Chicken sausage and spinach pasta is an easily made dish, flavored with seasoned chicken sausages, fresh spinach, onions, garlic, and Parmesan cheese!
Do you enjoy cooking with chicken sausages? I’ve come to enjoy the variety of flavors available, and the reduced calories over the past year. Recently I came up with this simple recipe for chicken sausage and spinach pasta, and want to share it here on the ol’ blog!
The recipe in itself is very easy to make. Basically, chicken sausage links are cooked, pasta shells are cooked, and baby spinach, onions, and garlic are cooked. Combine them, along with Parmesan cheese, butter, and light seasoning, and you’ve got yourself a great tasting meal! Here’s how to make this dish:
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Cook The Chicken Sausages
Seen below are the chicken sausages I used. You can use any variety you enjoy, but this time we had this meal with Roasted Garlic & Gruyere Cheese links. YUM!
Cook the sausages per package directions. For this brand, I cook the sausages in a cup of water for 8-10 minutes on medium heat, until the water has cooked away. Cook the sausages for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned on all sides.
After cooking, let the chicken sausages rest for 5 minutes, then slice them in 1/2″ rounds, and set aside. Do not clean out the skillet (you will use it to cook spinach later).
Cook The Pasta Shells
Cook the small pasta shells in boiling water until done. Follow package instructions for length of time (about 9-11 minutes usually). Once pasta is finished cooking, drain, reserve the cooking water, and keep the shells warm. IMPORTANT: Do not pour out the starchy water from the pasta. You will need some later!
Cook The Spinach, Onions and Garlic
Cook the chopped onion in the same skillet (with any leftover sausage “grease”) used to cook the sausages. If there was no “grease” leftover, simply add just a tiny bit of oil (1/2 teaspoon or so). Continue to cook the onions on medium heat, for 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
Add the baby spinach one handful at a time to the skillet. Continue to cook as the spinach wilts down. Once the spinach has cooked down, add more spinach, and continue until all spinach is in skillet. Season the spinach with salt and pepper, to taste.
Add the minced garlic, and cook for an additional minute or two, stirring often to prevent the garlic from burning. It is done when all of the spinach has cooked down considerably.
Finish The Chicken Sausage and Spinach Pasta
Place the chicken sausages back into the skillet, and gently toss to mix the ingredients. Add the Parmesan cheese, and toss gently to combine.
Cook on medium heat, and then add the drained pasta to the skillet. Pour in 1/4 cup of the reserved starchy water (from the pasta), and the butter. Toss the chicken sausage and spinach pasta together. Stirring often, continue to cook the chicken sausage and spinach pasta until the water has been absorbed into the pasta, butter has melted, and the dish is heated through.
The Chicken Sausage And Spinach Pasta Is Ready To Eat!
Once all the starchy water has been absorbed and the dish is heated through, the chicken sausage and spinach pasta is ready to serve! Taste test the pasta, and add additional salt and pepper, to suit your taste buds.
Dish up the portions onto serving plates, and if you want, sprinkle the top with additional finely grated Parmesan cheese!
I really hope you enjoy this dish! We really did, and trust you will, too. If you enjoy chicken sausages, be sure to check out my recipe for Sausage, Spinach & Veggie Skillet!
Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, God bless you, and have a wonderful day.
Looking For More PASTA Recipes?
You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few of our favorite pasta recipes include:
- Fresh Tomato, Bacon and Onion Fettucine
- Easy Spaghetti Sauce with Italian Sausage
- Simple Chicken Sausage Pasta
- Chicken Broccoli Fettucine Alfredo
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Chicken sausage and spinach pasta is an easily made dish, flavored with seasoned chicken sausages, fresh spinach, onions, garlic, and Parmesan cheese!
- 4 links chicken sausage
- 1 cup pasta shells (small) , uncooked
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- Salt and Pepper , to taste
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1/4 cup starch water (from cooking pasta)
- Additional Parmesan cheese for garnish , optional
Cook chicken sausages per package directions. After cooking, let sausages rest for 5 minutes, then slice into 1/2" rounds, and set aside. Do not clean out skillet (you will use it to cook spinach later).
Cook pasta shells in boiling water, following package instructions for length of time (about 9-11 minutes usually). Once pasta's done, drain, reserve cooking water, and keep shells warm. IMPORTANT!: Do not pour out the starchy water from the pasta. You will need some later!
Cook chopped onion in the same skillet (with any leftover sausage "grease") used to cook sausages. If there is no "grease" leftover, simply add just a tiny bit of oil. Continue to cook the onions on medium heat, for 1-2 minutes, stirring often. Add baby spinach (one handful at a time) to skillet. Continue to cook as spinach wilts down. Once spinach has cooked down, add more spinach, and continue until all spinach is in skillet. Season spinach with salt and pepper, to taste. Add minced garlic, and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring often to prevent garlic from burning. It is done when all spinach has cooked down considerably.
Place chicken sausage slices back into skillet, and gently toss to mix with spinach. Add Parmesan cheese, and toss to combine. Add drained pasta to skillet. Pour in 1/4 cup of the reserved starchy water (from the pasta), and butter. Stirring often, continue to cook until the water has been absorbed into the pasta, butter has melted, and the dish is heated through.
Taste test pasta, and add additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Dish up portions onto serving plates, and sprinkle with additional grated Parmesan cheese, if desired! Enjoy!
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!
Looking forward to seeing how things turn out at the dinner table tonight.