On New Years Eve, I tried chicken sausage for the first time, and I am never turning back. It is a lean protein source, lower in fat and calories than your standard pork sausage, and truly tastes great! I like to buy the “al fresco” chicken sausage with garlic flavoring. This week I made my own take on my friend’s delicious chicken sausage dish, and my husband couldn’t get enough.

You will need:

1 package (4 links) chicken sausage sliced (preferably Al Fresco, garlic seasoned)

3 cloves garlic , minced

1 shallot minced

1 lb whole wheat penne pasta

1 small package cherry tomatoes

½ cup white cooking wine 

½ cup chicken stock

Optional toppings: parmesan, red pepper flakes

Salt a large pot of water and bring to a boil for your pasta. Slice your chicken sausage into rounds. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil to a pan and add in your chicken sausage along with the cherry tomatoes into a pan to cook over medium heat. You want the cherry tomatoes to blister and burst in this dish and the chicken sausage to get a nice color on them (5 minutes each side). While the chicken is almost finished cooking, add  in minced shallot and garlic to the same pan, and cook 3 minutes. Next, add in white wine and chicken stock, and let it deglaze while scraping up any browned bits for flavor. If your tomatoes didn’t burst, push them down with the back of a spoon to release their flavor into the sauce. While it’s deglazing, cook your pasta to al dente. Add in your cooked al dente pasta and toss with the sausage tomato mixture. Taste, and season with salt and pepper.

You can add any veggies you’d like and it would be great in this dish, including spinach, onion, or steamed broccoli. I, myself am guilty of not eating enough vegetables and this dish lends itself to adding any veggies you enjoy.  Garnish with parmesan and red pepper flakes and enjoy! An easy and tasty healthy weeknight meal that everyone will enjoy. Have a wonderful weekend, and please be kind to one another.