• Peel the apple and grate it using the large holes of a box grater. Place the grated apple in a clean kitchen towel and gently squeeze out the excess juice. The apple should remain moist but should not be dripping wet.

  Place the ground chicken thighs, grated apple, breakfast sausage seasoning, maple syrup, and melted butter or oil in a large bowl. Mix gently until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Avoid overworking the mixture, which can give the cooked sausage a dense texture.

  Cover the bowl and refrigerate the sausage mixture for at least 30 minutes. This resting time allows the flavors to develop and helps the mixture firm up, making it easier to shape.

  Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions. With lightly dampened hands, shape each portion into a thin patty of even thickness.

  Heat enough butter or oil to lightly coat the bottom of a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Arrange the patties in the skillet without crowding them, working in batches if necessary.

  Cook the patties for 4–5 minutes per side, or until well browned and the centers reach 165°F. Transfer the cooked patties to a plate and serve warm

Notes

• Choose a firm, sweet-tart apple such as Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Gala. Avoid soft or mealy apples that release too much moisture and lose their texture.

  The sausage mixture can be shaped into small breakfast patties, larger sandwich patties, or meatballs. It can also be cooked loose and crumbled for use in other recipes.

More Than Breakfast Sausage

• Apple chicken sausage is a natural fit for breakfast sandwiches, egg casseroles, omelets, sausage gravy, and potato or sweet potato hash, but it can do much more.

  Cook it loose for stuffing, pasta, soups, casseroles, grain bowls, or savory hand pies. Shape it into meatballs, sandwich-size patties, or smaller patties to serve with roasted vegetables. Its savory apple flavor pairs especially well with potatoes, winter squash, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, onions, cheddar cheese, and apple-cider or maple-Dijon sauces.

  Try it in sausage and apple stuffing, stuffed acorn squash, a fall sheet-pan dinner, creamy pasta, a hearty seasonal salad, or a savory apple and sausage pie.

Storage

• Refrigerate cooked sausage in an airtight container for up to 5-7 days.

  To freeze, arrange the uncooked patties in a single layer with parchment paper between them. Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before cooking.