The Aldi Chicken Sausage That's Become A Mainstay Of My Meal Prep

For many people, myself included, meal prepping can feel like a chore. However, the consequences of not meal-prepping during brief moments of downtime can spell disaster later in the week — you know, when you open up your fridge and realize it's completely bare or you don't have enough time for a full meal. Takeout it is (again)!

That said, I've tried to become more intentional with picking up nutrient-dense foods for preparing dishes. My favorite versatile ingredients for meal prepping are ones I can cook ahead of time, then pair with different bases (rice, pasta, salads, etc.) to avoid meal fatigue. That's exactly what inspired me to pick up a container of Aldi Never Any! Mild Italian Chicken Sausage on a recent trip to the store. 

These hot dog-sized sausages, which come four to a pack, were much more flavorful than I expected. I assumed chicken sausage, which doesn't have the same amount of fat as pork sausage, wouldn't be that delicious, but this Aldi find is absolutely packed with both juice and moisture. The casing on the outside is just thick enough to hold the meat together, while the pieces of colorful pepper and mozzarella filling each sausage add the perfect amount of freshness and flavor to every bite. I prefer to cook them in a skillet with a little bit of oil and let them brown before storing for meals throughout the week. The result is a snappy, wildly flavorful sausage that, while unassuming, is a must-buy for meal-preppers.

It turns out I wasn't the only Aldi shopper who took to these delicious sausages. Some folks have suggested air-frying them, and many other folks have taken to social media to show how they, too, liked to use them, including pairing them with Aldi gnocchi or eating them in lettuce wraps. Regardless, the general sentiment is people don't miss the pork when eating this comparatively lighter option.

While it appears their intended use may have been in a bun, as illustrated on the packaging, I find these sausages really shine as an addition to hearty rice dishes and bowls. The chicken flavor is juicy, but not overpowering, and I fear using a sausage with more fat or grease would make the dish too overwhelming. However, these sausages add the perfect amount of flavor and fat to even the blandest of rice dishes and balance being rich and just filling enough. They also shine when paired with peppers, onions, and tomato sauce for a take on an Italian sausage pasta (though you can wrap the ingredients up in a hot dog bun or crusty bread as well for something more portable).