Chicken Sausage and Peas Alfredo Pesto Skillet Pasta was a happy accident that is one of our favorite skillet pasta recipes, with delicious flavors and easy to follow instructions. If you are looking for a quick and easy to make pasta recipe, this is the one.
While you may not care how this Chicken Sausage and Peas Alfredo Pesto Skillet Pasta came about, I figured I should share the story: I bought this Italian Chicken Sausage that had provolone cheese and Italian style herbs in it. It sounded really good, and I couldn’t wait to try it. Initially we tried to eat it like I would any bratwurst. Ugh, it was not very good, especially with traditional toppings like ketchup, mustard, and relish. But I had bought it at Sam’s Club, so that meant I got like a million of them. My kids were not fans, and my husband, well, he was sweet about it, but I don’t think that he liked them much either.
I was trying to decide what to make with the rest of them so they would not go to waste when I thought they would be good in a skillet pasta. Of course, it was a nice thought, but I did not do anything with it…until…I was at my mom’s house, and her neighbor called and said that they had a ton of peas that they were welcome to come pick and shell them, and could keep whatever they picked.
As I sat staring at the bag of freshly shelled peas, and thinking how yummy they were, I realized they would be the perfect addition to a skillet pasta using the chicken sausage I had. So of course, I had to make it. And boy am I glad I did.
I have made Chicken Sausage and Peas Alfredo Pesto Skillet Pasta several times since with just regular chicken sausage, and peas from the freezer, and it is just as good. So do yourself a favor and try this yummy, simple, concoction!
Skillet Pasta Tips:
- Gather ingredients: This is the easiest pasta because chicken sausage comes precooked, and you can get pesto and Alfredo from a jar, so it takes no time to whip up. Having everything out and on hand means you don’t overcook the peas or burn anything.
- Reserve Pasta Water: I got the bow-tie pasta noodles cooking, and when they were almost done, I finished assembling. I added some of the pasta water to the skillet and tossed it all around for a few minutes to make sure it was nicely coated. Why add pasta water to your Chicken Sausage and Peas Alfredo Pesto Skillet Pasta? This helps the sauce to amalgamate; the starch in the water adds body and a kind of creaminess. In other words, it just makes it better!
- Wait to add Peas: Add the peas at the end. This will help them to retain flavor and not get overcooked or mushy.
- Garnish: Fresh herbs, a little parmesan cheese, or other garnishes can help bring a skillet pasta dish to life!
- Give yourself a break: Use the jarred pasta sauces, cut yourself some slack. They are quick, easy, and low mess. I love adding a touch of pesto to a basic Alfredo sauce to bring it up a notch and add some extra depth of flavor. I keep a jar of this pesto on hand at all time to add a bit here and there for extra flavor.
- Customize: adjust the amounts of chicken sausage and peas to your personal preference. If you want a really meaty pasta, add extra chicken sausage rounds.
My family (Parents, brothers, and sister) were over that night I first made Chicken Sausage and Peas Alfredo Pesto Skillet Pasta for dinner, so there were about 10 of us eating. It got gobbled up pronto, and we all enjoyed it a lot. In fact, when I went back for a second helping I was sadly disappointed by an empty pan. So, I made it again the next night. It was still so good I had to share. Enjoy!
Tools Used for Skillet Pasta:
- Big Pot: A stockpot to boil water for pasta.
- Colander: Strain that pasta, but don’t forget to reserve some water.
- Skillet: To cook up that sausage and toss it all together. This is my favorite skillet ever! (pictured)
Other Great Skillet Chicken Recipes
- Thai Peanut Skillet Chicken
- Skillet French Onion Chicken
- Healthy Lemon Skillet Chicken
- Skillet Greek Chicken
- Skillet Honey Mustard Chicken
- Skillet Creamy Tuscan Chicken
- Skillet Teriyaki Chicken
Chicken Sausage and Peas Alfredo-Pesto Skillet Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounce package of bow-tie pasta cooked al dente
- 1/2 lb Italian Chicken Sausage fully cooked
- 2 Tbs basil pesto
- 8 ounce jar alfredo sauce
- 1.5 cups peas freshly shelled is best
- 1/3 cup starchy pasta cooking water
Instructions
- Cook pasta al-dente
- Cut sausage into slices and heat in a skillet with basil pesto
- Once sausage is heated through, add in alfredo and peas
- Add cooked noodles to the skillet along with 1/3 cup pasta cooking water
- Coat thoroughly and heat through for 2-3 minutes until water has evaporated
- Serve hot
Nutrition
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
Want to use this recipe in a meal plan?Try PrePear, my FREE Meal Planning App that allows you to save your recipes, plan meals, shop for groceries, and cook simply in one place. Join Here!Other pasta recipes you may enjoy:
- Asparagus Shrimp Pasta Dinner
- One Pot Sausage Chard Pine nut Orecchiette Pasta
- Creamy Jalapeno Alfredo Pasta with Chicken Sausage (Gluten Free)
- Easy Cheesy Sausage and Green Bean Skillet Pasta
- One Pot Veggie Packed Pasta Primavera
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