10 Healthiest Chicken Sausage Brands—and 3 To Skip

If you love traditional pork sausage but want a leaner option, chicken sausage is an excellent choice. It provides plenty of protein for fewer calories and less fat. Since it's often precooked, chicken sausage is faster and easier to use than pork sausage, making it perfect for quick meals. Plus, it's versatile enough for any time of day—whether you're cooking it as a breakfast side, adding it to lunch salads, or simmering it in a dinner pasta sauce.

However, while most chicken sausage brands are considered healthier than pork varieties, some are better for you than others. To help you make the healthiest choice the next time you're at the grocery store, we've rounded up the best chicken sausage brands recommended by dietitians.

Is Chicken Sausage Healthy?

Yes, chicken sausage can be a healthy addition to your meals, but the nuanced answer to "is chicken sausage healthy" depends on the specific brand and ingredients.

In general, chicken sausage provides lean protein with fewer calories, less total fat, and less saturated fat than traditional pork sausage.

According to the USDA, the average chicken sausage link has about 150 calories, 12 grams of protein, 9 grams of fat, and 2.5 grams of saturated fat. In comparison, a pork sausage link has around 275 calories, 16 grams of protein, 22 grams of fat, and 8 grams of protein. This means chicken sausage has about 45% fewer calories, around 60% less total fat, and 70% less saturated fat than pork sausage—making it a leaner, healthier choice.

Lean protein is essential for muscle growth and keeping you full for longer periods. Since chicken sausage is high in protein and low in calories, it's a great food to eat for weight loss.

However, despite being a leaner protein, chicken sausage can still be high in sodium and preservatives, similar to other types of sausage.

For these reasons, it's important to read nutrition labels carefully and choose a product that's low in sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars. Below, dietitians share what to look for in a healthy chicken sausage.

How We Chose the Healthiest Chicken Sausage Brands

• Watch out for sodium: "An important consideration when buying chicken sausages is their sodium content, as high-sodium diets can increase blood pressure and [contribute to] other heart problems," says Destini Moody, RDN with Top Nutrition Coaching. While salt is a necessary part of sausage-making, Moody advises aiming for a sodium content of 20% or less of your daily value, which is around 460 milligrams per serving.

• Limit saturated fat: Chicken sausage is generally lower in saturated fat than pork sausage, but some brands add extra fat for flavor. "Compare the total fat and saturated fat per serving on the nutrition label. For example, if there are 15 grams of total fat and 12 grams are saturated, it's not an ideal choice," says Moody. Opt for sausages with the lowest amount of saturated fat, ideally under 20% of your daily value—about 3 grams.

• Be mindful of added sugars: Flavored chicken sausages, like barbecue or apple varieties, may contain added sugars. To keep your intake low, aim for no more than 5 grams of added sugar per link.

• Choose brands without nitrates and nitrites: These preservatives, commonly found in sausages and deli meats, can extend shelf life and enhance flavor. However, they are linked to a higher risk of cancer and age-related diseases like dementia. Look for sausage brands labeled "nitrate- and nitrite-free."

Read on for the best and worst chicken sausages to look out for in the grocery store. Then, check out the 13 Best & Worst Sausage Brands, According to Dietitians.

The 10 Best Chicken Sausages

Best: Amylu Andouille Chicken Sausages

If you've got dietary restrictions, this is probably the chicken sausage you'll want to grab at the grocery store. It's gluten-free, pork-free, and doesn't contain any nitrates or nitrites. And with 13 grams of protein per 110 calories, it's a solid sausage that'll keep you full.

Pair it with fiber-filled veggies or whole-grain toast for extra staying power.

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Best: Bilinski's Mild Italian Chicken Sausage

The biggest win for this chicken link is that the fat content is surprisingly low, Andrea Jones, RDN, LDN, a dietitian with Top Nutrition Coaching tells us. "With only 22.4% of its calories coming from fat, this sausage meets the qualification to be labeled as a low-fat food," she says.

Not only that, you'll get a respectable 12 grams of protein for just 80 calories per sausage, and it's completely free of added sugars.

"This product, which gets both nutritional and ethical accolades from me, is truly organic and is Animal Welfare Certified, meaning that the animals are treated with the highest welfare standards," Jones says.

Best: Al Fresco Spinach & Feta Chicken Sausage

The Al Fresco brand is proud of its all-natural chicken products, and for good reason. At only 390 milligrams per serving, the sodium content of this product is very low compared to the majority of chicken sausage products on the market, says Jones.

This sausage has 12 grams of protein per serving and no added sugars. What's more, this pick is gluten-free and contains a bit of iron, potassium, and calcium. "All of this, combined with the moderate fat content, makes it a winner," Jones says. Not to mention, the added tanginess of the feta and freshness from the rosemary make this the perfect sausage to slice up and toss with spaghetti.

Best: Aidells Italian Style Smoked Chicken Sausage

Aidells' Italian-Style Sausage is made with smoked chicken and stuffed with creamy mozzarella for the perfect pasta-night companion. "At first glance, you may think that the sodium content toes the line a bit, but this is only because these links are larger than the average sausage link," Jones says.

This sausage has a solid 14 grams of protein per serving, and more protein helps keep us satisfied longer, Jones adds. What's more, this sausage doesn't contain any added nitrites or nitrates, which are substances in processed meats that are linked to cell damage, per a March 2020 Antioxidants report.

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Best: Trader Joe's Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage

Another chicken sausage option made without nitrates or nitrites, Trader Joe's Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage is an excellent choice. With a word like "sweet" in the title, it's easy to assume that this sausage would have added sugars, but a huge perk of this choice is that one link has only a gram of total sugar. Plus, you're only getting a gram of saturated fat as well, which can help you stay below the daily limit.

Best: Applegate No Sugar Chicken & Herb Breakfast Sausage

If you want a tasty chicken sausage for breakfast that is antibiotic-free, try the Applegate Chicken & Herb Breakfast Sausage. Made with nothing but chicken, water, sea salt, and various spices, this sausage is a healthy choice for those wanting a trustworthy breakfast.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

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Best: Bilinksi's Organic Wild Mushroom with Italian Herbs Chicken Sausage

Bilinski's uses chicken for their sausages that is never raised with antibiotics, so you can always feel confident that you're getting high-quality meat. This Wild Mushroom with Italian Herbs flavor is delicious and versatile enough to use in most types of meals. It is a little higher in sodium than what we'd aim for in a healthy chicken sausage, but the low saturated fat and zero added sugars are a huge plus.

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Best: Jones Dairy Farm All Natural Chicken Sausage

Try Jones Dairy Farm for chicken sausage links that are completely hormone-free and made with chickens raised without antibiotics. These links are made with only chicken, salt, water, spices, and lemon peel powder, and they have one of the lowest sodium counts on our list. Plus, the 1.5 grams of saturated fat stays within the recommended limit.

Best: Gilbert's Caprese Chicken Sausage

With mozzarella, basil, and sun-dried tomatoes, this savory sausage might just transport you to summertime in Capri. And nutritionally speaking, it's good enough to keep in your weekly rotation.

"Due to the sun-dried tomatoes, this product contains a uniquely high amount of vitamin C and lycopene, both of which are strong antioxidants," Jones says. Another potential plus: "Although chicken sausage isn't pork sausage, most chicken sausage is contained in a pork casing. However, this product has a beef collagen casing, rather than a pork casing, which is very good news for anyone who has to completely stay away from pork products," Jones points out.

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Best: Thrive Market Organic Spinach & Garlic Chicken Sausage

This casing-free sausage is lean, with just 2.5 grams of fat and a solid 12 grams of protein, deeming it a smart addition to any salad, omelet, or pasta dish. While it's a bit higher in sodium than what our dietitians recommend, it gets points for being free of added sugar and low in saturated fat.

These links are spiced with garlic and fennel for a delectable umami taste; plus, they're made with 100% certified organic chicken.

 

The 3 Worst Chicken Sausages

Worst: Aidells Pineapple Bacon Chicken Sausage

Though Aidell's is a ubiquitous and popular brand, you really have to watch out for which flavor you choose. There are several different varieties to choose from within the brand, but some are better than others, Moody tells us, adding that the Pineapple Bacon flavor is one of those to be wary of.

"For starters, all 8 grams of carbs come from added sugar," Moody says. "Also, it's a bit counterintuitive to opt for a poultry-based sausage instead of a pork-based sausage in favor of a better nutrition profile and then choose the flavor that has bacon as the second ingredient." Instead, go for Aidells Italian Style Smoked Chicken Sausage, which is on our best list.

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Worst: Applegate Organic Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage

We commend Applegate for using organic chicken in its sausage, but the nutritionals in this link aren't up to par with our dietitians' recommendations.

"Despite boasting a gluten-free and sugar-free product, a third of this sausage's fat content comes from saturated fat," Moody says. "The real con, however, is the nearly 800 milligrams of sodium. For perspective, that's the same amount of sodium as nearly three snack-sized bags of pretzels—and that's for just one link!"

Worst: Good & Gather Italian-Style Chicken Sausage

Good & Gather gets some points for not using nitrates in their sausage. "Nitrates are a common ingredient in cured meats and are used to slow spoilage by preventing the growth of bacteria. However, they can significantly boost the sodium content," Moody says.

Still, this sausage manages to pack a staggering 670 milligrams of sodium in one link. "What's more, this chicken sausage is made with a pork casing, which isn't clearly labeled, so here's a big word of caution for those who select chicken sausage to avoid pork for religious reasons," Moody points out.

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