato soup, and vegetable soup would be delicious!
Sausage and mushroom pizza is one of our favorite ways to use this Italian chicken sausage recipe.
I love adding this to eggs for a quick sausage veggie scramble, but it also works well with omelets and frittata.
The sky is the limit in terms of flavor combinations. I stick to classic Italian flavors, but if you like spicy things, add some cayenne pepper or your favorite hot sauce directly to the meat before mixing.

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Italian Chicken Sausage Recipe

This homemade Italian chicken sausage recipe is packed with protein and flavor, is healthier than store-bought, and is incredibly versatile!