Homemade Italian Chicken Sausage with Penne
Servings: 6
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Ingredients
Chicken Sausage:
1 lb ground chicken thighs
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dry oregano
2 tsp dry parsley
1/2 tsp dry basil
1/2 tsp ground fennel seed
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 TBSP red wine vinegar
Pasta:
1/2 lb whole grain penne
1 TBSP olive oil
1 lb chicken sausage (from recipe above)
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 tsp granulated garlic
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
5 oz baby spinach leaves
2 TBSP butter
Parmesan cheese
Directions
1. Make the sausage: In a large mixing bowl thoroughly combine all the ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to meld.
2. Cook the pasta according to package instructions, and drain.
3. In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and brown the sausage.
4. Add the white wine and cook until the wine has evaporated, around 3 minutes, stir often.
5. Add the chicken stock, granulated garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt and reduce by half, about 3 minutes.
6. Add the spinach and the butter. Turn off the heat and stir until the butter has melted into a sauce and the spinach is wilted. Add the cooked penne and stir together. Bring back to a boil over high heat for 1 minute.
7. Taste and add salt and pepper if desired. Serve with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
2. Cook the pasta according to package instructions, and drain.
3. In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and brown the sausage.
4. Add the white wine and cook until the wine has evaporated, around 3 minutes, stir often.
5. Add the chicken stock, granulated garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt and reduce by half, about 3 minutes.
6. Add the spinach and the butter. Turn off the heat and stir until the butter has melted into a sauce and the spinach is wilted. Add the cooked penne and stir together. Bring back to a boil over high heat for 1 minute.
7. Taste and add salt and pepper if desired. Serve with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes & Tips
For the sausage recipe I ground my own chicken. I used 4 thighs. I removed the chicken skin and laid it flat on a silicone mat and froze it for 30 minutes. I de-boned and cubed the thighs. I then ground the meat in a Kitchen-Aid grinder(attachment for the mixer) and then ground the skin into the meat making about a 80/20 lean(thigh)/fat ratio. I then added the spices and vinegar and refrigerated for a few hours. The store bought ground chicken will work, but it may be a bit on the dry side because there is less fat.