The Internal Temperature of Chicken Sausage When Done

We’ve all had this thought in the kitchen when cooking anything with raw chicken in it.

Uh oh, I better make sure this food is fully cooked. It’s got raw chicken in it. 

Yes, cooking something like chicken sausage might seem harder than cooking say, a bratwurst.

But it’s not.

It is extremely easy and I’ll show you.

Chicken sausage is a healthy and delicious sausage that can be used in a variety of dishes. However, it will dry out if not properly cooked because it is lower in fat than most sausages.

So, what is the internal temperature of chicken sausage when done?

Ground poultry such as chicken or turkey sausages should be cooked to a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (73.8 degrees Celsius) according to the USDA.

The one tool that will make this process so much easier is an accurate instant-read digital meat thermometer. , it takes the guesswork out of cooking food such as raw chicken sausages.

The important question is how do we get to 165 degrees Fahrenheit/ 73.8 degrees Celsius? What are the best preparations and cooking techniques to achieve the best results?

How do you get a moist and flavorful result from sausage with so little fat? Easy.

In this article, I’m going to show you exactly what you need to do to cook chicken sausage the right way with some easy recipes.

What Temperature to Cook Chicken Sausage?

Holy Simmering Sausages! Say that 5 times in a row.

The ideal way to cook sausage to ensure the casing doesn’t split open before it’s done is to simmer it in a liquid. The liquid can be water, broth, beer, or any flavorful solution.

What is a simmer you ask? Here is all you need to know about simmering.

Simmer the sausage first, then grill or sear it at the end to crisp up the outside. Perfect.

A popular example of this technique is simmering bratwurst in beer. Not only does the beer impart flavor into the sausage, but it also cooks the sausage evenly inside. Then, if you want those eye-catching grill marks on the outside, you can char the sausages for a minute or two on the grill to get that crispy exterior.

This is also a great technique for chicken sausages. Most chicken sausages on the market are a combination of different ingredients such as chicken and apple, chicken and feta, etc.

For this, I would recommend simmering the sausages in water so as not to complicate the flavors already present inside the sausage.

Ok, enough talk, let’s cook.

Chicken Sausages on the Stove

Fill a large skillet or saucepan with water and bring it to a simmer. Did you find out what a simmer was from the link above? No? Ok, we still got you.

Simmering occurs around 180 degrees Fahrenheit. You can check the temperature with an instant-read digital meat thermometer. If you don’t have one, you can get some great, dependable, inexpensive ones here.

An accurate thermometer makes everything you cook in the kitchen so much easier.

If you don’t have a thermometer to gauge the simmering temperature in this example, your water will be simmering when there are a bunch of bubbles forming at the bottom of the pan with a few bubbles coming to the surface of the water. This is 180 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cook the sausages for 6 to 8 minutes and remove from the water and put them on a plate.

Now, if you are using the same skillet, discard the water and add two tablespoons of oil on medium-high heat.

Once the oil is hot (around 5 minutes) add the sausages back to the pan and fry them on both sides for a minute or 2 each.

Done. Enjoy.

Chicken Sausage in the Oven

Another fast easy way to cook chicken sausage is in the oven.

First, preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit/204 degrees Celsius.

Next, find a roasting dish or pan just large enough to hold your chicken sausages, and put it into the oven while it’s heating up.

When the oven reaches 450 degrees, pour enough water into the dish to just cover the bottom.

Be careful! The dish or pan will be hot. Next, add your sausage.

Then cover the dish with aluminum foil to help simmer/steam the sausage, again being careful not to burn yourself on the hot pan.

Cook for 5 minutes then remove foil. Cook the sausage for another 5 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meat registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit/ 73.8 degrees Celsius.

10 minute cook time? Not too shabby.

If the sausage doesn’t have enough color on it, you can give it a quick sear in a pan.

You can use this super fast technique for any other raw sausage you want to cook.

Final thoughts

Chicken sausage is a healthy alternative to other fattier sausages.  In fact, depending on the brand, it usually has around 60 percent to 80 percent less fat compared to sausages made from pork and beef.

Just remember to use an accurate instant-read digital thermometer to get a reading of 165 degrees Fahrenheit/ 73.8 degrees Celsius, the safe internal temperature for chicken sausage.

Hopefully, you now have a better grasp of how to cook chicken sausage a fast and safe way.

Now go cook some sausage!

For more tips and information on how to cook your favorite foods check out our other great articles here. Happy eating!