Best 2 Brians Chicken Sausage Pesto Pasta Recipes

BRIAN'S CHICKEN SAUSAGE PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain and return to the pot.
• Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken sausage and onion. Cook until chicken is browned and no longer pink in the center, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to low and mix in pesto. Add tomatoes with juice and chicken broth. Simmer sauce until slightly reduced, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Pour cream into the sauce. Simmer until reduced to your desired thickness, 5 to 10 minutes. Pour sauce into the pot of cooked penne. Mix thoroughly. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with shredded Parmesan cheese to your liking.

SPINACH PESTO PASTA WITH CHICKEN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain.
• Meanwhile, pulse 2 cups spinach, 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon each olive oil and nuts, the lemon zest and juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the red pepper flakes in a food processor until smooth. Scrape down the sides; add the parmesan and pulse until smooth. Set the pesto aside.
• Form the sausage into nickel-size patties, about 1/2 inch thick. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the patties and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Flip, add the garlic to the skillet and cook until the patties are just cooked through, about 2 more minutes.
• Add the pasta, pesto and 1/4 cup reserved cooking water to the skillet. Toss to coat, adding more cooking water as needed; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the remaining 2 cups spinach. Top with parmesan and the remaining 1 tablespoon nuts; drizzle with olive oil.