This apple chicken sausage skillet fulfills every fall dinner need you could imagine.
Apple cider-sweetened hearty grains? Check.
Apple chicken sausage? Check.
Fresh cooked apple? Check.
Crunchy walnuts? Check.
Bring it all together and you’ve got yourself a hearty, apple-plenty, lightly sweet dinner skillet that takes about 12 ingredients (including pantry staples!) and 45 minutes to throw together. It will fulfill your every apple desire at dinnertime.
So what are you waiting for? Let’s get cooking!
Ingredients
The ingredients in this dish make all of the difference.
Apple Cider
Homemade apple cider is the BEST for this recipe. It adds a level of depth to the flavor. I really love this recipe from Delish and from Gimme Some Oven.
But if you don’t have time to whip up a fresh batch, store-bought cider is just as good. Opt for whichever brand has less sugar. I’ve seen cider’s that range from 24 to 32 grams of added sugar per serving. No doubt cider is a sugary treat, but we can pick one on the lower sugar end and still achieve the same great taste without quite so much sugar.
That’s another benefit for making your own; you can cut down on the sugar and use more natural sweeteners like maple syrup. Also feel free to play with the apple cider to broth ratio to cut down on the sweetness.
Chicken Sausage
For this recipe, I doubled down on the apple and incorporated French apple chicken sausage from Sprouts. That’s hands down the BEST apple chicken sausage I’ve tried.
From big box stores, you can probably also get your hands Al Fresco, Applegate, or Johnsonville apple chicken sausage. I would rate Al Fresco much higher than Applegate or Johnsonville’s version, because to me their chicken sausage tastes more like hot dogs.
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Farro
Almost every farro recipe I make uses pearled farro (as opposed to semi-pearled or whole farro). I generally use Kroger or Rob’s Red Mill brands. Both take about the same time to cook (~25 to 30 minutes) and result in luscious tender farro when cooked properly. With pearled farro there is no need to pre-soak overnight and the cook time is relatively quick.
Apples
I prefer to use apples that hold up well and stay somewhat crispy when cooked. For this recipe I would use Fuji, jazz or pink lady apples. They are less sweet when cooked, but still hold a nice shape, giving this skillet a pleasant crunch. 🙂
How to Make Apple Chicken Sausage Skillet
Begin by combining the farro, broth, and 1 cup of apple cider in a medium sauce pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, the reduce to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cook covered for approximately 25 to 30 minutes. The farro should be tender and not crunch when sampled. I generally have a little bit of liquid leftover in my pan, but not much.
Take the farro off heat and set aside.
Next, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the sliced sausage to the skillet. Brown on each side, for about 2 to 3 minutes apiece.
Once the sausages are sufficiently crisp on both sides, transfer the sausage to a plate and set aside.
In the same frying pan, add the apple, mushrooms, onion, salt and pepper. Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes. The mushrooms should release their liquid and the apples should begin to soften.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of apple cider and apple cider vinegar to the skillet. Cook about 30 seconds, until the majority of the vinegar evaporates. Reduce heat to medium-low.
Lastly, add the farro and any residual liquid to the pan, along with the toasted sausage. Cook about 1 to 2 minutes over medium-low heat, until warmed through.
Divide the farro and sausage mixture among plates. Top with walnuts. Enjoy!
Let us know if you loved this recipe by dropping a comment and/or rating below! Also, please consider sharing this recipe on social media or Pinterest if you enjoyed it (we really appreciate it)! 💕
Check out our other fall-inspired creations!
- Maple Balsamic Butternut Squash Pasta
- Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Miso Butter Farro
- Chickpea Minestrone Soup
- Chai Spiced Scones with Cinnamon Glaze
- Apple Cider Farro Stuffed Acorn Squash
- Apple Cinnamon Oat Muffins
Apple Chicken Sausage Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 c farro
- 1½ c low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 c + 2 Tbsp apple cider
- 16 oz apple chicken sausage links, sliced
- 1 apple, diced
- 4 oz cremini or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- ½ red onion, diced
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- â…› tsp salt
- ¼ c walnuts, chopped
Instructions
- Combine the farro, broth, and 1 cup of apple cider in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook approximately 25 to 30 minutes, or until tender. The majority of the liquid will be absorbed, but there may be a little remaining. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan or skillet. Add the sliced sausages. Crisp on each side, for approximately 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer the sausage to a plate and set aside.
- Add the onion, mushrooms, apple, salt and pepper to the same skillet. Cook over medium-high heat for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until apples begin to soften and mushrooms release their liquid.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of apple cider and vinegar to the skillet. Cook about 30 seconds, or until the vinegar evaporates. Reduce heat to medium-low heat. Add the cooked farro and any leftover liquid in the pot. Add the sausage to the pan. Cook approximately 1 to 2 minutes, until warmed through.
- Divide the farro among plates and top with walnuts. Enjoy!
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