Chicken sausage pasta will excite you, especially if you believe that eating healthy equals no more pasta! There are healthier, nutrient-dense pastas out there waiting to be eaten and chicken sausage is the perfect complement.

This chicken sausage pasta is one of those meals that I could eat every day. In fact, sausage is a regular on our meal rotation because it’s easy and healthy. Perfectly browned, seasoned, chicken sausage, sautéed with garlic, onions and fresh spinach, placed in a simmering, herb-infused tomato sauce!

Add perfectly al dente brown rice pasta and you’ve got yourself a healthy, delicious weeknight meal!

how to make chicken sausage

Always a fun conversation! Pork sausage is ok but was always a little fatty for me. Chicken sausage is the perfect alternative. They come in great seasoned flavors. I prefer buying it raw versus the already cooked kind. Some of my faves are Wegman’s Pesto with Feta & Spinach chicken sausage or Roasted Garlic & Herb Chicken Sausage. I also like Nature’s Promise sweet Italian with Kale or with cheese and garlic.

When preparing the sausage, cut a slit length-wise on the sausage so you can remove the sausage from it’s casing. Then simply break it into pieces into your pan. You don’t have to remove the casing, however I find it easier when working with chicken sausage because it’s less firm than pork sausage.

head on shot of chicken sausage penne in bowl

how to make tomato sauce for chicken sausage pasta

The tomato sauce is wonderfully flavored with an herb-infused olive-oil. I make this in batches for easy use. If you don’t have time to make the herb-infused version, you could use regular olive oil and add some of the seasoning directly to your sauce. You don’t have to add everything, simply add what you have on hand like garlic, red pepper flakes or fresh herbs.

Next add the tomatoes⏤you’ll want to use whole San Marzano tomatoes. These have more pulp and less seeds. Regular canned tomatoes will work however I prefer the San Marzanos!

overhead shot of chicken sausage penne with fork

What pasta to use for chicken sausage pasta

I am a HUGE fan of Jovial’s brown rice penne (or any of their brown rice noodles). Their brown rice pasta is gluten-free and made with organic brown rice and water (doesn’t get much simpler than that)!

I love having so many whole grain pasta options these days because I couldn’t imagine life without pasta! Jovial is absolutely a fave!

Combine the sausage, veggies and penne with the sauce and then serve with fresh grated parmesan cheese, fresh herbs or black ground pepper.

This is SURE to be a crowd-pleaser at your house!

overhead shot of chicken sausage penne with rosemary

add other veggies to chicken sausage pasta

I love to incorporate as many vegetables as possible in a meal like this. For this recipe I stuck to onions and spinach but feel free to add any veggies sitting in your fridge! Try

peppers
tomatoes
kale
broccoli
whatever is in your fridge that you need to use up!

Saute diced carrots and celery with the onions for extra nutrients! Most of these won’t impact the overall flavor of the dish (peppers are an exception but I love the slight change in taste)!

how long will chicken sausage pasta keep?

Store leftovers in an airtight container or wrap tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Properly stored, chicken sausage pasta will last for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator or up to 2 months in the freezer.

other pasta favorites you’re sure to love:

This recipe was adapted by Alton Brown’s chicken parmesan meatballs and I HIGHLY encourage you to make that recipe! They are phenomenal!

chicken sausage pasta in easy tomato sauce

Author: Karen
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 35-45 mins
Yield: 3–4 1x

Description

Perfectly browned, seasoned chicken sausage, sautéed with garlic, onions and fresh spinach in an herb-infused, easy tomato sauce! Easy and delicious weeknight meal!

Scale

Ingredients

1 pound chicken sausage*, casing removed, pulled into bite size piece(see suggestions in notes)
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
5 ounce bag of fresh spinach
12 ounces penne noodles, cooked (I use brown rice noodles)
Parmesan cheese, to serve (optional)

Herb oil and easy spaghetti sauce

16 ounces extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves of garlic
2 rosemary sprigs
10 basil leaves
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
28 ounces canned whole San Marzano tomatoes, drained
1 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

To make herb oil** (this can be made ahead of time and stored)

Combine the olive oil, garlic, thyme, rosemary, basil and red pepper flakes in a narrow saucepan over medium heat. As the hear builds, there will be considerable bubbling as the water cooks out of the garlic and herbs. When this dies down and the basil and garlic turn brown, kill the heat and let the mixture steep until cool. Strain the oil into a jar and toss the solids Use immediately or cover tightly and freeze for later use.

For the chicken sausage, onions, spinach and spaghetti sauce

In a wide saute pan, pull chicken sausage apart into bite size pieces. Add diced onions and garlic. Saute until done (approx. 5-10 minutes). Right before the sausage is cooked and onions are translucent, add the spinach. Once spinach has cooked down, remove everything from pan and put aside.
Heat 3 tablespoons of the herb oil in a wide sauté pan over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and salt to the pan, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, breaking up the tomatoes as they soften, using a wooden spatula or an old school potato masher.
Add chicken sausage back to the pan.
Add cooked pasta***.
Serve with parmesan cheese.

Notes

* I recommend Wegman’s Pesto with Feta & Spinach chicken sausage or Nature’s promise has some great flavors.

**I love to make batches of the herb oil and keep it on hand. It’s excellent with veggies, pastas, meats, vinaigrettes, everything!

***I recommend Jovial’s brown rice Penne pasta (or any of their pastas)!

Keywords: chicken sausage, chicken sausage peppers, chicken sausage spaghetti sauce