Creamy Chicken Sausage Pasta
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Italian chicken sausage, pasta, spinach and mushrooms get tossed in a lighter creamy tomato sauce in this quick and easy Creamy Chicken Sausage Pasta. It’s easy to make in 30 minutes and a delicious high protein dish that’s perfect for any night of the week!
Looking for more high protein chicken pasta recipes? Try my Creamy Spicy Chicken Pasta with Spinach, this Thai Red Curry Chicken Pasta, or this Spicy Chicken & Bacon Tomato Pasta next!
About This Recipe
I’m a huge fan of dishes with Italian sausage like this Creamy Rosé Tortellini Soup and Spicy Pumpkin Vodka Pasta. I decided to make a pasta dish with Italian chicken sausage this time for a lighter, high protein meal!
This Creamy Chicken Sausage Pasta is made with simple everyday ingredients yet is so flavorful! We have perfectly cooked al-dente penne pasta, seared juicy Italian chicken sausage, baby spinach and mushrooms in a lightened-up creamy spicy tomato sauce!
Ready in just 30 minutes, this feel-good quick pasta dinner is the perfect comfort food for busy weeknights. Leftovers taste great the next day so you can make it for meal prep too!
Table of contents
Why This Recipe Works
- Quick and easy. It’s ready in just 30 minutes and a quick weeknight meal that’s perfect for any day of the week!
- High protein. Using Italian chicken sausage makes this a high protein meal with 37.8 grams protein per serving.
- Customizable. You can use any veggies you like and your favorite type of chicken sausage. It’s also gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian adaptable.
- Adjustable spice level. Tailor it to your desired heat level and make it as mild or spicy as you like!
- Meal prep friendly. It’ll keep well in the fridge for a few days and can be prepped in advance for an easy reheatable lunch or dinner during the week.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutes
- Aromatics: You’ll need an Asian red shallot (or use a regular shallot), fresh garlic and red chilies for a kick of heat. I used Thai Bird’s Eye red chilies but any variety will work. Feel free to leave them out for milder dish.
- Veggies: I used cremini mushrooms and baby spinach for some greenery. Button mushrooms work great too.
- Fresh Basil: Brightens up everything at the end.
- Chicken Sausage: I used Bilinski’s Mild Italian Chicken Sausage with Bell Pepper which are fully cooked already. I love them because they’re made from good quality lean chicken meat and are skinless (they don’t have casings). Feel free to use your favorite chicken sausages, including ones with casings such as Aidells smoked chicken sausage.
- Penne Pasta: Or use any short-cut pasta shape you have on hand.
- Olive Oil: For cooking. Feel free to use avocado oil or any cooking oil you prefer.
- Canned Diced Tomatoes: My favorite is Waitrose’s Italian Chopped Tomatoes with Olive Oil & Garlic but use your favorite kind! You can also use canned crushed tomatoes if you prefer not to have tomato chunks in your creamy tomato sauce pasta.
- Seasonings: Kosher salt and pepper, Italian seasoning, dried oregano, smoked paprika (hot or sweet), crushed red pepper chili flakes and ground cayenne for a spicy kick.
- Cooking Cream: I used a cream with 20% fat – Emborg cooking cream. You can substitute with table cream or light cream if you’re in the USA or single cream if you are in the UK.
- Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (or Parmesan cheese): Freshly grated from a block please! It’ll melt more evenly into the sauce than bagged pre-shredded cheese and tastes better. The latter has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting easily.
Full ingredient amounts are in the recipe card below.
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How to Make Creamy Chicken Sausage Pasta
Below is a step-by-step overview on how to make this recipe. Keep scrolling down to get to the recipe card below with the full recipe and detailed instructions!
8. Add the pasta and cooked chicken sausage. Mix to combine until everything is evenly coated in the sauce. If the sauce thickens too much, add a tablespoon of reserved pasta water and mix until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
Serving Suggestions
This high protein filling chicken sausage pasta dish is filling on its own. However, some garlic bread and a light salad on the side would be delicious with it.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Storing: Store leftovers in a sealed airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat leftovers on high in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway through, until hot throughout. Garnish with grated cheese and fresh basil leaves after reheating.
Cook’s Tips
- Make it milder. Use more or less of the ground cayenne, crushed red pepper flakes and fresh red chilies to either make this chicken sausage pasta more spicy or milder. You can also omit the spicy ingredients all together if dining with kids or you’re very sensitive to heat.
- To freeze and reheat. Once cooked, transfer to a freezer friendly airtight container (or multiple containers) and allow to cool completely. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on high in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through, or until warm throughout. Garnish with grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil just before eating. You can also reheat this dish in a pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add a splash of water if needed so that it isn’t too dry. Once heated through, divide onto plates and garnish with grated cheese and basil.
- Double the recipe. This recipe makes enough for 2 servings. Double the recipe ingredients if you’d like to make 4 servings to feed a family or if you’d like to make it for meal prep. It’s a great dish for an easy lunch or dinner that can be reheated during the week!
Variations
Dietary Modifications
- Gluten-free. Use a gluten-free pasta of choice. Or use chickpea pasta such as Banza, which will boost the protein content further. Make sure that the chicken sausage you’re using is free of any hidden gluten ingredients.
- Dairy-free/vegan. Use a plant-based cream and dairy-free parmesan cheese.
- Vegetarian. Use plant-based sausage links such as Beyond Sausage, Impossible Sausage, or the plant-based Italian sausages from LightLife or Field & Roast.
Flavor Preference/Customizations
- Make it with another type of chicken sausage. Hot Italian chicken sausage, Andouille, chicken chipolata sausages or mushroom chicken sausage would taste great! I’d steer clear of apple chicken sausage as it may make the dish weirdly sweet and clash with the tomato sauce flavors.
- Add different veggies. Use red or yellow onion instead of shallots, any type of sliced mushrooms, carrots, peas, bell peppers, zucchini, green beans, baby kale, blanched broccoli florets, asparagus, etc.
- Use a different type of cheese. Try light of full-fat cream cheese or goat cheese instead of parmesan.
- Use another pasta. Short-cut shaped pasta such as farfalle, rigatoni, rotini, cavatappi, ziti, etc.
- Make it with your favorite pasta sauce. Use homemade or store-bought jarred marinara sauce or any other tomato pasta sauce you love instead of the canned diced tomatoes.
- Add pesto. Stir in a tablespoon of red pesto or sundried tomato pesto to add depth of flavor.
- Use heavy cream. For a richer creamy tomato sauce. Alternatively, half and half or full cream evaporated milk can also be used.
FAQs
Once cooked, divide into freezer friendly airtight containers and allow to cool completely. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on high in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through, or until warm throughout. Garnish with grated cheese and fresh basil just before eating. You can also reheat this dish in a pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add a splash of water if needed so that it isn’t too dry. Once heated through, plate up and garnish with grated parmesan cheese and basil.
It’s made from chicken meat as opposed to pork or beef. Chicken meat is leaner and has less fat and calories.
Sure! Turkey sausage is also made up of lean meat and lower in fat and calories than pork or beef sausages. It’s a great high protein sausage option if you’d like to use it instead of chicken sausage. I recommend Jennie-O brand Hot or Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage.
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More Spicy Chicken Pasta Recipes
Creamy Chicken Sausage Pasta
Italian chicken sausage, pasta, spinach, mushrooms get tossed in a lighter creamy tomato sauce in this quick and easy Creamy Chicken Sausage Pasta! It’s easy to make in 30 minutes and a delicious high protein dish that’s perfect for any night of the week!
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sauté
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 small / 25 grams Asian Red Shallot (or use regular shallot/eschalot or red onion) – finely chopped
- 3–4 cloves / 15 grams Garlic – minced
- 4–5 pieces / 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*)
- 3–4 pieces / Cremini Mushrooms (or any mushrooms of choice) – thinly sliced
- ≈ ½ cup / 10 grams Fresh Basil Leaves, loosely packed – thinly sliced
- 3 links / 204 grams Chicken Sausage (I used Bilinski’s Mild Italian Chicken Sausage with Bell Pepper – note 2) – sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 5 ounces / 140 grams uncooked Penne Pasta (or any short-cut pasta shape)
- ½ TBSP Olive Oil
- 1 (14-ounce) can / 400 grams Diced Tomatoes (or crushed tomatoes, I used Waitrose’s Italian Chopped Tomatoes with Olive Oil & Garlic)
- ¾ TSP Kosher Salt, to taste
- ½ TSP freshly cracked Black Pepper, to taste
- ½ TSP Italian Seasoning
- ¾ TSP Dried Oregano
- ½ TSP Smoked Paprika (hot or sweet, I used hot)
- ½ – 1 TSP Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, to taste
- ¼ TSP ground Cayenne (optional – omit for a milder dish), to taste
- ¼ cup / 60 grams Cooking Cream (20% fat, substitute table cream or light cream)
- ¼ cup / 20 grams freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (or Parmesan cheese)
- 2 cups / 66 grams Baby Spinach
- 2 TBSP reserved Pasta Cooking Water, if and as needed
- To Serve: More freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (or Parmesan cheese), reserved fresh Basil
Instructions
Prep:
- Prepare the fresh ingredients: Chop/slice the shallot, garlic, red chilies (if using), and basil as indicated in the ‘ingredients’ section. Slice the chicken sausage links into bite-sized coins. Use a block grater to great the cheese. Measure out the cooking cream in a measuring cup.
Creamy Chicken Sausage Pasta:
- Cook the pasta: Cook the penne pasta al-dente in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package instructions. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside. (I like to run water cold water over the pasta to prevent it from sticking and cooking further but this is optional.)
- Cook the chicken sausage: Heat ½ tablespoon of olive oil in a large deep edged skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken sausage and spread them out in the pan. Cook until both sides are slightly browned. Transfer to a clean bowl and set aside.
- Sauté the aromatics: To the same pan, add the shallots and sauté for 30 seconds or until starting to soften. Then add the garlic and chilies and sauté for 20-30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the mushrooms: Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté until starting to soften. You can add a splash of water if the pan looks too dry.
- Add the tomatoes and seasonings: Add the canned diced tomatoes and their juices. Stir in all of the seasonings – the kosher salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, dried oregano, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper flakes and ground cayenne (if using). Allow to simmer for 1-2 minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Stir in the cream: Lower the heat and stir in the cooking cream.
- Stir in the cheese: Add the grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese and mix to combine until fully melted and the sauce thickens a little.
- Add the pasta and chicken sausage: Add the cooked pasta and chicken back into the pan and mix to combine until everything is evenly coated in the sauce. If the sauce thickens too much, add 1-2 tablespoons of reserved pasta water and mix until the sauce is of your desired consistency.
- Add the baby spinach: Add the baby spinach and mix until just wilted.
- Stir through the basil: Stir through most of the fresh basil (reserve some for garnish) and switch off the heat.
- Serve: Divide evenly onto plates and garnish with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and the remaining fresh basil if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Fresh Red Chilies. Use more or less to tailor this dish to your heat level preference. You can leave them out completely for a milder dish or if dining with children. Same goes for the crushed red pepper flakes and ground cayenne.
- Chicken Sausage. I used Bilinski’s Mild Italian Chicken Sausage with Bell Pepper, which are high quality chicken sausages that are skinless (they don’t have casings). They happen to be lower in fat and calories in comparison to other chicken sausages. Feel free to use any chicken sausage you love, including ones with casings.
- Storing and reheating. Store leftovers in a sealed airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat on high in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway through, until hot throughout. Garnish with grated cheese and fresh basil after reheating.
- To freeze. Once cooked, divide into freezer friendly airtight containers and allow to cool completely. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on high in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through, or until warm throughout. Garnish with grated cheese and fresh basil just before eating. You can also reheat this dish in a pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add a splash of water so that it doesn’t become too dry. Once heated through, plate up and garnish with grated parmesan cheese and basil.
- Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary with substitutions. It is calculated without the optional but recommended Parmigiano Reggiano cheese as the amount you use is up to preference. I typically top with about ½ tablespoon (5 grams) of freshly grated cheese per serving.
- See the ‘Variations’ section in the post above if you’d like to customize this creamy chicken sausage pasta dish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 of recipe
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 11.8g
- Sodium: 1630.7mg
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated Fat: 8.7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12.3g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 68.6g
- Fiber: 8.5g
- Protein: 37.8g
- Cholesterol: 80.9mg
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