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Try my chicken bratwurst recipe for a lighter take on classic beer brats! This homemade sausage combines ground chicken and ground pork for the perfect balance of flavor and texture. After simmering in a rich, buttery beer bath, you can slather the brats with mustard and top with sauerkraut and caramelized onions. Whether you’re celebrating Oktoberfest or just craving a hearty meal, these brats are a delicious choice any time of year.
Bratwurst is a type of German sausage that is usually made with pork. However, veal and other meats may also be used. Today, I’m adding ground chicken thighs to ground pork shoulder to reduce the calories without sacrificing flavor.
🌭 Chicken Bratwurst Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make your own chicken brats:
- 1½ lbs. chicken thighs (680 grams; boneless and skinless)
- 1½ lbs. pork shoulder or pork butt (680 grams)
- 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
That’s all you need to make the basic raw sausage links. To cook the bratwurst sausage in a beer bath, you’ll also need the following ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups beer
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Finally, you’ll need the following equipment for making homemade chicken brats:
- Meat grinder with a sausage attachment: I use Cabela’s Pro Series DC Grinder, and I’ve been delighted with it.
- Cast iron skillet: This is used to brown and braise your sausage links.
Can I make chicken bratwurst without pork?
Yes! You can substitute the pork shoulder with more ground chicken thighs in this recipe. This is a great option for those who avoid pork for religious reasons or want to further reduce the saturated fat content.
Most sausage recipes rely on fatty cuts of meat and added fat to keep them from drying out during cooking. Because of this, low-fat sausages often don’t hold up well on the grill.
Fortunately, these brats are simmered in a rich beer-butter bath, which helps keep them moist and flavorful. That means swapping in leaner chicken for the pork should work just fine!
➕ How to Make Chicken Bratwurst
Set Up & Prep Ingredients
Before you begin, set up your meat grinder and gather all your ingredients. Keep the pork and chicken at 38-40°F (3-4°C) to make cutting and grinding easier. Having everything ready will streamline the process.
Cube & Season the Meat
Cut the chicken and pork into 1-inch cubes (2.54cm or smaller) and place them in a large bowl. Stir in the salt, marjoram, black pepper, caraway seeds, garlic, allspice, and onion powder to evenly distribute the seasonings.
Grind the Meat Twice
Using a coarse grind plate, run the seasoned meat mixture through the meat grinder once. Then, grind it a second time using the same coarse plate. This double grinding helps achieve the ideal bratwurst texture.
Why not use a fine grind plate? A finer grind would make the mixture too pasty, giving the bratwurst an undesirable texture—more like the inside of a hot dog. I only use a fine grind when I specifically want that result (which is almost never!).
Chill the Mixture & Prepare for Stuffing
Place the twice-ground brat mixture in the fridge while you set up your meat grinder for stuffing sausage links. I used the largest stuffing funnel for my hog casings.
Prepare the Sausage Casings
Follow the instructions on your casings’ packaging. My casings needed to be soaked in water for 15 minutes, cut into 2-foot lengths (61cm), and rinsed thoroughly by running cool water through the insides to clean them.
Now you’re ready to start stuffing the bratwurst!
💡 Stuffing Chicken Bratwurst Sausage Links
Prepare the Casing
Tie a secure knot at the closed end of the sausage casing. Then, carefully slide the open end of the casing over the stuffing funnel of your meat grinder. To fit the casing, gather it like you would pantyhose about to go over your toes, and then slide the open end over the funnel.
Stuff the Sausage Mixture
Begin slowly sending the ground chicken and pork mixture through the meat grinder. This requires both hands!
One hand will use the stomper to push the meat into the grinder, and the other hand will guide the casing as it fills.
Stop & Remove the Casing
When the casing is several inches from the end, stop filling and turn off the meat grinder. Carefully remove the casing from the funnel.
Twist & Tie the Links
Twist or tie the sausage into two or three links, starting closest to the closed end of the casing. This allows the filling to move towards the open end as you tie. Finish by tying off the open end of the casing.
Repeat the Process
You don’t need to clean the meat grinder after every casing. Simply slide on a new casing and continue stuffing the brats.
Finish Stuffing & Salvage Extra Meat
Once all the filling is used, turn off the meat grinder. You may notice ½ – ¾ lb. (227-340g) of meat still stuck inside the machine. You can salvage this and shape it into patties for pan-frying.
Next, you’re ready to cook or store your delicious homemade bratwurst!
🍻 How to Cook Bratwurst in a Beer Bath
Brown the Bratwurst
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Brown the bratwurst in the oil for about 5 minutes per side. Once browned, remove the bratwurst from the pan and set them aside.
(Note: I cooked only half of the recipe at a time for my family’s dinner. If you’re cooking the whole batch, you may need to do it in batches.)
Prepare the Beer Bath
Increase the heat on your stovetop to medium. Add beer, butter, onion, and garlic to the cast iron skillet. Allow the butter to melt completely and bring the mixture to a simmer.
Simmer the Bratwurst
Once the beer bath is simmering, carefully add the bratwurst links to the pan using tongs. Let the brats simmer for about 15 minutes in their beer bath.
(By now, the aroma should have you pretty hungry!)
Toast the Buns & Prep the Sides
While the brats are simmering, toast your buns and prepare any sides or toppings you’d like to serve with the bratwurst. Place the brats in the buns, top as desired, and enjoy!
🧅 Toppings for Brats
Try any of the following as toppings for brats:
While you could easily take a shortcut and use store-bought sauerkraut and mustard, if you’re already putting in the effort to make your own sausage, why not go the extra mile?
Watch How to Make It!
Chicken Bratwurst Recipe (Chicken Sausage)
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs. chicken thighs (680 grams; boneless and skinless)
- 1½ lbs. pork shoulder or pork butt (680 grams)
- 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
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Instructions
- Keep your chicken and pork at 38-40°F (3.3-4.4°C) for easier cutting and grinding. Cut the chicken thighs and pork shoulder into 1" (2.54 cm) cubes (or smaller).
- In a large bowl, place the chicken, pork, salt, black pepper, marjoram, onion powder, caraway, allspice, and garlic. Stir well.
- Using the coarse grinding plate, grind the chicken and pork mixture twice. Sending the mixture through the meat grinder two times will give these brats the perfect texture.
- Refrigerate the ground meat while you clean the meat grinder and set it up for stuffing the bratwurst links. I use the largest stuffing funnel with the hog casings. If you are having trouble getting the casings on the stuffing funnel, try rubbing the outside of the funnel with a bit of oil.
- Prepare your hog casings for filling according to their package directions. I had to soak mine in water for 15 minutes and then cut the ones I planned to use into 2-foot (0.6 m) lengths. Then, I let cool water run through the entire length of each casing three times to thoroughly clean them. After rinsing, I tied a tight knot at one end of each length of casing.
- Slide one casing over the end of the sausage stuffing funnel on your meat grinder. Very slowly start sending the ground bratwurst mixture through the meat grinder. One hand can push the mixture into the grinder using the stomper, while your other hand can guide the casing as it fills.
- Stop filling the casing when you get several inches from the end. Turn off the meat grinder and carefully remove the casing from the funnel. Twist or tie the sausage into two or three links, starting closest to the closed end of the casing. This gives the filling room to move towards the open end of the casing as you tie. Finish the links by tying off the open end of the casing. You can either use kitchen twine or tie the casing itself.
- When you've used all of the meat filling, turn off the grinder and finish tying your bratwurst links. You may be able to salvage an additional ½ – ¾ lb. (227-340 grams) of ground mixture stuck to the inside of the machine. (This extra meat can be shaped into patties and pan-fried.)
How to cook chicken bratwurst in a beer bath:
- Put the olive oil in your cast iron skillet. You're going to want to brown the bratwurst over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes per side. After browning, remove the brats from the pan and set aside. I only cooked half of the brats. The rest were vacuum sealed and frozen for a future meal.
- Bring the heat on your stovetop up to medium. Add the beer, butter, onion, and garlic to your cast iron skillet. Allow the butter to melt and the beer bath to come to a simmer.
- Once the beer bath is simmering, carefully add the sausage links using tongs. Let the brats simmer in their beer hot tub for 15 minutes. Top and serve as desired.
Equipment
Notes
💭 Expert Tips from Dietitian Summer Yule
This is a level 3 recipe (weight maintenance and active lifestyles). While there are leaner ways to get your protein than this chicken bratwurst with pork, these brats are unprocessed meat and much lower in saturated fat compared to traditional 100% pork brats. To make this bratwurst even leaner, I skipped the added fat (like fatback) that’s often found in classic bratwurst recipes. I also reduced the amount of beer and butter in the beer-butter bath. As a result, I’d categorize these as a better-for-you bratwurst option. While brats are commonly served with beer and fries, you can make this a lighter meal by pairing them with whole grain hot dog rolls and non-starchy veggies instead. Nutrition information is for one serving of the recipe and does not include the beer bath ingredients, since they are not consumed.
nutrition info disclaimer
All recipes on this website may or may not be appropriate for you, depending on your medical needs and personal preferences. Consult with a registered dietitian or your physician if you need help determining the dietary pattern that may be best for you.
The nutrition information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. It will differ depending on the specific brands and ingredients that you use. Calorie information on food labels may be inaccurate, so please don’t sweat the numbers too much.
“To taste” means to your preferences, which may have to be visual to follow food safety rules. Please don’t eat undercooked food x
Nutrition
👩🍳 More Sausage Recipes
If you have a meat grinder and are looking for a fun weekend project, why not try making homemade sausages? Check out the recipes I have available and learn how to make all your favorite types of sausage:
- Homemade Italian Fennel Sausage Recipe
- Chorizo Recipe
- Homemade Sausage with Chicken, Feta, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes (These all-chicken links make a great breakfast sausage!)
Use any leftover cooked sausage in my Air Fryer Sausage and Peppers Recipe.
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Hello! I’m Summer, a registered dietitian and home chef who loves to cook, eat, and create recipes for you! Every recipe on this site has been tested by me to help ensure your success in the kitchen. All eaters are welcome here 🙂
Good idea, Summer, of getting chicken in on the action. I’m partly of German ancestry (mainly British, but still…), though you’ll get no argument from me. In fact, you could go 100% chicken and I still would declare it “Sehr Gut” (i.e., “very good”).
No offense, though I can’t say the same of sauerkraut. Still, you yourself offer a couple great options, including red cabbage and homemade mustard.
Ein Prosit to you, Summer!
Thank you! Yes, if you don’t like the sauerkraut, I think a nice caramelized onion/mustard combo would be delicious!