Nitrate & Nitrite Free Whole30 Chicken Apple Breakfast Sausage
Breakfast sausage is one of those morning staples that can be surprisingly hard to source cleanly ā most store-bought options are packed with curing agents, preservatives, and added nitrates that have no business being in your first meal of the day. This homemade version skips all of that entirely, relying on nothing but fresh herbs, warm spices, and a clever trick with grated apple to deliver serious flavor. The apple brings a subtle natural sweetness that plays beautifully against the sage, thyme, cinnamon, and a hint of heat from the red pepper flakes ā it's a combination that tastes far more complex than the ingredient list suggests. Squeezing the moisture out of the grated apple before mixing is the key move here; it ensures the patties develop a deep golden crust in the skillet rather than steaming through. Ground chicken keeps things light without sacrificing that satisfying, hearty bite you want from a breakfast patty. A quick chill in the fridge before cooking helps the patties hold their shape and brown evenly, so every batch comes out looking as good as it tastes. Whether you're meal-prepping for the week or building a proper weekend breakfast plate, these are the kind of sausage patties that make you wonder why you ever bought the packaged kind.
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Learn more āIngredients
4 servings
- 1 lb ground chicken
- Ā½ cup apple, peeled and finely grated (about 1 small apple)
- 2 tsp fresh sage, finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- Ā½ tsp garlic powder
- Ā½ tsp onion powder
- Ā½ tsp ground black pepper
- Ā¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- Ā¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- Ā¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Ā¾ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
Instructions
- 1
Grate the apple on the fine holes of a box grater, then squeeze the grated apple firmly in a clean kitchen towel or several layers of paper towel until most of the liquid is removed ā the apple should feel nearly dry. This keeps the patties from steaming instead of browning.
- 2
Combine the ground chicken, squeezed apple, sage, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, red pepper flakes (if using), and salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix with your hands until the seasonings are evenly distributed, about 30 seconds ā do not overwork the mixture.
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