Description
This creamy chicken sausage pasta with spinach is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring tender chicken sausage, fresh vegetables, and a rich Parmesan cream sauce. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, it combines sautéed bell peppers, onions, and cherry tomatoes with hearty pasta shells and nutritious baby spinach, all brought together by a luscious half & half-based sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein & Dairy
- 8 oz. fresh chicken sausage
- ½ cup half & half
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Vegetables
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
- ½ red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Pantry
- 1 ½ cups medium pasta shells (dried)
- Olive oil
- Crushed red pepper, to taste
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Vegetables: Quarter the cherry tomatoes and chop the red bell pepper and yellow onion into bite-sized pieces.
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the onions, bell pepper, and cherry tomatoes. Cook until the vegetables soften and become fragrant, about 5-7 minutes.
- Cook Pasta: Boil pasta shells according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving some pasta water, and then add the cooked pasta into the skillet with the vegetables.
- Cook Sausage and Garlic: Slice or crumble the chicken sausage into the skillet, add minced garlic, and cook until the sausage is browned and cooked through, approximately 6-8 minutes.
- Add Cream and Seasonings: Pour in the half & half along with a pinch of sugar to balance acidity, then stir well to combine all ingredients.
- Add Spinach: Add fresh baby spinach to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach wilts and incorporates into the sauce.
- Finish with Parmesan: Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese to thicken the sauce further. If needed, add some reserved pasta water to adjust the creaminess and consistency of the sauce.
- Serve: Plate the pasta and drizzle fresh lemon juice over the top for a bright, fresh finish. Garnish with crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper according to taste.
Notes
- Reserve some pasta water to adjust sauce consistency as needed.
- Use fresh chicken sausage for best flavor; precooked sausage will need less time to brown.
- You can substitute half & half with heavy cream for a richer sauce or milk for a lighter alternative.
- Add crushed red pepper gradually to control spice level.
- Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.
