I love using chicken sausage in place of pork sausage. It’s lighter in fat and still tastes absolutely delicious! I use Trader Joe’s (obsessed) brand of chicken sausage in this recipe. It’s pre-cooked so I just brown it a bit in the pan. If your sausage is not cooked, cook it first, then cook garlic afterward to avoid burning the garlic completely. This dish comes together so quickly and super tasty! Serve it with a glass of red wine and an arugula salad for a complete dinner!

Orecchiette with Sausage & Broccolini

Serves: 4 • Prep Time: 8 minutes • Cook Time: 12 minutes
Wine Pairing: Pinot Noir
Nutrition per Serving Cal: 389.9 • Fat: 13.7g • Carb: 40g • Protein: 27.1g • Fiber: 4.4g • Sugar: 4g

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 Tbsp garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
• 8 oz. orecchiette pasta
• 1 lb. broccolini, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 links spicy italian turkey or chicken sausage, sliced
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Method

• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Season water with salt. Once boiling, add pasta.
• Two minutes before pasta is done, add broccolini. Drain. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.
• When hot, add garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook for about a minute to infuse the oil.
• Add pre-cooked sausage and brown it a bit, stirring occasionally, for about 3-4 minutes.
• Add broth to the hot pan — it will steam and boil! Let it reduce slightly, about 1-2 minutes.
• Add pasta and broccolini and toss to coat with the sauce.
• Serve equal portions on each plate and top with 1 Tbsp Parmigiano on each.