9 Store-Bought Chicken Sausages, Ranked Worst To Best

Sure, we love sausage made with pork. But sometimes, you're looking for something that's a bit lighter. That's when you might want to turn to chicken sausage. It's just as filling as the pork variety, but it tends to be less fatty. These days, you can find a wide array of chicken sausages at the grocery store, flavored with a slew of different ingredients. So, if you're in the mood for chicken sausage, which brand should you choose?

To answer this question, I've tasted nine different brands of store-bought chicken sausages and then ranked them from worst to best based on their flavor and texture. Since many brands offer different flavors of chicken sausage, I chose to rank the products rather than the brands themselves. Hopefully these reviews can give you a better sense of which brands — and flavors — you might want to check out in the future. Craving some chicken sausage? Let's go.

I'll be honest — there weren't really any chicken sausages that I tried for this ranking that I thought actually tasted bad. Some were simply more flavorful than others. This Boar's Head Robust Italian Chicken Sausage, unfortunately, wasn't one of the more appealing options. The texture of this sausage isn't bad, as it has a nice snap to it that scratches that sausage itch. But despite the fact that it looks like it's packed with herbs and spices, it wasn't a very flavorful option. 

This sausage basically just tastes like chicken — perhaps with a light essence of paprika, basil, and parsley — although those flavors aren't super defined. It's definitely not something I would refuse if it were offered to me, but since there are so many more flavorful and interesting chicken sausages out there at the grocery store, this product is never going to be my first pick.

Chicken sausage isn't just for lunch and dinner; it can also make a delicious addition to your breakfasts. That's where Jones Dairy Farm All Natural Chicken Sausage comes into play. It's a solid option if you want to add protein to your plate first thing in the morning and want something less fatty than standard pork sausages. These chicken sausages aren't as flavorful as pork sausages, but they're passable. They're juicy, but their texture was strangely grainy, which was a turn-off for me. 

This is another chicken sausage variety that's okay, but it doesn't offer anything more than the basics. Ultimately, I'd only opt for this breakfast sausage over a pork variety for its potential health benefits — meaning I wouldn't do it solely based on flavor. These sausages are generically salty, without much else going on.

When I was shopping for different types of sausage for this ranking, I didn't notice many breakfast chicken sausage patties (as opposed to links), which immediately made me feel like Trader Joe's was onto something. The brand's Chicken Breakfast Sausage Patties are an excellent choice if you love making homemade breakfast sandwiches and prefer chicken over pork. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that these sausages are quite thin. That's not necessarily a bad thing in a breakfast sandwich, but it does mean that they dry out easily, especially if you cook them in the microwave or air fryer. 

Flavor-wise, they're not particularly bold, but they have a nice, generic saltiness that's definitely a step up from the Jones Dairy Farm chicken sausage. Honestly, I wouldn't eat them on their own, but they have their place in an easy breakfast sandwich, like this ultimate egg sandwich recipe.

While Trader Joe's Unexpected Cheddar Chicken Sausage is far from the worst chicken sausage on this list, I have to admit that it is a bit disappointing. Judging by the name of the product, you might assume that you can really taste the brand's Unexpected Cheddar cheese in the meat. While it's certainly there and you can taste a hint of it, it's a lot less pronounced than I wanted it to be. I was expecting pockets of rich, gooey cheese, and instead, all I discovered was a faint, basic cheesiness.

That being said, even that subtle note of cheese is a nice touch, and if I'm just going off of the flavor alone (and not taking my expectations into account), then this is certainly a decent chicken sausage. Unfortunately, it's missing the bold snap that you get from some of the other varieties on this list, but the cheesy flavor makes up for the lackluster texture.

Plain chicken sausage can be delicious, but when you want a little extra flavor on your plate in the mornings, you might want to turn to Applegate Naturals Chicken and Maple Breakfast Sausage. This sausage ranks as high as it does due to its delicious salty-sweet flavor profile. You have that expected salty, umami flavor from the meat itself, but there's also a pronounced maple syrup note. The sweetness is actually pretty pronounced, so it may not be a favorite for some people. For me, though, it's a flavor combo that works exceptionally well.

Texture-wise, this sausage leaves something to be desired. I found it slightly dry and lacking the firmness I expect from a breakfast sausage. That being said, the flavor is so good that I don't care too much about the texture, so I still think this is a breakfast sausage worth checking out.

I'm not generally someone who likes things labeled "mild" — to me, that reads as "boring" (especially in the context of Americanized Italian food, which I generally find to be quite bland anyway). Therefore, I wasn't expecting to enjoy Open Nature's Mild Italian Chicken Sausage. However, this chicken sausage really surprised me. It's mild in the sense that it's not hot spicy, but the overall flavor certainly isn't mild thanks to all the different spices. I tasted basil, garlic, and paprika right off the bat. This sausage is also packed with a variety of different cheeses, which really take that flavor to a whole new level.

This sausage also delivers when it comes to texture. It has an impressive snap that made me feel like I was eating a pork sausage. Although it doesn't taste quite the same as a pork sausage, it's close enough that I'm not sure I would notice it was made from chicken if I didn't see the packaging.

Out of all of the chicken sausages on this list, the Premio Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage is the only one that's not already fully cooked. Although I do like fully cooked chicken sausages for many reasons — they're easy to prepare at a moment's notice, for instance — I find that they generally don't taste as fresh as raw versions. Perhaps this is why this raw chicken sausage ranked so highly on this list.

This sausage arguably has the best texture of them all. It has a beautiful snap, which further adds to its perceived freshness. On the flavor front, it's also a solid option, with an unexpected acidity that'll make you want to go back in for another bite. Personally, I found these sausages a little too sweet, but if you're looking for that flavor specifically, you're going to love them.

There are a lot of garlic-flavored food products out there that barely taste like garlic at all. I think this is because there are two types of garlic people in this world. The first type are those who "like" garlic. They'll add a clove or two to whatever dish they're making for a slight edge. Then there are the people who will seriously go all out with garlic. They don't want a few cloves — they're roasting the whole head of garlic and still wishing there were more in a dish. Trader Joe's Roasted Garlic Chicken Sausage is for those who fall into the latter category.

I was blown away by just how garlicky this sausage is. The flavor isn't just bold, either. It's also sweet, which makes me think it uses roasted garlic. And while there isn't any casing on these sausages to give them the kind of snap I want, the exterior crisps up nicely, offering an enjoyable texture in the cooked sausage.

I've been a fan of Al Fresco's chicken sausages for a while now, but this is the first time I've tried the brand's Caramelized Onion and Cheddar Chicken Sausage. Now that I have, though, it's going to be my go-to option from here on out. I can't believe just how flavorful these sausages are. First of all, you really taste the caramelized onion in the recipe. It's not sharp, but sweet and complex, which makes you feel like you're eating a pile of homemade caramelized onions. The bold cheddar flavor also makes an appearance, offering its signature cheesy note without overpowering the onion.

Although you're not getting much of a pork sausage-y snap here, the almost creaminess of this sausage still earns it points on the texture front. Enjoy this sausage on its own, in a bun, or even sliced and served over pasta for an unforgettable (and undeniably easy) dinner.

The breakfast sausages in this ranking were cooked in the microwave, and all of the other varieties were cooked in an air fryer. I ranked these store-bought chicken sausages according to both flavor and texture. 

When it comes to flavor, I was looking for boldness and complexity — I wanted to taste more than just chicken. From a texture perspective, I really wanted a nice snap to my sausage, although sausages with otherwise interesting textures ranked pretty high, too.