Chicken Sausage Bake with Bread Sauce
This chicken sausage bake is fall comfort food all in one dish. Crispy chicken thighs and sausage bake over chunks of bread soaking up a creamy mustard sauce. Cozy, hearty and very likely going into your fall dinner rotation.
I’ve made this one several times now, tweaking it along the way and making it my own. At this point, I can safely say it’s staying.
The original inspiration came from my BFF Jamie Oliver. He doesn’t know we’re best friends, but let’s not get hung up on details.
Of course, I added sausage. Because why wouldn’t I?
Actually, I should give my husband some credit for that one. According to him, if there is ever an opportunity to add sausage to something, you add the sausage. I’m pretty sure this is less of an opinion and more of a personal philosophy.
I also tried this with chicken breasts. They were fine. We ate them. But this dish really wants boneless chicken thighs with the skin on. The chicken stays juicy while the skin gets golden and crispy on top of all that creamy bread sauce. Much better.
And let’s talk about that bread sauce.
What is Bread Sauce?
If you’re thinking, bread sauce? What exactly are we doing here?
This isn’t really a sauce that you’re going to spoon over your chicken. The bread becomes part of the sauce.
Milk, eggs, mustard, garlic, onion and nutmeg are mixed right in the casserole dish or cast-iron skillet. Then the bread gets added and soaks it all up before the chicken and sausage go on top.
As it bakes, the bread underneath becomes soft, creamy and savory while the exposed pieces get golden and crisp.
And then there’s the nutmeg. It may sound like an odd addition, but it works. Fresh nutmeg has this warm, slightly sweet and earthy flavor that’s perfect with creamy sauces. You don’t necessarily taste the finished dish and think nutmeg. It just gives everything a little warmth in the background.
Very fall. Very cozy.
This is one of those dinners where you really don’t need anything else. Maybe a fall salad with a tangy vinaigrette if you feel like something green should make an appearance.
Otherwise, put the whole thing on the table and dinner is done.
Chicken Sausage Bake Ingredients
- Chicken thighs: Boneless or bone-in thighs both work in this bake. But don’t skip out on the skin. It turns out so crispy.
- Sausage: I use sweet Italian pork sausage. But chicken or turkey sausage works to.
- Country white bread: One whole loaf. Cut off the crusts before cubing the bread, but save them. We’re using every bit.
- Milk: Any percentage will work.
- Eggs: Help create that creamy, almost custardy bread sauce.
- Yellow mustard: It gives the sauce a little tang without making the whole thing taste overly mustardy.
- Onion: Half gets thinly sliced into the sauce and the other half gets cut into chunky wedges for the top.
- Garlic: Add savory flavor to the creamy bread sauce.
- Fresh nutmeg: Just a little freshly grated nutmeg adds warmth to the sauce.
- Bay leaves: They get tucked right into the dish.
- Olive oil: A little drizzle over the chicken helps that skin get nice and crispy.
- Salt and pepper: For seasoning the chicken and sauce.
How to Make This Chicken and Sausage Bake
Make the bread sauce
Before that, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Next, grab your casserole dish or cast-iron skillet because we’re mixing the sauce right in it. No need to dirty another bowl.
Add the thinly sliced half onion, yellow mustard, minced garlic, milk, eggs and freshly grated nutmeg.
Season with salt and pepper, then whisk everything together until well combined.
Add the bread
Cut the crusts from your loaf of country white bread and set them aside.
Cut the rest of the bread into cubes and add them directly to the sauce.
Gently toss and press the bread down so it can start soaking up all that creamy mustard mixture. Give it a minute or two to really get in there.
Add the chicken and sausage
Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and nestled into the soaked bread with the skin facing up.
Remove the sausage from the casings and break it into small, rustic pieces. No need for perfect little meatballs here. Tuck the sausage in and around the chicken.
Quarter the remaining half of the onion and scatter the pieces over the top of the dish. Add two small bay leaves into the sauce.
Make that crusty bread border
Remember those bread crusts I told you not to throw away? Here’s why.
Arrange them around the outside edge of the dish, almost like you’re making a border around the chicken and sausage. Gently press the bottom of the crusts into the sauce so they soak some of it up, but leave plenty exposed on top.
They’ll get wonderfully golden and crunchy as the chicken bakes while still soaking up all that flavor underneath.
Do not underestimate the crusty border.
Finish and bake
Drizzle a little olive oil over the chicken skin and season with salt and pepper.
Bake for 1 hour, until the chicken is cooked through, the skin is golden and crispy, the sausage is cooked through and the bread around the edges is browned and crunchy.
Chicken and Sausage Bake Variations
Try another sausage. I like sweet Italian sausage here, but you could use sweet or hot depending on what you like. Chicken or turkey sausage would work too. OR, leave the sausage out of the dish.
Use Dijon mustard. Yellow mustard gives the sauce a mild tang, but Dijon will give it a little more bite.
Add fresh herbs. Thyme or sage would both work beautifully with the chicken, sausage and nutmeg. I added parsley to the finished bake.
Add some greens. If you want to sneak a vegetable right into the dish, add a few handfuls of spinach to the bread mixture before adding the chicken.
Use chicken breasts. You can. I did. They’re fine. But after testing both, I’m sticking with the thighs for this one. If you use breasts, keep an eye on the cooking time so they don’t dry out.
For Goodness Bake: A Few Questions
I wouldn’t fully assemble this one too far ahead. The bread will continue soaking up the milk mixture and can get too soft. You can absolutely do some prep ahead, though. Cube the bread, slice the onions and mix the sauce. Then assemble everything when you’re ready to bake.
The easiest way to know for sure is with a meat thermometer. Insert it into the thickest part of the chicken thigh. The chicken is safe to eat when it reaches 165°F. With thighs, I don’t mind letting them cook a little beyond that, they stay nice and juicy. You’re also looking for golden, crispy skin on top.
Let any leftovers cool, then cover the casserole dish or transfer everything to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
I prefer reheating this in the oven so you can bring some of that crispiness back. Cover loosely with foil and warm at 350°F until heated through, then remove the foil for the last few minutes to crisp up the chicken skin and bread.
The microwave works when you’re hungry and patience isn’t happening, but you’ll lose some of those crispy edges.
More Cozy Chicken Dinners? I’ve Got You
If this chicken sausage bake makes it into your fall rotation, let me know! Leave a comment and a 5-star review below. I really do love hearing when one of my recipes ends up on your table.
And since we’re officially back in cozy dinner territory, don’t stop here. My Chicken Marsala is always a favorite, and my Brown Butter Chicken Bake is another one to save for a chilly night when you want something warm and satisfying without making dinner a whole production.
And don’t forget to join the Cozy Crew. I’ll send you more cozy dinners, cocktails, appetizers and entertaining ideas straight to your inbox, plus a few recipes and extras I save just for my email peeps. I’ll help with dinner. You pour the wine.
Chicken Sausage Bake with Bread Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 Boneless, skin-on Chicken Thighs
- 2 Italian sausage links casings removed
- 1 loaf country white bread
- 1 onion divided
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups milk any percentage
- 2 large eggs
- Freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 small bay leaves
- Olive oil for drizzling
- salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉.
- Make the bread sauce. Thinly slice half of the onion. Add it directly to a casserole dish or cast-iron skillet along with the mustard, garlic, milk, eggs and a little freshly grated nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper and whisk until combined.
- Prepare the bread. Cut the crusts from the loaf and set them aside. Cut the remaining bread into cubes and add them to the milk mixture. Gently toss and press the bread into the sauce so it can begin soaking up the liquid.
- Add the chicken and sausage. Season the chicken with salt and pepper then nestle the chicken thighs into the bread mixture, skin-side up. Remove the sausage from the casings, break it into small pieces and tuck them in and around the chicken.
- Finish the top. Quarter the remaining half of the onion and scatter the pieces over the dish. Tuck in the bay leaves.
- Make the bread-crust border. Arrange the reserved bread crusts around the outside edge of the dish. Press the bottoms gently into the sauce so they soak up some of the liquid while leaving the tops exposed to get golden and crispy.
- Bake. Drizzle the chicken skins with olive oil. Bake for 1 hour, or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, the sausage is cooked through and the bread is golden and crusty around the edges.
- Let the chicken sausage bake rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Remove the bay leaves and serve warm.
