Try this chicken bratwurst recipe for a lighter spin on classic beer brats. These homemade sausages blend ground chicken thighs with pork shoulder for a good balance of flavor and juiciness. After browning, the links finish by simmering in a buttery beer bath with onions and garlic. Serve with mustard, sauerkraut, or caramelized onions for a delicious meal any time of year.
Bratwurst is a German-style sausage traditionally made with pork, though other meats are common. In this version, ground chicken thighs lighten the mix while still keeping moisture and flavor, paired with pork shoulder for the fat and texture that make great sausages.
🌠Chicken Bratwurst Recipe Ingredients
Ingredients for the sausage:
- 1½ lbs. chicken thighs (680 g), boneless and skinless
- 1½ lbs. pork shoulder or pork butt (680 g)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon each: black pepper, dried marjoram, onion powder
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon caraway seeds
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- Hog casings
To cook the brats in a beer bath:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups beer
- ÂĽ cup butter
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Equipment:
- Meat grinder with a sausage-stuffing attachment
- Cast iron skillet for browning and simmering
âž• How to Make Chicken Bratwurst
Set up and prep: Clean and assemble your grinder and keep the meats chilled to about 38–40°F (3–4°C) for easier cutting and grinding. Having everything ready saves time and helps food safety.
Cube and season: Cut the chicken and pork into roughly 1-inch pieces. In a large bowl, combine the cubed meats with salt, marjoram, black pepper, caraway seeds, garlic, allspice, and onion powder. Mix thoroughly to distribute seasonings.
Grind twice: Using a coarse plate, grind the seasoned meat once, then run it through a second time on the coarse plate. Double grinding gives the bratwurst a classic, hearty texture—avoid a fine grind unless you want a very smooth, hot-dog–like result.
Chill and prepare for stuffing: Refrigerate the ground mixture while you set up the grinder for stuffing. Fit a large stuffing funnel to the grinder and have your casings ready.
Prepare casings: Soak natural hog casings according to the package, cut into manageable lengths, and rinse them by running cool water through them. Tie a knot at one end before stuffing.
đź’ˇ Stuffing Chicken Bratwurst Sausage Links
Fit the casing: Tie a knot at one end of the casing and slide the open end over the stuffing funnel. Gather the casing to ease it over the funnel if needed.
Stuff slowly: Feed the meat through the grinder slowly. Use one hand to press the meat with the stomper and the other to guide the casing as it fills to avoid air pockets.
Stop and remove: When the casing is several inches from the end, stop filling, turn off the grinder, and slide the casing off the funnel.
Twist and tie: Twist or tie the filled casing into links, starting near the closed end. Finish by tying off the open end. You can twist successive links or use twine.
Repeat: Continue with additional casings until all the meat is used. When finished, you may recover a small amount of meat from the grinder—shape it into patties to pan-fry.
🍻 How to Cook Bratwurst in a Beer Bath
Brown the brats: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-low. Brown the sausages about 4–6 minutes per side until nicely colored. Remove and set aside.
Make the beer bath: Turn heat to medium, add the beer, butter, sliced onion, and minced garlic to the skillet. Bring to a gentle simmer and let the butter melt.
Simmer the brats: Return the browned sausages to the skillet and simmer gently in the beer bath for about 15 minutes, until cooked through. Use tongs to handle the links carefully.
Toast buns and serve: While the brats simmer, toast rolls and prepare toppings. Place each brat in a bun and top with mustard, sauerkraut, pickled vegetables, or caramelized onions to taste.
🧅 Toppings for Brats
Suggested toppings:
- Mustard (classic or flavored)
- Sauerkraut or fermented cabbage
- Pickled turnips or other pickles
- Caramelized onions
If you have time, homemade mustard or fermented condiments complement the effort of making sausages, but store-bought options work well too.
Chicken Bratwurst Recipe (Chicken Sausage)
Summer Yule
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs. chicken thighs (680 g), boneless and skinless
- 1½ lbs. pork shoulder or pork butt (680 g)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon caraway seeds
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- Hog casings
To cook the chicken beer brats:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups beer
- ÂĽ cup butter
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Instructions
- Keep chicken and pork chilled (38–40°F / 3–4°C). Cut into 1″ cubes or smaller.
- Combine meats with salt, black pepper, marjoram, onion powder, caraway, allspice, and minced garlic in a large bowl and mix well.
- Grind the mixture twice through a coarse plate for ideal texture.
- Refrigerate the ground meat while you set up the grinder for stuffing. Use a large stuffing funnel for hog casings.
- Soak and rinse casings per package directions, cut to length, and tie a knot at one end.
- Slide a casing onto the stuffing funnel and slowly feed the meat through. One hand should press the meat while the other guides the casing to avoid air pockets.
- When you reach a few inches from the end, stop and remove the casing. Twist or tie into links, then finish by tying off the open end.
- When finished, recover any remaining meat in the grinder and shape it into patties if desired.
How to cook chicken bratwurst in a beer bath:
- Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-low and brown the brats about 4–6 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
- Increase heat to medium and add beer, butter, sliced onion, and garlic. Bring to a simmer and let the butter melt.
- Add the sausages back to the skillet and simmer gently for about 15 minutes until cooked through. Serve in toasted buns with desired toppings.
Equipment
- Meat grinder with sausage attachment
- Cast iron skillet
Notes
Expert tips: Replacing the pork with more chicken is possible if you need a pork-free version, but keep in mind leaner mixes can dry out when grilled. Simmering the links in a butter-and-beer bath helps keep them moist. Skipping added fat and reducing butter in the bath makes these brats a lower-saturated-fat option than traditional pork-only bratwurst.
Nutrition values are estimates per serving and may vary by ingredient brands and portion sizes.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 1.9 g
Protein: 32.6 g
Fat: 12.1 g
Saturated Fat: 3.6 g
Sodium: 695.7 mg
👩‍🍳 More Sausage Recipes
If you enjoy making sausages at home, try other recipes like fennel Italian sausage, chorizo, or chicken breakfast links with feta and sun-dried tomatoes. Leftover cooked sausage is great in dishes like sausage and peppers.
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