Chicken Sausage and Rice
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Made with seared chicken sausage, brown rice and veggies, this Chicken Sausage and Rice skillet is an easy healthy weeknight dinner that the whole family will love! Ready in 35 minutes, it’s packed with flavor, great for meal prep and customizable!
About This Recipe
This Chicken Sausage and Rice dish was a result of having several random bits and bobs of veggies and herbs in the fridge and a pack of chicken sausages that needed to be used up. Instead of making my Creamy Chicken Sausage Pasta, I decided to make a rice dish. It was SO GOOD, easy to put together in just 35 minutes, and a dish worth sharing with you all!
It’s basically like a chicken sausage fried rice since the I’ve used leftover cooked brown rice and we’re just combining the veggies, sausage and rice in a skillet dish. But it has A TON of flavor thanks to adding a few tasty but simple seasonings that give it a Mexican vibe!
My favorite thing about this chicken sausage with rice skillet is that it’s super flexible and customizable and made with basic, staple ingredients. You can throw in any veggies you have on hand, use white rice if you prefer and also use any type of fully cooked chicken sausage or smoked sausage you love.
It’s also meal prep friendly and leftovers taste just as good during the week!
Why I Love This Chicken Sausage and Rice
- Customizable. Use any veggies and type of sausages you love!
- Flavorful. Simple seasonings and tomato paste go well with the rice, seared chicken sausage, veggies and herbs!
- Satiating. It’s high in protein with about 30 grams of protein in each serving.
- Clean out your fridge. It’s great for using up leftover rice and also meal prep.
- Ready in 35 minutes!
Table of contents
Ingredient Notes and Substitutes
- Chicken Sausage: I used fully cooked Al Fresco Roasted Garlic Chicken Sausage but feel free to use any type of chicken sausage you love. Smoked sausage and ground chicken sausage works too but note that cooking times may vary.
- Veggies: Yellow onion (red onion works too), red bell pepper (substitute with other colored bell peppers or use mini sweet peppers), mushrooms (use any kind), and canned corn. I’ve made this dish with shiitake mushrooms as well as white champignon mushrooms and both versions tasted great! While I used canned Mexican style street corn here, canned fire roasted corn or regular sweet corn kernels also work. You can use frozen sweet corn too if that’s what you have on hand.
- Aromatics: Fresh garlic and fresh Thai Bird’s Eye red chilies. Feel free to use any variety of chilies – a deseeded finely diced jalapeño would taste great too. Or omit the chilies if you want to make this mild and not a spicy dish.
- Chicken Broth: To help cook down the mushrooms. I used Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base dissolved in hot water to make the broth but store-bought broth works too.
- Olive Oil: Or use any cooking oil you like.
- Double Concentrated Tomato Paste: Adds bold and intense tomato flavors that complement the flavors in this rice and chicken sausage dish.
- Seasonings: Kosher salt, black pepper, dried oregano (or use Italian seasoning for more flavor), hot smoked paprika (or use mild, sweet smoked paprika or regular paprika), crushed red pepper chili flakes and ground cayenne for a kick of heat. Omit the chili flakes and cayenne for a milder flavor if preferred.
- Cooked Long Grain Brown Rice: I used day-old leftover cooked Thai jasmine brown rice that had been in the chilling in the fridge. You can use any type of leftover cooked rice including white jasmine rice, medium-grain Calrose rice, or short-grain rice. If using medium or short grain rice, you may need just a little more than the quantity I’ve specified for long grain rice.
- To finish: Spring onion (green onions/scallions) and chopped fresh cilantro (coriander) adds brightness and flavor. Feel free to leave out the coriander if you aren’t a fan. You can even use chopped fresh parsley, sliced fresh basil, or other herbs you have on hand.
Chicken Sausage and Rice
Made with seared chicken sausage, brown rice and veggies, this Chicken Sausage and Rice skillet is an easy healthy weeknight dinner that the whole family will love! Ready in 35 minutes, it’s packed with flavor, great for meal prep and customizable!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 3 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten-Free
Ingredients
- 4 links (11 ounces) / 312 grams fully cooked Chicken Sausage (I used Al Fresco Roasted Garlic Chicken Sausage) – sliced into ¼-inch thick coins
- ½ medium / 100 grams Yellow Onion – medium diced
- ½ medium / 100 grams Red Bell Pepper – medium diced
- 4 pieces (3 ounces) / 84 grams Mushrooms (Champignon, shitake, or button) – thinly sliced
- 4–5 cloves / 20 grams Garlic – minced
- 1–5 pieces / 3-15 grams fresh Red Chilies, to taste (optional – I used Thai Bird’s Eye red chilies but any variety can be used, omit for milder dish, note 1*) – finely chopped
- 1 medium stalks / 10 grams Spring Onion (Green Onions/Scallions) – finely chopped
- 2.5 tablespoons (4–5 sprigs) / 8 grams Coriander (Cilantro) – chopped
- ½ cup / 125 grams canned Corn (Mexican style, fire roasted, or regular sweet corn), undrained
- ¼ cup / 60 ml Chicken Broth (I used 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base dissolved in hot water)
- 2 teaspoons Olive Oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon / 15 grams Double Concentrated Tomato Paste
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt, to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked Black Pepper, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika (hot or sweet)
- ½ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground Cayenne, to taste
- 1.5 cups / 240 grams cooked Thai Jasmine Brown Rice, day-old, chilled (100 grams / 3.5 ounces uncooked weight)
- To Serve: Reserved spring onion and coriander, pan-fried eggs (optional)
Instructions
Prep:
- Prepare the fresh ingredients: Slice the chicken sausage links into ¼-inch wide bite-sized coins. Chop the yellow onion, red bell pepper, mushrooms, garlic, red chilies (if using), spring onion, coriander basil as indicated in the ‘ingredients’ section. Measure out the canned corn and chicken broth.
Chicken Sausage and Rice:
- Cook the chicken sausage: Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a medium deep edged skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced chicken sausage and spread out the pieces in the pan. Cook until both sides are slightly browned – about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a clean bowl and set aside.
- Sauté the veggies: Add 1 teaspoon olive oil into the same pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the yellow onion and red bell pepper and sauté until beginning to soften – 1 minute.
- Cook the mushrooms: Add the mushrooms and mix to combine. Pour in the chicken broth and cover the pan for 3-5 minutes to allow them to cook down.
- Sauté the aromatics: Uncover and add the garlic and red chilies and sauté for 30-40 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the canned corn: Add the canned corn and mix to combine until the liquid mostly evaporates.
- Add the tomato paste and spices: Stir in the double concentrated tomato paste and all of the spices and seasonings – the kosher salt, black pepper, dried oregano, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper flakes and ground cayenne.
- Mix through cooked sausage: Add the cooked sausage and mix to combine.
- Stir in the rice: Add the cooked rice and mix until evenly combined.
- Stir through the fresh herbs: Stir through most of the spring onion and coriander and switch off the heat.
- Serve: Divide evenly onto plates and top with the reserved spring onion and coriander. Top each serving with a pan-fried egg if desired and serve immediately.
Equipment
Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base
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La Chinata Smoked Paprika (Hot)
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Buy Now → Notes
- Fresh Red Chilies. Use less or more chilies to tailor this dish to your heat level preference or if dining with children. Leave them out completely for a milder dish. Same for the crushed red pepper flakes and ground cayenne.
- Nutrition information in the recipe card below is based on 3 servings. If dividing into two hearty servings, the macros are as follows: 672 Calories, 44.4 grams Protein, 29.1 grams Fat, 66.3 grams Carbohydrates, 6.7 grams Fiber.
- Recipe adapted from Fox and Briar.
- Be sure to check out the full article for more ideas, substitutions, and tips on customizing this recipe!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/3 of recipe
- Calories: 448
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 1195.7mg
- Fat: 19.4g
- Saturated Fat: 4.8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14.6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 44.2g
- Fiber: 4.5g
- Protein: 29.6g
- Cholesterol: 218.9mg
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If you love the flavors in this Chicken Sausage and Rice, try my Mexican Chicken, Sweet Potatoes and Black Beans Skillet and Mexican Fried Rice with Chicken next!
Cook’s Tips and Variations
- Use ground Italian chicken sausage. It’ll have a different texture than seared sausage coins but will be incredibly flavorful too.
- Make it milder. Use less or omit the fresh red chilies, crushed red pepper flakes, ground cayenne and use a sweet smoked paprika to make it mild.
- Use different veggies. Sliced green beans, asparagus, frozen green peas, broccoli, zucchini, canned black beans or pinto beans, etc.
- Make it with cauliflower rice. Still delicious and full of flavor but will make it lower in starchy carbohydrates.
Dietary Modifications
- Make it vegetarian. Use smoked plant-based sausages or vegan ground sausage.
- Make it gluten-free. No changes needed but ensure your chicken sausages are gluten-free certified.
How to Make Smoked Chicken Sausage and Rice – Step-by-Step
Heat olive oil in a medium deep edged skillet and sear the sliced chicken sausage on both sides until lightly browned (image 1). Transfer to a clean bowl and set aside. Add more oil into the same pan and sauté the yellow onion and red bell pepper until starting to soften (image 2).
Next add the mushrooms and pour in the chicken broth (image 3). Cover and allow the steam to help them cook down for a few minutes. Add the garlic and red chilies and sauté until fragrant (image 4). Add the canned corn (image 5) and mix to combine. Stir in the double concentrated tomato paste (image 6) and all of the spices and seasonings (image 7).
Add the cooked sausage and mix briefly to combine (image 8). Then add the cooked rice and mix until evenly combined. Stir through most of the spring onion and coriander (image 9) and switch off the heat.
Top with the reserved spring onion and coriander and serve immediately!
A Note on Serving Size
You can divide it into 3 servings or into 2 hearty servings depending on your preference.
If dividing into 2 servings, the macros for each serving is as follows:
- Calories: 672
- Protein: 44.4 grams
- Carbohydrate: 66.3 grams
- Fat: 29.1 grams
- Fiber: 6.7 grams
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Storing: Store leftovers in a sealed airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in the microwave on high for 2 minutes, stirring halfway through, until hot throughout.
What to serve with Chicken Sausage Rice?
I like to top it with a fried egg for more protein but it is a filling meal on its own when dividing into 2 hearty servings. If you’re stretching it into 3 servings, you can serve with a fried egg, a simple side salad, a small bowl of soup, or some roasted veggies on the side.
FAQs
I have only tested this recipe with cooked leftover rice. However, minute brown or instant white rice can work. You’ll need to add more broth or water and it’ll take an additional 8-10 minutes to simmer so the rice cooks through. I haven’t tried using it so I cannot confirm exact cooking times and results.
I have only tested this recipe with cooked leftover rice. Uncooked rice will work but you would need to increase the cooking time and use more broth or water to cook the rice in the same pan. I haven’t tried using raw rice so I cannot confirm exact cooking times and results.
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