Spicy Chicken Bratwurst with Harissa

2026-07-15 18:46

Looking for something a little different? This spicy chicken bratwurst combines juicy chicken thighs with pork back fat, aromatic spices and the gentle heat of harissa to create a flavour-packed sausage that's perfect for the barbecue or frying pan.

A Modern Bratwurst with a Spicy Twist

Traditional bratwurst is usually made with pork, but there's no reason you can't explore new flavours while keeping the same classic sausage-making techniques. This Spicy Chicken Bratwurst combines succulent chicken thighs with pork back fat for richness, while harissa adds a warm, aromatic heat without overpowering the natural flavour of the meat.

Like all the recipes on Dieter's Sausage Kitchen, this sausage is designed for the home sausage maker. Using simple equipment and readily available ingredients, you can create delicious homemade sausages that are perfect for family meals, barbecues or simply filling the freezer with something special.

Dieter's Tip

Keeping the meat as cold as possible throughout the entire process is one of the secrets to producing juicy, well-bound sausages. Chilling the meat before grinding also makes the grinder work more efficiently and helps maintain the correct texture.

Recipe

A juicy homemade chicken bratwurst with a gentle kick of harissa, balanced by aromatic spices and fresh garlic. Easy to make in a home kitchen, this flavourful sausage is perfect for barbecues, family meals, or stocking the freezer with something a little different.

Recipe Overview

Difficulty

Beginner

Yield

approximately 1 kg

Equipment Needed

Meat grinder fitted with a 3 mm grinding plate
Large mixing bowl
Digital kitchen scales
Sausage stuffing attachment or sausage stuffer
Large saucepan for poaching

Ingredients

Meat and Fat

750 g Chicken Thighs

Meat And Fat

250 g Pork Back Fat

Seasoning

15 g Salt
2 g Black Pepper
0.5 g All Spice
0.5 g Cumin
0.5 g Corriander
1 g Paprika

Fresh addition

8 g Garlic — finely minced

Other

20 g Harissa

Method

Preparation

Cut the chicken thighs and pork back fat into pieces suitable for your meat grinder.
Mix the meat thoroughly with the minced garlic and harissa paste until all pieces are evenly coated.
Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavours to develop.
Before grinding, place the meat in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours until it is well chilled but not frozen solid.
While the meat is chilling, prepare the remaining ingredients and grind the dry spices to a fine powder if necessary.

Processing

Grind the meat and fat through a 3 mm grinding plate.
Add the salt and remaining spices, then mix thoroughly until the sausage mixture becomes smooth, sticky and develops a good protein bind.
Fill the mixture into natural pork casings.

Finish

Poach the sausages gently until they reach an internal temperature of 75°C. For standard pork casings this usually takes around 30–40 minutes. As a general guide, allow approximately 12 minutes of poaching per centimetre of sausage diameter.
Immediately cool the sausages in cold water before allowing them to air dry.

Additional Guidance

Cooking Notes

Poach between 72 and 75 deg. C until target temperature is reached.

Storage

After poaching refrigerated up to 5 days, frozen over 3 month.

Serving Suggestions

These sausages are excellent grilled over charcoal, pan-fried or gently reheated after poaching. Serve with crusty bread, potato salad, roasted vegetables or your favourite mustard.

Sausage Specifications

Casing Type	Pork casing
Casing Size	28 - 30 mm
Grind Size	3 mm
Poaching Temperature	75°C
Internal Temperature	72°C
Freezer Friendly	Yes

Continue Learning

The Art of Traditional European Sausage Making – Volume 1: Western Europe

Discover the rich and diverse traditions of European sausage making with The Art of Traditional European Sausage Making – Volume 1: Western Europe.

This comprehensive guide takes you on a culinary journey through some of Europe's most celebrated sausage-making regions, from the famous Bratwürste of Germany and Austria to the rustic sausages of Italy, the charcuterie traditions of France, the paprika-rich specialties of Spain and Portugal, and the distinctive breakfast sausages and puddings of the British Isles.

Featuring 47 authentic recipes, this book is far more than a simple recipe collection. It combines traditional methods, historical background, practical guidance and modern food safety principles to help both beginners and experienced sausage makers produce outstanding results at home.

Learn More

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Tags: chicken sausage diy sausages home kitchen sausage making home sausage making homemade bratwurst homemade sausages making sausages at home recipe sausage making for beginners sausage making guide spicy bratwurst spicy chicken bratwurst

Spicy Chicken Bratwurst with Harissa

A Modern Bratwurst with a Spicy Twist

Dieter's Tip