Fried Chicken Sausage Recipe

Prepare meat mixture

Place ground chicken in a large bowl. Add ice water, fine dry breadcrumbs, and egg white. Mix gently with clean hands or a spatula until combined and slightly sticky (about 1–2 minutes).

Season

Add salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, ground sage, red pepper flakes (if using), and minced parsley to the chicken. Fold and knead briefly (about 30–60 seconds) to distribute seasonings evenly. Do not overwork; mixture should remain tender.

Form sausages

Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions (about 2 oz / 55 g each). Shape each portion into logs about 3–4 inches long and 1 inch thick. Place formed sausages on a tray lined with parchment. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to firm up (15–20 minutes minimum if your kitchen is cool).

Set up dredging station

Put the flour and cornstarch in a shallow bowl and stir in 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. In a second bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. In a third shallow bowl, place the fine breadcrumbs or panko.

Coat sausages

Remove chilled sausages from the refrigerator. Working one at a time, roll each sausage first in the flour mixture, shaking off excess, then dip into the egg wash, letting excess drip off, and finally roll in breadcrumbs until evenly coated. Place coated sausages on a wire rack for 5 minutes to set.

Heat oil

Pour vegetable oil into a heavy skillet (cast iron or stainless) to a depth of about 1/3 inch. Heat over medium-high until the oil reaches 350°F (175°C) or until a small pinch of breadcrumbs sizzles immediately and browns in about 20–30 seconds.

Fry sausages

Working in batches (do not crowd the pan), add sausages to the hot oil and fry, turning every 1–1.5 minutes so all sides brown evenly. Total frying time should be about 6–8 minutes per batch until exterior is golden and internal temperature of sausages reaches 165°F (74°C). Adjust heat as needed to avoid burning the breading.

Drain

Transfer cooked sausages to a plate lined with paper towels or a wire rack set over a sheet pan. Let rest 3–4 minutes before serving to allow juices to redistribute.

Serve the fried chicken sausages hot with mustard or aioli on the side. If using buns, place 1 sausage per bun with pickles, or slice sausages and serve as an appetizer with dipping sauce.