Creamy Chicken Sausage Orzo
Fully cooked chicken sausage and dry orzo share a broth simmer, followed by a gentle cream-and-cheese finish.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil divided: 1/2 tablespoon for sausage and 1/2 tablespoon for onion
- 12 oz fully cooked chicken sausage sliced
- ½ cup onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup dry orzo pasta
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream or Greek yogurt, added off heat after tempering
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese or crumbled feta
- 1 cup spinach or kale optional, chopped; spinach late or kale with broth
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes optional; oil-packed, drained and chopped
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- Fresh parsley, chopped optional, for serving as desired
- Extra grated cheese optional, for serving as desired
- Lemon zest optional, for serving as desired
Instructions
- In a deep skillet use 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to brown sliced fully cooked chicken sausage for 3–5 minutes; remove to a plate. Use the other 1/2 tablespoon oil to soften onion for 2–3 minutes. Add garlic for 30 seconds and dry orzo for 1 minute.
- Add chicken broth, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper plus optional chopped kale, drained sun-dried tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently about 8–12 minutes, stirring frequently. If the noodles remain firm as liquid runs low, add hot water in 1/4-cup increments.
- Add sausage back near the end, along with optional spinach, and stir until leaves wilt, pasta is tender and sausage reaches 165°F. Retain a little sauce liquid.
- With cream, stir it in over low heat just to warm, then take off heat and fold in cheddar or feta. For the yogurt alternative, take off heat first and temper the yogurt with a little pan liquid before mixing it through with cheese. Portion into four bowls with optional garnishes.
Notes
- Refrigerate leftovers promptly at 40°F or colder.
- Use refrigerated leftovers within three to four days; reheat savory cooked dishes to 165°F.