Chicken & Apple Sausage Galette With Caramelized Onions
1 h 5 min
|
intermediate
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
Meet your new shortcut showstopper: a savory galette, basically a rustic free-form tart, piled with sweet caramelized onions, juicy chicken-apple sausage, sharp cheddar, and thyme on buttery puff pastry that bakes shatter-crisp.
It nails that sweet-meets-savory bite and makes a killer brunch centerpiece, an easy weeknight dinner with a salad, or a cut-into-squares appetizer that disappears fast, no soggy bottoms on my watch.
Ingredients (4 servings)
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Ingredients
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry dough, thawed frozen puff pastry dough 1 sheet
- 1 Tbsp olive oil olive oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced yellow onions 0.42 lb medium
- 1 tsp salt (divided) salt
- ½ tsp granulated sugar granulated sugar
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar balsamic vinegar 0.33 fl oz
- 10 oz smoked chicken & apple sausage, crumbled (casings removed) smoked chicken & apple sausage links 10 oz
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded sharp cheddar cheese 5 oz
- 1 tsp fresh thyme fresh thyme 0.04 oz
- 1 large egg large egg 1 ct
How to Make Chicken & Apple Sausage Galette With Caramelized Onions
-
Heat oven and prep the pan
Heat the oven to 400 F with a rack in the lower-middle position and line a sheet pan with parchment.
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Roll and dock the puff pastry
Unfold the thawed puff pastry onto the parchment and lightly roll to about an 11 inch square to even it out.
Dock the center all over with a fork, leaving a 1 to 1.5 inch border untouched so the edges can puff like a champ.
Slide the pan into the fridge while you cook the filling to keep the pastry cold and obedient.
-
Caramelize the onions
Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the sliced onions, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the sugar.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden and jammy, about 20 to 25 minutes, lowering the heat if they scorch instead of slowly browning.
Stir in the balsamic vinegar to deglaze and brighten, then scrape the onions into a bowl to cool slightly.
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Brown the sausage
In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add the crumbled chicken apple sausage and cook until browned and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.
Drain any excess fat and season with a pinch of the remaining salt only if needed since sausage can run salty.
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Assemble the galette
Spread the caramelized onions over the docked center of the pastry, leaving the border clean.
Scatter the browned sausage evenly, then top with the shredded cheddar and thyme.
Fold the pastry border up and over the filling, pleating as needed and pressing the folds so they stay put.
Beat the egg with 1 teaspoon water, then brush the exposed pastry and crack on a little black pepper if you like.
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Bake to golden perfection
Bake until the crust is deeply golden and the cheese is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan once for even color.
Let the galette rest 5 to 10 minutes so the juices settle and the bottom stays crisp when you slice.
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Serve it right
Cut into 4 to 6 wedges and finish with a few thyme leaves or a tiny drizzle of good olive oil for shine.
A light green salad with lemon keeps it fresh and makes the whole thing sing.
Substitutions
- Sharp cheddar -> Gruyere or aged Gouda
- Gruyere melts silkier and brings a nutty savoriness that loves sweet onions, while aged Gouda adds a caramelly depth and browns beautifully without greasiness.
- Chicken apple sausage -> Spicy chicken sausage + 1/2 small diced apple
- A fennel-forward or spicy chicken sausage adds heat and aroma, and a little fresh apple keeps the sweet note so the balance with onions stays on point.
- Puff pastry -> All-butter pie dough
- Pie dough gives a sturdy, tender-crisp galette vibe with less lift than puff, so the bite is more rustic but still flaky and perfect for handheld wedges.
Tips
- Keep the pastry cold for max puff
- Chill the rolled pastry and even the assembled galette for 10 minutes before baking so the butter stays solid and explodes into layers in the oven.
- Do not rush the onions
- If the pan looks dry or the onions start to catch, add a tablespoon of water and lower the heat so they caramelize slowly into sweetness instead of burning.
- Protect the bottom from sogginess
- After docking, dust the center lightly with a teaspoon of fine breadcrumbs or grated hard cheese to absorb juices and keep the base crisp.
- Brown the sausage hard
- Let the crumbles sit undisturbed for a minute at a time so they develop deep caramelized edges that bring texture and big flavor to every bite.
- Bake on the lower rack
- Positioning the pan lower in the oven gives the pastry bottom more direct heat, which means better lift and a shatteringly crisp base.
- Smart make-ahead strategy
- Cook the onions and sausage up to 3 days ahead and keep them in glass containers, then assemble and bake day-of so dinner hits the table fast.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 287 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 18 | g |
| Total Fat | 21 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 5 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- My onions are burning before they caramelize, what should I do?
- Lower the heat, add a splash of water, and keep stirring every couple of minutes so the sugars relax and brown slowly instead of scorching.
- How do I prevent a soggy bottom?
- Dock the pastry, keep it cold, add a thin barrier like fine breadcrumbs or grated Parmesan, and bake on a preheated, lower rack until deeply golden.
- Can I use fully cooked sausage links instead of raw crumbles?
- Yes, slice or dice them, sear to get browned edges for flavor, and use as directed while keeping an eye on salt since many pre-cooked links are seasoned aggressively.
- My crust opened up while baking, how do I fix that next time?
- Fold with generous overlaps, press the pleats to seal, and use egg wash as glue on the seams before baking so the edges stay where you put them.
- What cheese melts best if I do not have cheddar?
- Gruyere, young Gouda, or low-moisture mozzarella melt smoothly and give you that stretchy pull without breaking into oil.
- Can I make this gluten-free?
- Use a gluten-free puff pastry or GF pie dough, keep it well chilled because GF doughs are softer, and handle with a light touch to avoid tearing.
Serving Suggestions
This galette loves a peppery arugula salad and a cold hard cider, which echoes the apple sweetness while cutting the richness cleanly.
If you want a little swagger, finish slices with hot honey or a swipe of grainy mustard, and next time toss in a pinch of smoked paprika with the onions for a sultry, cozy twist.
More pairings:
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