This chicken breakfast sandwich stacks a homemade chicken and spinach sausage patty, egg, cheese and BBQ sauce inside an English muffin. It makes 12 and is designed with the fillings cooked and cooled before assembly with the muffin toasted when you're ready to eat.
I'm not a huge savoury breakfast person. Bacon sometimes makes my tummy a little bit funny, and it seems to be the classic addition to almost every savoury breakfast. I wanted something without bacon that both Zak and I would enjoy, which is how these chicken breakfast sandwich muffins came around.
I had them for my second breakfast, because my first breakfast is sweet and usually overnight oats. Sue me, I like a sweet treat. But I was so weirdly obsessed with these that they earned a spot in my meal prep rotation.
The first batch also reminded me that frozen spinach brings moisture along for the ride, even after squeezing it. I originally wanted to skip the breadcrumbs, but once I mixed everything together, it was obvious the patties needed more help holding their shape. That's why they're in the final mixture.
TL:DR
- Servings: 12 sandwiches (one chicken patty + one egg each)
- Prep/assembly time: 20 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes (cooking in batches)
- Meal prep: Chicken, eggs and cheese provide protein, English muffins provide carbohydrates, and spinach adds vegetables to the patties.
- Fridge storage: Up to 3 days from cooking, wrapped tightly and stored below 5°C.
- Freezer storage: Best texture within 3 months, individually wrapped and sealed in a freezer bag or airtight containe
- Reheating: Start with about 45 seconds in the microwave from chilled, then finish in a sandwich press until crisp and hot through the centre.
- Customise: Change the cheese, sauce or seasoning, or use turkey mince; add in extras like avocado or tomato.
Jump to:
Why you'll love this recipe
Makes 12 at once. One batch gives you a prepped breakfast for the next few days and extras for the freezer.
Hidden veg. Spinach mixes into the patties, just as it does in my spinach sausage egg cups, although the green flecks aren't exactly undercover.
Designed for reheating. The fillings are cooked and cooled first, with the muffin toasted when you eat it so you get a freshly toasted muffin.
Ingredients
Chicken mince. I used chicken mince because it's something both Zak and I enjoy, and I find it lighter for breakfast than a beef patty, which my brain files under dinner burger.
Frozen spinach. I prefer it over fresh as frozen spinach is already wilted and mixes through the mince without the extra step of cooking down fresh leaves.
Breadcrumbs. I use 1 cup of panko to absorb moisture and help the patties hold together, with extra added gradually depending on the type of breadcrumbs you use if the squeezed spinach or mince leaves the mixture too wet.
Panko has larger flakes than fine breadcrumbs, so the mixture needs a short rest to absorb moisture before you judge its texture. Choose plain, dry breadcrumbs and check the label for added salt or seasoning; a more expensive packet doesn't automatically bind better, and different crumb sizes won't absorb identically by the cup.
Dried oregano and garlic granules/powder. This adds an extra flavour without adding extra moisture from the fresh versions.
Tomato paste. Adds concentrated savoury flavour without the wateriness of tomato sauce, which is why I also use it in my zucchini slice.
English muffins. My breakfast bun of choice in these and my sheet pan breakfast sandwiches, because their size suits the patties without leaving excess bread.
Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity. See below for substitutions and variations.
Substitutions and Variations
Mince adjustments. Turkey mince is the closest alternative for these chicken sausage breakfast sandwiches, while pork or beef will give a different flavour and richness. The mixture's moisture will change with the mince, so check that a shaped patty holds together before cooking the batch.
Other seasoning and flavour additions. Swap some of the oregano for dried sage or thyme for a different breakfast sausage flavour, or add smoked paprika and chilli flakes. Start with small amounts, then cook a teaspoon-sized piece of mixture to check the seasoning before shaping the remaining patties.
Other secret veggies. Finely grated carrot, squeezed grated zucchini or finely diced onion can replace some of the spinach or bulk out the mixture, as I do in my spaghetti bolognese with vegetables and marry me chicken meatballs.
Start by replacing a small portion of spinach, because adding lots of vegetables changes the yield and binding. Add breadcrumbs gradually if it's wet; only add a little beaten egg if the mixture is dry and crumbly, because another whole egg can make a wet mixture worse.
How to make chicken breakfast sandwich
Step 1. Combine the chicken mince, one egg, spinach (thawed with excess moisture removed), oregano, tomato paste, garlic powder, panko, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix until evenly combined, then refrigerate for 5-10 minutes so the breadcrumbs can absorb moisture.
Check the mixture by shaping a small patty: it should feel slightly tacky but hold its shape rather than slump. If it is too wet, mix in an extra tablespoon of breadcrumbs, rest briefly and check again before adding more.
Step 2. Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions and flatten into patties approximately the width of your English muffins and about 1cm thick. Lightly damp hands help with shaping; keep uncooked patties refrigerated while cooking in batches.
Step 3. Heat a lightly oiled non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook the patties in batches for approximately 4-5 minutes per side, until browned and the centre reaches 70°C/165°F (it'll continue to rise on resting) on a food thermometer; reduce the heat if the outside browns before the middle is cooked.
Step 4. In a separate lightly oiled pan, cook the 12 sandwich eggs in batches over medium-low heat for approximately 4-6 minutes, covering or flipping them to set the tops. Aim for fully set whites and a mostly firm yolk that holds together.
Note - once cooked, I like to store the chicken sausage and eggs in the fridge for about an hour so they're cooled before assembly which helps with final texture
Step 5. Split the English muffins without toasting them. Layer each with a cold chicken patty, egg, cheese slice and a thin portion of BBQ sauce, keeping most of the sauce against the filling rather than soaking it into the bread.
Close the muffins, wrap each tightly and refrigerate or freeze.
Lauren's Top Tips
Test the mixture. Cook a small piece of patty mixture before the full batch to check both seasoning and whether it holds together. Never taste the raw chicken mixture.
Let the panko absorb. Give the mixture its short fridge rest before deciding it needs more crumbs.
Match the muffin. Flatten the patties evenly to suit your bread so they cook at a similar rate and fill the sandwich. So if you're using a different type of burger bun, adjust the size of the patties (you may be left with less in total)
Meal Prepping chicken breakfast sandwich
This chicken breakfast sandwich is an easy breakfast meal prep option because you cook the filling once and assemble 12 breakfasts in the same session. There's protein from the chicken, eggs and cheese, carbohydrates from the English muffins, and spinach mixed into the patties. The spinach adds some vegetables, but each sandwich only contains a share of the batch, so add fruit or another side if that suits your appetite.
Storing
I personally like to store the chicken and eggs in the fridge for about an hour before assembly, so they're cold and aren't sending steam into the muffins (which can make them soggy).
Once assembled, wrap each assembled sandwich tightly in aluminium foil, plastic wrap or baking paper, then place in an airtight container; baking paper alone doesn't create an airtight seal. Store below 5°C and eat within 3 days of cooking,
Lauren's Meal Prep Tip
Lauren's meal prep tip. If reheating from frozen, remove all storage wrapping, use short defrost bursts until you can separate the sandwich, then heat the chicken and egg through before the final press; complete reheating immediately rather than returning a partly warmed sandwich to storage.
Reheating
I start with about 45 seconds in the microwave to give the whole thing a quick blitz of heat, then finish it in a preheated sandwich press (approx. 3-5 minutes as a starting point or until the centre reaches 75°C/165°F.
You can just reheat in the microwave but expect a softer muffin.
Freezing
Freeze the assembled sandwiches once the fillings are fully chilled. Wrap each tightly in foil, freezer-suitable plastic wrap or baking paper, then place them in a freezer bag or airtight freezer container, pressing excess air from the bag without squashing the muffins. The wrapping helps limit moisture loss and freezer burn, while the outer bag or container adds protection. Use within 3 months for the best texture.
Move tomorrow's sandwich to the fridge the night before and let it thaw fully, then follow the chilled reheating method and eat within 24 hours of defrosting. A microwave defrost cycle works if you forget, but I found it less even: the cheese had melted while the centre was still slightly cold, which wasn't optimal.
If you don't want to assemble all 12 sandwiches, you can also freeze extra chicken sausages for future meals (we had them on dinner burgers a couple weeks later and were equally delicious!)
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
Squeeze the spinach thoroughly and chill the cooked chicken patties and eggs before assembling, so they don't trap steam against the muffins. Keep the sauce layer thin and toast the bread when you eat the sandwich.
Excess spinach moisture, a loose mixture or flipping before the first side has set can cause patties to break. Rest the mixture so the panko absorbs moisture, add extra breadcrumbs gradually if it still slumps, and let the underside brown before turning.
Other savoury breakfast recipes you'll like
Or, you can have a browse through my savoury breakfast preps for more delicious eats.
Recipe
Chicken Breakfast Sandwich
Save Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken sausage (makes 12 designed for English muffins)
- 500 g (1 lb) chicken mince, see note 1
- 1 eggs
- 250 g (9 oz) frozen spinach
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder/granules
- 1 cup bread crumbs, see note 2
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Sandwiches (for 12)
- 12 English muffins
- 12 cheese slice
- 12 eggs
- ¾ cup BBQ sauce, approx.1 tablespoon per burger
Instructions
Preparing
- Thaw the 250 g (9 oz) frozen spinach and squeeze out excess moisture and break up any clumps.
- Combine the 500 g (1 lb) chicken mince, 1 eggs1 tbsp oregano, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tbsp garlic powder/granules, 1 cup bread crumbs and Salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix until evenly combined, then refrigerate for 5-10 minutes so the bread crumbs absorb moisture.
- After refrigerating, check that the mixture holds its shape when formed into a patty. If it's too moist, add breadcrumbs 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Divide into 12 equal portions and flatten into patties about 1cm thick and approximately the width of your English muffins, using lightly damp hands to prevent sticking.
Cooking
- Heat a lightly oiled non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook the patties in batches for approximately 4-5 minutes per side, until browned and the centre reaches 70°C/165°F (they will continue to rise when resting).Note - if they brown too quickly without fully cooking, turn down the heat.
- In a separate lightly oiled pan, cook the remaining 12 eggs over medium-low heat for approximately 4-6 minutes, covering or flipping to set the tops. The whites should be fully set and the yolks mostly firm Note - some runniness in the egg is okay, but you don't want them too runny as they can burst and cause a mess when assembling which can impact the English muffin texture
Assembly
- Transfer the cooked patties and eggs to shallow containers and refrigerate promptly, within 2 hours of cooking. Allow about 1 hour in the fridge, or until cold throughout, before assembling to prevent soggy muffins.
- Split the English muffins without toasting. Fill each with a cold chicken patty, egg, cheese slice and a thin layer of BBQ sauce (approx. 1 tablespoon per sandwich), keeping the sauce against the filling rather than soaking it into the bread.
- Wrap each sandwich tightly and refrigerate or freeze. Toast when ready to eat to crisp the muffin, melt the cheese and heat the filling through.
Reheating
- Remove all wrapping, microwave a chilled or fully thawed sandwich for about 45 seconds, then sandwich press for approximately 3-5 minutes, continuing until the centre reaches 75°C/165°F and the muffin is crisp.
Leave a Reply