Description
Creamy chicken mushroom pasta with chicken sausage, mushrooms, spinach, and whole wheat pasta. This hearty meal is so cozy and easy to make!
Ingredients
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- 2 cups dry whole wheat bow-tie pasta
- 4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 12–14 oz. mild Italian chicken sausage, removed from casing
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 12 oz. cremini or white mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup minced shallots
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup chicken broth, homemade or store bought
- 2 Tbsp. basil pesto, homemade or store bought
- 2 oz. fresh baby spinach, about 2 cups
- Fresh chopped parsley or basil, optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside. Do not rinse.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Add sausage and cook until browned on the outside, breaking up the meat as you go, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the sausage from the skillet to a plate.
- Add the butter and remaining olive oil to the skillet. When the oil shimmers, add the mushrooms, shallots, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook undisturbed for 5 minutes. Stir and continue cooking until the mushrooms are tender, 3-5 minutes.
- Add garlic and oregano and cook 30 seconds or until fragrant. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Add the milk, broth, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Stir in the sausage and cook until the sausage is cooked through and the sauce is thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in pesto and then the spinach. Cook until the spinach is wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
- Toss with cooked pasta. If desired, serve garnished with fresh parsley or basil.
Notes
- Pasta: I like whole wheat bow-tie pasta for this recipe but any short-cut pasta will work.
- Sausage: You can use Italian chicken or turkey sausage. Or even a blend. Just make sure to remove the sausage from the casing if not using bulk.
- Cooking Mushrooms: To ensure the mushrooms brown properly, make sure your skillet is big enough to fit the mushrooms without overcrowding too much. Otherwise cook the mushrooms in batches. I recommend a deep skillet or a saute pan.
- Leftovers: Leftover chicken mushroom pasta stored in an airtight container will last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Warm up the pasta on the stovetop with little water, chicken broth, or even white wine. Simply add cold pasta to a skillet with liquid of choice and heat until warmed through.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 397
- Sugar: 5.1 g
- Sodium: 424.7 mg
- Fat: 22.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 33.4 g
- Protein: 19.5 g
- Cholesterol: 31 mg
