This Chicken Sausage Spaghetti recipe is a great weeknight dinner! It's made in a skillet with kale, tomato sauce, and Parmesan cheese.
This Chicken Sausage Pasta is a perfect 30 minute meal! It's got mild Italian chicken sausages that are tossed with garlic, shallots, spaghetti sauce and spaghetti noodles for a simple and flavorful dish.
You can never have too many 30 minute meals on hand during those busy weeknights when you're looking for a flavorful meal with minimal effort. Pasta is perfect, because it cooks quickly, but feels decadent and a little special.
This pasta dish is made with only a few ingredients, but packs a lot of flavor. It's made with mild Italian chicken sausage, which are healthier and lighter than traditional sausages, but don't skimp on flavor.
Garlic and shallots are sautéed in olive oil, which helps to bump up the Italian flavors. Kale or spinach is added for color and texture and the whole thing is tossed in your favorite brand of spaghetti sauce.
I love this dish because it's a slight departure from a regular spaghetti recipe, but just as easy to prepare. It works as a weeknight dinner, or a special meal for two.
Jump to:
- What Kind Of Sausage Is Best For Pasta?
- Ingredients For Chicken Sausage Spaghetti
- How Long Should Chicken Sausage Be Cooked?
- How To Make Chicken Sausage Pasta
- Which Spaghetti Noodles Are Best?
- What To Serve With Sausage Spaghetti
- How Long Does Pasta Last In The Fridge?
- Can It Be Frozen?
- Chicken Sausage Spaghetti
What Kind Of Sausage Is Best For Pasta?
Pasta can be made using nearly any type of sausage, but I tend to prefer chicken sausage, because it's lighter and not as greasy as pork sausage.
I find that chicken sausage compliments the other ingredients without overwhelming them.
There are a number of chicken sausage brands on the market. This recipe works well using mild or spicy Italian chicken sausage, but you can opt for anything from Andouille to Spinach and Feta to Cajun sausage if you prefer.
Make sure to choose a brand of chicken sausage that is gluten free if gluten is an issue for you. Aidells Sausage Company, Al Fresco, and Applegate Farms are all brands that offer great gluten free chicken sausages.
Ingredients For Chicken Sausage Spaghetti
Here's what you'll need to make it.
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 2 Shallots (or ½ small onion - any color)
- 1 package Italian Chicken Sausage (mild or spicy)
- 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 2 cups chopped Kale (or spinach)
- 1 16 oz. jar Marinara Sauce
- ¾ cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth (split)
- 1 package Gluten Free Spaghetti Noodles (or regular spaghetti noodles if not gluten free)
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese (split)
- ¼ tsp. each Kosher Salt and Pepper
- Fresh Basil, Parsley, or herbs of choice for garnish (optional)
This dish is prepared by first slicing the chicken sausages and sautéing them on high heat in a skillet. This helps to draw the fat from the sausage, which provides overall flavor to the dish. It also cooks and caramelizes the sausages.
The sausage is then removed and some minced garlic and shallots are sautéed in the same skillet. It is then returned to the skillet, along with a jar of marinara sauce and chopped kale.
The pasta is cooked separately, drained, and then added to the skillet with the rest of the ingredients, along with some shredded Parmesan cheese.
How Long Should Chicken Sausage Be Cooked?
Sliced chicken sausage sautéed over high heat in a skillet takes about 8-10 minutes to cook. The safe internal temperature for chicken sausage is 165 degrees Fahrenheit and can be checked using a food thermometer.
- To make this Chicken Sausage Spaghetti, start by mincing 4 cloves of garlic and 2 shallots (you can also use ½ an onion in place of the shallots if you prefer).
- Chop 2 packed cups of kale (feel free to use spinach in place of kale if you like).
- Diagonally slice 1 package (equals 4-5 sausages) of Italian chicken sausage.
- Place a pot of water on the stove top and bring to a boil. Prepare 1 package of gluten free spaghetti noodles according to the instructions. Cook just until al dente, drain, and rinse the noodles under cold water.
- Place a cast iron skillet or large, heavy bottomed skillet on the stove top and heat to medium-high. Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil to the skillet.
- Once the oil is hot, place the sliced sausages in the skillet. Sauté the sausages for 8-10 minutes, stirring often. Once the sausages are slightly browned and fully cooked, remove them from the skillet and set aside.
- Place the minced garlic and shallots (or onions) in the skillet and sauté on medium high heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
- Deglaze the pan by adding ¼ cup of low sodium chicken broth to it. Remove the brown bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spatula.
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How To Make Chicken Sausage Pasta
Once the garlic, shallots, and sausage is sautéed, it's time to add the marinara sauce and kale to the skillet.
The noodles are added to the skillet as well, once they are cooked, drained, and rinsed under cold water.
- Add the cooked sausage back to the skillet, which has been deglazed with chicken stock.
- Pour 1 16 oz. jar of marinara or spaghetti sauce to the skillet and stir all of the ingredients together.
- Add 2 packed cups of chopped kale (or spinach) to the skillet and stir until combined.
- Add ½ cup of low sodium chicken broth and ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper. Stir until combined.
- Simmer the sauce mixture for 5-6 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Add the as many of the cooked spaghetti noodles to the skillet that you like and toss until coated in the sauce.
- Sprinkle ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese over the pasta and toss until coated.
When it comes to sauce, feel free to choose a brand that you love. This pasta calls for 1 16 oz. jar of sauce, so you may have a bit leftover if using a larger jar.
Feel free to add the extra sauce, or save it in the refrigerator for another recipe.
If you're feeling really ambitious, you can whip up a batch of homemade spaghetti sauce.
Which Spaghetti Noodles Are Best?
This recipe is gluten free and calls for a brand of gluten free spaghetti noodles. Feel free to use any brand of spaghetti noodles if gluten is not an issue for you.
Gluten free pasta differs greatly depending on the brand used. Some brands are superior to others in terms of texture and taste.
I recommend a high quality brand of spaghetti noodles, such as Tinkyada, Jovial, or Barilla. I have tested a lot of gluten free noodles over the years and have found these to yield the best results.
- For success when making gluten free pasta, I have found it to be very important not to overcook the noodles. Be sure to cook the spaghetti noodles just until al dente.
- As soon as the pasta is cooked to al dente, drain the noodles and rinse them immediately under cold water. This will prevent them from sticking together and helps the noodles retain their texture.
- Rinsing the noodles allows them to be tossed with all of the other ingredients in the skillet without falling apart or becoming mushy.
What To Serve With Sausage Spaghetti
Once the pasta is completely coated and warmed through, it's time to serve!
Feel free to top the Chicken Sausage Spaghetti with some extra grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese. You can add some fresh torn basil or parsley if you'd like to brighten up the dish, but this is entirely optional.
I love to serve pasta dishes with a bright side dish or salad to balance out the richness of the noodles and the sauce.
This green bean salad, snap pea mint salad, and garlic roasted green beans are full of vibrant flavors, making for a perfect complement to the spicy sausage.
A chopped Italian salad, peppery arugula salad, or Caesar salad are great pairings.
For a tasty appetizer to serve, check out this Kalamata olive tapenade, or roasted mushroom tapenade.
How Long Does Pasta Last In The Fridge?
Pasta with chicken sausage should last 2-3 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Make sure to allow the pasta to cool completely before transferring to the fridge for storage.
Can It Be Frozen?
For the best texture, I do not recommend freezing this pasta. It is best enjoyed fresh, or within a few days.
Love pasta? Check out these recipes!
- Chicken Marsala Pasta
- Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs
- Green Pasta Sauce
- One Pot Veggie Pasta
- Mediterranean Pasta
- Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake
- Spinach Walnut Pesto
- Kale Pancetta Pasta
- One Pot Turkey Spinach Pasta
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Sausage and Pepper Soup
Sausage and Polenta
Instant Pot Chicken Paella
Chicken Sausage Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 shallots or ½ an onion - any color
- 1 package chicken sausage mild or spicy Italian is great
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 packed cups chopped kale or spinach
- 1 jar marinara sauce 16 oz. jar
- ¾ cup low sodium chicken broth split
- 1 package gluten free spaghetti noodles
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese split
- ¼ tsp. kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- fresh basil or parley optional
Instructions
- Mince 4 cloves of garlic and 2 shallots (can use ½ an onion if you prefer).
- Chop 2 packed cups of kale (can sub spinach if preferred).
- Diagonally slice 1 package (equals 4-5) mild or spicy Italian chicken sausages.Feel free to use chicken sausage of choice. Make sure brand of sausage is gluten free if gluten is an issue for you.
- Place a pot of water on the stove top and bring to a boil. Prepare 1 package of gluten free spaghetti noodles according to the instructions (can use regular spaghetti noodles if gluten is not an issue for you). Cook just until al dente, drain, and rinse the noodles under cold water.Draining and rinsing the noodles under cold water will prevent them from sticking together and results in better texture.
- Place a cast iron skillet or large, heavy bottomed skillet on the stove top and heat to medium-high. Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil to the skillet.
- Once the oil is hot, place the sliced sausages in the skillet. Sauté the sausages for 8-10 minutes, stirring often. Once the sausages are slightly browned and fully cooked, remove them from the skillet and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the minced garlic and shallots (or onions) to the skillet and sauté on medium high heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.Deglaze the pan by adding ¼ cup of low sodium chicken broth to it. Remove the brown bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spatula.
- Add the cooked sausage back to the skillet, along with 1 16 oz. jar of marinara sauce. Stir the sausage into the sauce.
- Add 2 packed cups of chopped kale (or spinach), ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper, and ½ cup low sodium chicken broth to the skillet. Stir until completely combined.Simmer the sauce mixture for 5-6 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Add the as many of the cooked spaghetti noodles to the skillet that you like and toss until coated in the sauce. Sprinkle ¼ cup of shredded Parmesan cheese over the pasta and toss until coated.
- Cook for a few minutes, or until the pasta is warmed through.
- To Serve: Serve the pasta with some extra shredded Parmesan cheese and fresh torn basil or parsley (optional).
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