Chicken & Apple Sausage Stir-Fry
25 min
|
easy
|
Mediterranean diet
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
Think classic sausage and peppers, but cleaner and faster: smoky chicken and apple sausage seared with sweet onions and crisp bell peppers, plus paprika and a cider vinegar pop that wakes everything up.
One pan, 20 minutes, and zero bland bites, perfect for weeknights, meal prep, or stuffed into warm rolls for game night.
Ingredients (4 servings)
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Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil olive oil
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter unsalted butter 0.5 oz
- 1 lb smoked chicken & apple sausage links, sliced into ½-inch rounds smoked chicken & apple sausage links
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced yellow onions 0.21 lb medium
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced green bell pepper 1 ct
- 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced yellow bell pepper 1 ct
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar apple cider vinegar 0.5 fl oz
- ½ tsp smoked paprika smoked paprika 0.04 oz
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper crushed red pepper 0.02 oz
- ½ tsp garlic powder garlic powder 0.05 oz
- ½ tsp salt salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper black peppercorns (for freshly ground black pepper)
How to Make Chicken & Apple Sausage Stir-Fry
-
Preheat and melt fats
Set a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil and butter until the butter foams.
-
Brown the sausage
Add the sliced sausage in a single layer and sear 2 to 3 minutes per side until well browned and caramelized.
Transfer to a plate and keep the pan on the heat.
-
Sweat onions and peppers
Add the onion, green bell pepper, and yellow bell pepper with a pinch of the salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender-crisp and lightly charred at the edges, about 5 to 7 minutes.
If the pan gets dry or the fond looks too dark, add 1 tablespoon water to loosen it.
-
Season and bloom spices
Sprinkle in the smoked paprika, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, remaining salt, and black pepper, and stir for 30 seconds so the spices bloom in the fat.
-
Deglaze and glaze
Return the sausage to the pan and pour in the apple cider vinegar, scraping up any browned bits so everything gets glossy and saucy.
Toss over the heat for 1 to 2 minutes until the vinegar cooks off slightly and the flavors lock in.
-
Rest and serve
Kill the heat and let it sit 1 minute so the juices settle, then serve hot with whatever carb makes you happy.
Substitutions
- Chicken & apple sausage -> Turkey apple sausage
- Turkey apple sausage keeps the sweet-savory vibe but is leaner, so it crisps a touch faster and eats a bit lighter while still giving you that caramelized edge.
- Apple cider vinegar -> Calvados + lemon juice
- Use 1 tablespoon Calvados plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice for a deeper apple aroma and a clean finish that makes the glaze taste luxe without turning sharp.
- Green bell pepper -> Poblano pepper
- Poblano keeps the green color while adding mild heat and a gentle smoky note that plays beautifully with the smoked paprika and sweet onion.
Tips
- Get real color on the sausage
- Pat the slices dry, preheat the pan until the fat shimmers, and do not crowd so steam does not sabotage browning.
- Salt to sweat, splash to save
- A small pinch of salt early helps the onions and peppers soften, and a quick tablespoon of water rescues the fond if it threatens to scorch.
- Bloom your spices
- Give the paprika and garlic powder 30 seconds in hot fat so their oils wake up and you taste spice, not dust.
- Vinegar is your deglazing buddy
- Apple cider vinegar lifts the browned bits into the sauce and tightens flavors, and finishing over heat for a minute keeps it bright, not harsh.
- Cut for texture and sear
- Slice sausage on a slight bias for more surface area and cut peppers into half-inch strips so they sear outside and stay crisp-tender inside.
- Finish with control
- If you want a silkier glaze, swirl in a small cold pat of butter off heat to round acidity without muting the snap.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 311 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 20 | g |
| Total Fat | 21 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 13 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- My sausage is not browning and looks gray, what went wrong?
- The pan is either not hot enough or it is crowded, so moisture is steaming the meat; work in batches over medium-high heat and do not stir until the first side is deeply browned.
- The peppers turned soggy, how do I keep them crisp-tender?
- Use high heat, do not cover the pan, and stop cooking them once they are just tender at the edges because carryover heat will finish them.
- The dish tastes too acidic after deglazing, how do I fix it?
- Cook the vinegar 30 to 60 seconds longer to reduce the bite, then add a small pat of butter or a pinch of sugar to round the edges.
- It came out spicier than I like, can I calm it down?
- Stir in a little more onion and a teaspoon of water to dilute the heat, then finish with a touch of butter to soften the spice.
- Can I make this ahead for meal prep?
- Yes, cool quickly and store in glass containers up to 4 days, then reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water so the peppers perk back up.
- The fond is sticking hard and starting to burn, what should I do?
- Drop the heat slightly and add 1 to 2 tablespoons water to loosen it, scrape with a wooden spatula, then proceed with the vinegar deglaze.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this piled over garlicky rice or creamy polenta, or tuck it into a toasted hoagie with a swipe of sharp mustard for that New York street-cart energy without the line.
If you want a bigger apple pop, toss in a handful of thin Honeycrisp slices for the last minute of cooking or finish with a spoon of sofrito to deepen the savory base and make the pan sauce sing.
More pairings:
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