Chicken Breakfast Sausage Patties with Sage

These ground-chicken breakfast patties use sage, thyme and a little optional maple syrup. This page gives one measured base recipe with two seasoning ideas. Use a thermometer to check doneness: color and cooking time alone do not show whether ground poultry is safe to eat.

Ingredients and yield

Makes about eight small patties, or four servings.

• 1 lb (450 g) ground chicken
• 1 tsp dried rubbed sage
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt, or adjust to taste after cooking a small test piece
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp maple syrup, optional
• 1 tbsp neutral oil for the skillet

How to make chicken breakfast sausage

1. Put the chicken, sage, thyme, garlic powder, salt, pepper and optional maple syrup in a bowl. Mix gently until the seasonings are evenly distributed. Wash your hands and keep utensils that touched raw chicken away from ready-to-eat food.
2. Divide the mixture into eight portions. With damp hands, shape patties about 1/2 inch thick. If the mixture is difficult to handle, chill it briefly.
3. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the patties in batches, turning once, until browned. Begin checking after about 4–5 minutes per side, but use a food thermometer in the center of the thickest patty. Ground poultry must reach 165°F (74°C).
4. Rest briefly and serve. Lower the heat if the outside browns before the center reaches temperature.

The 165°F (74°C) minimum for ground poultry comes from FoodSafety.gov’s safe-temperature chart.

Two seasoning variations

For a peppery patty, add 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper to the base mixture. For a brighter herb flavor, replace the dried thyme with 1 tbsp chopped parsley. Both use the same cooking and temperature check as the base recipe. Cook a small piece first if you want to adjust the salt or herbs.

Serving and storage

Serve with eggs or toast, or crumble a cooked patty into a breakfast bowl. For another warm breakfast, see our creamy quinoa porridge. Refrigerate cooked leftovers promptly and use within 3–4 days. Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C). FoodSafety.gov provides the leftover guidance.