amazing chicken sausage pasta in easy tomato sauce

Originally published 11/2019 and updated on 1/7/2020

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

This chicken sausage pasta recipe 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

Wegman’s chicken sausage

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.

Nature’s Promise chicken sausage

Nature’s Promise chicken sausage is also out-of-this-world! I love their kale sweet Italian or with cheese and garlic.

When preparing the sausage, cut a slit length-wise on the sausage so you can remove the sausage from its 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.

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 seasonings 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 fewer seeds. Regular canned tomatoes will work however I prefer the San Marzanos!

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!

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:

• turkey bolognese
• easy zucchini shrimp scampi
• best meatballs ever
• butternut squash noodles with chicken & cream sauce
• ribollita soup

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

have the ingredients delivered to your door:

Brown rice penne noodles – Jovial

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San Marzano peeled tomatoes – Cento

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Olive oil

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amazing chicken sausage pasta in easy tomato sauce

4 from 8 votes

Recipe by Karen Course: DinnerCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

345

kcal

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

Ingredients

• 1 lb. chicken sausage*, casing removed, pulled into bite size piece(see suggestions in notes)

• 1 onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 5 oz. fresh spinach

• 12 oz. penne noodles like Jovial’s brown rice noodles

• Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese to serve

• Herb oil and easy spaghetti sauce

• 16 oz. extra virgin olive oil

• 6 cloves garlic, smashed

• 2 rosemary springs

• 10 basil leaves

• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes

• 28 oz canned whole San Marzano tomatoes

• 1 tsp. Kosher or sea salt

Directions

• To make herb oil (can be made ahead of time)
• Combine the olive oil, garlic, thyme, rosemary, basil, and red pepper flakes in a narrow saucepan over medium heat. As the heat 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.
  

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• For the chicken sausage, onions, spinach and spaghetti sauce
• In a wide sauté pan, add diced onions and garlic and sautee on medium until onions are translucent (approx. 5 minutes).
• Pull chicken sausage apart into bite-size pieces and add it to the sauté pan. Cook until done (approx. 5-10 minutes).
• Add 3 tablespoons of the herb oil into the 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. Right before finishing, add spinach and stir in until it cooks down.
• Add cooked pasta* to the pan and stir until it’s well combined.
• Serve with parmesan cheese, grated Pecorino Romano, and fresh herbs.
  

Notes

• * I recommend Wegman’s Pesto with Feta & Spinach chicken sausage or Nature’s Promise chicken sauasage.
• Make batches of the herb oil and keep it on hand. It’s excellent with veggies, pasta, meats, vinaigrettes, everything!
•  I recommend Jovial’s brown rice Penne pasta (or any of their pasta)!

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