These Make-Ahead Breakfast Sliders Are Perfect for Picky Eaters

Start by making your own sausage from scratch — it's easier than you think!

By: Frances Kim

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While we love a proper sausage-egg-and-cheese here at Food Network Kitchen, it’s something we usually associate with weekends, when we have the time to cook up each component. However, with just a little bit of planning, you can have this breakfast sandwich waiting for you in the freezer, just a quick zap in the microwave away from delighting everyone at the table any day of the week. The first step? Taking Justin Chapple’s Make-Ahead Chicken Sausage Breakfast Sliders class on the Food Network Kitchen app.

Justin likes to serve a slider instead of a full sandwich because not everybody has the same appetite. “Some of us can eat a lot for breakfast, while some of us just like a little nibble,” he says. “If you have a smaller appetite or you’re a little kid, it’s perfect because you can just have one.” He starts by beating the eggs in the blender, which gives them a uniform color and incorporates just the right amount of air for that fluffy texture. He also adds a splash of milk for richness and salt and white pepper for seasoning. The white pepper makes the dish extra kid-friendly, as in Justin’s experience, “when kids see little black specks in their eggs, they don't necessarily want to eat them.” He bakes the eggs in a glass baking dish just until they’re set, then cuts them into squares for the sliders. Bonus: If you opt to trim the edges, not only do you get perfectly even squares, but you can also serve the extra slivers as egg “French fries” that kids will love dipping in ketchup.

Next up is the DIY sausage. “I like to make my own cheater sausage because you can control the level of spices and salt, which is especially helpful if anyone in your family is sensitive to strong flavors or if you’re cooking for kids,” says Justin. He’s partial to lean ground chicken breast, but you can substitute chicken thighs, turkey, pork, or even ground salmon. He flavors the meat with garlic powder, onion powder, sage, nutmeg and cloves, then forms them into thin patties and browns them in a cast-iron skillet.

Finally, it’s time to build: Justin layers the sausage, eggs and slices of sharp cheddar on top of mayonnaise-slicked dinner rolls. After a quick turn in the oven or microwave, the cheese is melted and irresistibly gooey, and the sliders are ready to be devoured. Justin also demonstrates how to roll up the sandwiches individually in foil and store them in the freezer, so all you have to do when you wake up is unwrap, reheat and enjoy — it’s a morning routine we can’t wait to introduce to the whole family.

Looking for more breakfast inspiration? Justin's Tater Tot Waffles with Saucy Sausage and Feta or Mini Blueberry-Ginger Breakfast Buns would be a wise next click.

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