Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage Pasta easy, nutritious, and ready in about 20 minutes. Try something new for dinner tonight!
Recently I tossed together some farmer’s market finds with a box of pasta and some refrigerator staples to create Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage Pasta!
This easy, nutritious meal is crushing it in the “something new” and “totally delicious” departments!
Cooked pasta is tossed with sauted chicken sausage, diced fresh apple, spinach, and white beans to create a quick and hearty meal that’s ready in about 20 minutes. No kidding!
Start by cooking 1lb gluten-free gemelli pasta (or any short cut pasta) in a big pot of salted, boiling water until al dente.
Before draining, remove 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water then set it aside.
The star of this dish are these gluten-free Sweet Apple Chicken Sausages I can’t stop buying at the grocery store. The ingredient list, which includes maple syrup and sweet apple, was actually the inspiration for this dish!
If you can’t find this exact brand, just look for something similar.
Slice up the sausage along with 1 sweet apple, 1 large shallot, and 4 cloves garlic.
Heat 4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a very large skillet over medium-high heat then add the shallots and sausage and saute until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Next add the apple and garlic, along with a pinch of red chili pepper flakes, and saute until the apple is tender, about 5 minutes.
The red chili pepper flakes are optional, but I think they add a nice flavor contrast to the maple syrup and sweet bites of apple in the pasta!
Next add a 15oz can Great Northern Beans that have been drained and rinsed. Great northern beans are soft so when they’re tossed into the mix they lend a creamy consistency to the sauce.
Finally add 6oz baby spinach and 1 cup chicken broth. Toss the spinach with tongs until wilted, about 1 minute.
Add the mixture into the pot with the drained pasta then stir together with 1/3 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese, and enough of the pasta cooking water to keep the pasta nice and creamy.
Scoop onto plates, top with more parmesan cheese, if you please, then serve!
The sweet bites of fresh apple are divine with the maple syrup-laced chicken sausage, but the dish is brought back to the savory side with lots of garlic, chicken broth, and warmth from the red chili pepper flakes. So delicious — enjoy!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb gluten free gemelli, or other medium-cut pasta
- 4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large shallot or 1/2 small onion, chopped
- 12 oz Sweet-Apple Chicken Sausage, sliced, or similar sausage
- 1 sweet apple, peeled then chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- pinch red chili pepper flakes
- salt and pepper
- 15 oz can Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed
- 6 oz baby spinach
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Directions
- Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water then drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat extra virgin olive oil in a very large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and sausage then saute until sausage is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add apple, garlic, and red chili pepper flakes, season with salt and pepper, and then saute until apple is tender, about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth, beans, and spinach then toss with tongs until spinach is wilted, about 1 minute.
- Pour sausage and apple mixture into pot with pasta then add parmesan cheese. Stir until combined, adding reserved pasta cooking water to reach desired consistency.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Kristin,
I am also from and still live in the great state of Iowa!! Ran across your Sweet Apple Chicken Pasta recipe and put it together the same night. Loved it!!! It will be a goto recipe at our house forever. Thank you for sharing the recipe and your story about Celiac Disease. I also love to cook, Drink wine, and travel. Would love to hear about the places you and your beautiful family have gone. Keep fighting the good fight and loving what you’re doing.
Your fan, Karl
Just found your site while searching for a way to use up some apple sausage. I didn’t have an apple and used some mixed greens with spinach, chard, kale and arugula in place of the spinach. I also only used half the pasta because it seemed like a better proportion. It was a wonderful dish, hearty but bright in flavor. Thank you!
The recipe was good but I personally didn’t like the apple chicken sausage. I do however love the feta and spinach chicken sausage. I will not use this recipe again however. Too many great tasting alternatives.
My husband made this last night… It was a hit, happy to pin it!
This was delicious! Thanks for sharing.
The beans add such a nice, creamy consistency – I’ve made this twice so far and its awesome – thanks for the recipe!
Just made this tonight but added my own twist! Decided to add mushrooms and kale instead of spinach. Also no beans.
Great recipe! Kids and adults all enjoyed. I too had chicken apple sausage in the fridge and was completely uninspired….google led me to you. Thanks!
Very good recipe! I found your blog looking for recipes to use up some apple sausage that I have in the fridge. I just used leftover spaghetti noodles and left out the apple (I didn’t have any on hand). This was a super easy and delicious lunch for me and my mom :)
Thanks for posting this recipe. It was absolutely delicious!
This was such a hit with my picky husband! So glad you posted this again last week :)
Just wanted to pop in and say that I made this recipe and LOVED it! Such a great combination of flavors and super easy to make too. I made the full recipe and was happily eating leftovers all week. Nom, nom, nom. :) I will definitely be making this one again!
We made this last night and it is a new favorite. Love love love that sausage and all the ingredients you paired it with. Apples, garlic, shallot, spinach — my favorite things! No wonder we loved this one. Super easy way to make a ton of food, too.