Creamy chicken sausage pasta with pesto and lemon is an easy weeknight winner. In about 30 minutes you can plate fettuccine tossed with browned chicken sausage medallions, tender spinach, and a simple creamy Parmesan–pesto sauce that tastes homemade without fuss.
Creamy Pesto Chicken Sausage Pasta in 30 Minutes!
Yes, dinner comes every day, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. This shortcut chicken sausage pesto pasta layers big flavor with minimal effort and is on the table in half an hour. It’s a reliable option when you want something satisfying that the whole family will enjoy.
For the spinach, use pre-washed bagged spinach — it wilts quickly and can be added to the pasta water in the final minute so you don’t need to cook it separately. While the pasta cooks, brown the sliced chicken sausage and make the lemony pesto cream sauce. Because this dish includes protein, vegetables, and carbs, it pairs nicely with simple sides like roasted zucchini or a crunchy apple-pecan salad.
Let’s Make This Together
(Step-by-step photos and a full recipe card follow below; the instructions here are a condensed walkthrough.)
Prep work to make your life easier
This dish comes together quickly, so measure and prep ingredients before you start the sauce. I like to do this while the pasta water heats. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining — it’s handy for thinning the sauce if needed.
Sauté the chicken sausage
Slice the chicken sausage into medallions and brown them in a deep skillet so you’ll have room to add the sauce and pasta later. Once golden, transfer the sausage to a plate and keep warm while you make the sauce.
Creamy pesto sauce with lemon
Lower the heat, melt butter in the skillet, then add half-and-half, lemon zest, a pinch of nutmeg, pesto, salt, and pepper. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then add the drained pasta and wilted spinach. Toss with freshly grated Parmesan until the pasta is evenly coated. Stir the sausage back in to warm through and finish with extra Parmesan or cracked pepper if you like.
Gluten-Free Pasta Option
Absolutely — this recipe works well with gluten-free pasta. Choose a high-quality GF brand with good texture so the noodles don’t become mushy. If you can’t find fettuccine in a GF line, spaghetti or another shape will work fine; the sauce clings to all pasta types.
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Shortcut Chicken Sausage Pesto Pasta with Spinach
Melissa ErdelacPin
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Ingredients
- 12 ounces (340.2 g) dried fettuccine, regular or gluten free
- 8 ounce (226.8 g) bag fresh spinach
- ½ tablespoon (0.5 tablespoon) olive oil
- 12 ounce (340.2 g) chicken spinach sausage, sliced into 1″ medallions
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) butter
- ¾ cup (181.5 g) half and half
- zest of 1 lemon
- pinch ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup prepared pesto
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- freshly ground pepper
Instructions
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Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente following package directions. Before draining, reserve about ½ cup of pasta water. Add the spinach to the pot for the last minute of cooking to wilt, then drain pasta and spinach.
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While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage medallions and sauté about 5 minutes, until golden on each side. Transfer the sausage to a plate and cover to keep warm.
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Reduce the heat to medium-low and melt the butter in the skillet. Stir in the half-and-half, lemon zest, nutmeg, salt, and pesto. Bring to a gentle simmer, then add the drained pasta and wilted spinach. Toss in the Parmesan until the sauce coats the noodles. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a little at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. Stir the cooked sausage back in to warm through.
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Serve immediately, finishing with extra Parmesan and freshly ground pepper if desired.
Notes
This recipe was adapted from a classic creamy pesto fettuccine; the shortcut additions (prepared pesto and pre-cooked sausages) make it fast and family-friendly.