Costco has an impressive selection of chicken sausages and picking the right one can be a daunting challenge! Don’t worry though, this Ultimate Guide will walk you through the fundamentals of Costco’s chicken sausage offerings so you can figure out which one is right for you and your family!
Why I Created This Guide
Over the years I have noticed some common themes/questions/complaints about the different types of chicken sausage being sold at Costco and most of them could be resolved with a little education.
It helps to start with why people want a chicken sausage in the first place. In general people buy these sausages for one of three reasons:
- They want to avoid eating pork.
- They are trying to eat healthier.
- They simply like the taste.
The biggest complaint from the people who want to avoid pork is that some of these chicken sausages have pork in them. This guide will help you avoid those!
The biggest complaint from the people who are trying to eat healthier is that chicken sausages do not taste like sausages made from beef or pork. All I can do here is let you know that you need to expect a sausage made from chicken to taste like chicken!
Dinner vs Breakfast Sausages
I like to categorize the chicken sausages as either “Dinner” or “Breakfast” sausages. Sure, you can eat either type anytime you want but the Dinner sausages are larger and more flavorful than the Breakfast sausages.
The size difference is reflected in portion size with one Dinner sausage being a single serving while it takes three of the Breakfast sausages yo constitute a serving.
Aidells Chicken Sausage (Dinner Sized)
Costco usually stocks at least one chicken sausage from Aidells.
The absolutely most important thing to know about the Aidells chicken sausage is that it uses a PORK casing. If you want to avoid eating any pork then do NOT buy the Aidells sausage.
It seems like all of the Aidells sausages stocked by my Costco warehouse have a sweet flavor profile like apple or pineapple. The quality of the sausages is excellent it is just a question of whether or not you will enjoy the flavor profile.
Because the Aidells sausages are sweet they are usually elevated in carbohydrates and are not keto/paleo friendly.
Sabatino’s Chicken Sausage (Dinner Sized)
Costco usually stocks at least one flavor of Chicken Sausage from Sabatino’s and they are an interesting alternative to Aidells.
The chicken sausages from Sabatino’s do NOT contain any pork or beef so if you are trying to avoid pork then this is a safe product for you.
Sabatino sausages generally have a savory flavor profile. Some of teh flavors I have seen include Black Pepper and Basil as well as the Smoked Mozzarella with Artichokes.
Personally I enjoy savory sausages better than sweet sausages so I will typically buy Sabatino’s instead of Aidells.
Sabintino’s chicken sausages are naturally low in sugar and carbs so they are keto/paleo friendly.
Amylu Chicken Breakfast Links
My Costco almost always carries Amylu chicken breakfast links. The Amylu sausages are another pork free option.
The Amylu sausages have what I consider to be a neutral flavor profile that essentially taste like seasoned chicken.
You get around 54 links in the twin pack which is a mixed blessing. On one hand its great to have a bunch of sausage but, on the flip side, one one of the packs is opened you need to eat them all with 4-5 days. If you can’t finish them all in time you can freeze them for up to six months.
Overall these are a solid choice for a breakfast sausage.
Jones Farm Chicken Breakfast Sausage
Most Costco warehouses will also stock a large bag of Jones Farm chicken sausage that is the freezer section of the warehouse. The Jones breakfast sausage is extremely similar to the Amylu brand except is has fewer calories and fat per serving.
The biggest difference between the two products is that this sausage is frozen and you can cook up as little or as much as you want without worrying about having to eat the rest of the bag before it goes bad.
The Jones Farm breakfast links have a Use By date that is about a year after purchase so they store in the freezer much better than the Amylu breakfast links.
Price
Most varieties of chicken sausage at Costco are priced around $5 per pound. Sometimes there will be an Organic version of one of the sausages and that will be priced a little higher at around $6 per pound.
The sausages typically come in either 2.5 or 3 pound packages so expect to pay around $15 for the full package.
Cooking Instructions
All of the chicken sausages at Costco are already fully cooked so all you need to do is heat them up.
The breakfast sausages are pretty good when either microwaved or heated in an air fryer. Some people prefer the color they get by pan frying the sausages and them finishing them off with some water to steam them in the pan.
I enjoy heating the dinner sausages on the grill. It is also extremely easy to slice them into rounds and toss them into a recipe like a stir fry or jambalaya.
Which Chicken Sausage is the Best
This is going to come down to personal tastes but my favorites are always Sabatino’s. The Sabatino’s sausages are a great size and I really enjoy the savory flavor profiles they create.
Other folks love the sweetness of the Aidells sausages and if that is you jam then go with it!
Healthy Alternative to Pork and Beef Sausages
If you are considering switching over to chicken sausages because they are healthier than pork or beef sausages then you are on to a good idea. However, there is one area where the pork sausages at Costco are actually healthier than the chicken products.
The three main areas I look at for health considerations are:
- Calories
- Fat
- Cholesterol
Here is the breakdown of these macros for four different sausages on a per link basis:
- Costco Brats (Calories 290, Fat 23g, Cholesterol 60mg)
- Costco Italian Sausages (Calories 240, Fat 19g, Cholesterol 70mg)
- Aidells Chicken Apple (Calories 170, Fat 12g, Cholesterol 80mg)
- Sabatino’s Black Pepper Basil Chicken (Calories 160, Fat 9g, Cholesterol 75mg)
The chicken sausages have about 36% fewer calories and about 47% less fat than the traditional pork sausages but also contain about 10% more cholesterol.
So, if you are trying to lose some weight then the chicken sausages are a great idea compared to bratwurst. However, if you are watching your cholesterol then read you labels carefully before making your purchase!
