Breakfast Casserole With Biscuits and Chicken Sausage

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil (14 g)
• 12 ounces chicken breakfast sausage, casings removed (340 g)
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (150 g)
• 5 ounces baby spinach, roughly chopped (142 g)
• 10 large eggs (500 g)
• 1 cup whole milk (240 g)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (6 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (1 g)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder (3 g)
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (226 g)
• 1 tube refrigerated buttermilk biscuit dough, 8 biscuits (453 g)

Instructions

1. Prepare dish. Heat the oven to 375°F with a rack centered. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken sausage, breaking it into small crumbles, until browned. Add onion and cook until softened. Stir in spinach until wilted, then spread everything evenly in the dish.
2. Make egg layer. Whisk eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in one and a half cups of cheddar. Pour mixture over sausage and vegetables. Press any spinach leaves beneath liquid with a spoon so they do not dry out.
3. Bake base. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Edges should look set, while center still jiggles slightly when dish is nudged. Keep biscuit dough cold during this bake. The partially set eggs create a sturdy surface, preventing biscuits from sinking into raw custard and helping their bottoms bake tender rather than soggy.
4. Top and finish. Separate dough into eight biscuits and arrange them in two rows over filling, leaving small gaps. Scatter remaining cheddar around, not over, the biscuits. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until tops are deeply golden and center reaches 160°F. Rest 10 minutes before cutting twelve squares.

Notes

• Cook raw chicken sausage completely before it joins the eggs; break it into small crumbles so slices cut cleanly.
• For advance prep, refrigerate the cooked sausage, onion, and spinach separately, then whisk and pour the egg mixture just before baking.
• If biscuit tops brown before the center sets, tent the dish loosely with foil and continue baking until the thermometer reads 160°F.

Nutrition Facts