Chicken Sausage Pasta Recipe

overhead view of chicken sausage pasta in a frying pan.

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A creamy, 30-minute Italian chicken sausage pasta with broccoli that uses just 7 ingredients. Pre-cooked chicken sausage keeps it fast, and a splash of half-and-half makes the marinara sauce silky.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Dinner, lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: bowls

Calories: 699kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Ingredients

1 head broccoli cut into florets*
12 ounces dry cavatappi pasta **
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces Italian-style chicken sausage cut into coins***
4 cloves garlic minced
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional, for spice
2 cups marinara sauce
½ cup half-and-half room temperature
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. Add the broccoli to the boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until bright green and crisp tender. Use a slotted spoon to immediately transfer it to the ice bath.
1 head broccoli
To the same water you cooked the broccoli, boil the pasta until al dente according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and do not rinse.
12 ounces dry cavatappi pasta
In a large sauté pan or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage in an even layer. Cook until browned on both sides, about 2-4 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside.
12 ounces Italian-style chicken sausage, 2 tablespoons olive oil
Add in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant. Return the broccoli and sausage to the pan. Stir to combine.
4 cloves garlic, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Add in the marinara sauce and half-and-half. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until warmed through.
2 cups marinara sauce, ½ cup half-and-half
Stir in the pasta and Parmesan cheese. Cook, stirring often until the sauce thickens and clings to the pasta and everything is warmed through, adding pasta water ¼ cup at a time, if needed, to thin it out.
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Serve hot with extra Parmesan on top, if desired.

Notes

*Use 12-14 ounces of frozen broccoli florets. Add them to the boiling water for 2-3 minutes, then drain and proceed with the recipe.

**Other short pasta shapes (farfalle, penne, rigatoni) work well.

***Use any Italian-style sausage (chicken, turkey, or pork). Mild, spicy, or garlic sausage all work. If using raw sausage, cook until fully browned and cooked through.

Tips:

Salt the broccoli/pasta water until it tastes like the sea (1-2 tbsp).
Veggie Swap: Use any blanched veggie (peas, green beans, asparagus, cauliflower, or greens). Or sauté onions, peppers, or mushrooms with the sausage.
Don’t rinse the pasta; the starch helps the sauce stick.
For a lighter sauce, skip the half-and-half.
If the half-and-half starts to curdle, remove the pan from heat and whisk in a splash of pasta water (or a bit of Parmesan).
Top with fresh basil or parsley if desired.

Storage: Store chicken sausage pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition