Description
This Rustic Parmesan Chicken and Smoked Sausage Penne is a hearty and creamy pasta dish loaded with flavor. Tender chicken, smoky sausage, and penne pasta are tossed in a velvety garlic cream sauce and topped with Parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 14 ounces smoked sausage, sliced into rounds
- 8 ounces penne pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add sliced smoked sausage and cook until browned, about 3-4 minutes. Remove sausage and set aside with chicken.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Stir in grated Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
- Return the cooked chicken and sausage to the skillet. Add the drained penne and toss everything together until well coated in the sauce.
- Serve immediately, garnished with chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
For a lighter version, you can substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream, but the sauce will be less thick. Feel free to add vegetables like spinach or sun-dried tomatoes for extra flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Method: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 5g
- Fat: 35g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Protein: 40g