A spicy chicken sausage recipe! Huzzah! I know how much you guys all like unfussy, straightforward meal ideas. Mix a few things, throw it in the oven, and voila: dinnertime. If that sounds like your speed, you're in luck today. I'm going to show you which storebought spicy chicken sausages are perfect for keto and share a fantastic recipe even the worst of cooks can pull off.

If your inner foodie was secretly hoping I would teach you how to make a homemade chicken sausage, just leave me a comment below because that can be arranged! I've got everything to do it, guys. Just say the word! ?

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My sister immediately asked me for the recipe to make these spicy chicken sausages after she tried them. You know a dish is tasty when people want to recreate it in their own kitchen. Instead of emailing or scribbling on a post-it like a normal sister, I decided to write a blog about it. She's going to laugh at me when she sees how effortless these are to whip up.

Best keto sausage brands for chicken lovers

I'm going to preface this by acknowledging going the DIY route to make your own sausages would give you the most control over the ingredients and therefore carb counts. Most storebought sausages, even the chicken ones with the healthy branding, have sugar in them.

There are two brands I've found, however, that appear to be completely devoid of added sugar per the ingredients list: Isernio's and Trader Joe's.

Isernio's chicken sausage can be found at a variety of grocery stores, usually in the ground poultry and pork section. I pick mine up at my local Safeway, but it looks like they are only available in select stores. You can check out their map to find a location near you: where to buy Isernio's chicken sausage

Their hot Italian chicken sausages are killer. Each chicken sausage link is only 110 calories and carbs clock in at a nice round zero. I've tried their other savory chicken sausages and enjoyed them all. There are some sweeter varieties (chicken apple, breakfast chicken sausages, etc) sweetened with honey, so keep an eye out if you're watching for that kind of thing.

I love these sausages! They come packaged uncooked, so you'll need to prepare them accordingly. The spicy chicken sausage recipe below would be a great place to start!

Trader Joe's chicken sausage can be found at... you guessed it, Trader Joe's. I absolutely love this place! Their spicy Italian chicken sausages aren't too shabby either. These ones come fully cooked at 140 calories and "less than 1 gram" of total carbohydrates coming from fiber. Super awesome store for budget-friendly whole food products. You can find a location near you: where is my closest Trader Joe's

I tend to bounce between Northwest farmer's markets, Costco, Safeway, and a local butcher, so there are probably multiple other options outside of my small little world. If you have any suggestions for people in your area, please comment below! ?

Is sugar allowed on keto?

If you're confused why added sugar in the ingredients list was important in my hunt for the perfect keto sausage brand, there are a few reasons.

Nutrition label laws allow rounding to the nearest digit; just because there is zero listed next to carbs and sugar in the nutrition facts table, doesn't mean there aren't any carbohydrates. It can add up, especially if you trick yourself into thinking you can eat an unlimited amount of something because there are "no carbs."

Sugar impacts your blood sugar and can trigger cravings. I'm a recovering sugar addict, as are many of you. It's one of the reasons I don't share many sweets on the site or frequently indulge in the plethora of keto friendly desserts floating around on the internet. I have to watch myself; once I get started it's... kinda scary dude. I personally have to avoid it. I had to quit added sugar altogether.

I'm certainly not perfect, but I've been trying my damndest to avoid even the smallest amounts of added sugar. Which has proven to be tough, because it seems like it's hiding everywhere? It's a personal choice, not a law that will send you to keto jail if you eat a spicy chicken sausage with trace amounts of sugar in it. Keep it in mind, but don't beat yourself up about it either.

This whole keto thing wasn't just about fitting into my skinny jeans; it's about managing my PCOS and insulin resistance, so I don't have to take prescription meds. While you can certainly take a more flexible approach to eating keto (aka "if it fits your macros" or IIFYM), I've learned that way of eating doesn't work too well for me. Ultimately, it's a lifestyle change; doing what is sustainable for you is most important.