Go Back
Close-up of penne in a light-orange sauce topped with seared chicken and sausage. (Creamy Chicken and Sausage Pasta)

Creamy Chicken and Sausage Pasta with Golden Seared Chicken and Charred Italian Sausage

A luxurious Creamy Chicken and Sausage Pasta featuring a glossy light-orange tomato cream sauce, golden-brown seared chicken, and charred Italian sausage rounds garnished with fresh parsley and parmesan.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Recipe Ingredients
  • 1 lb (450g) Penne pasta Penne rigate preferred
  • 1 lb (450g) Chicken breast Boneless, skinless, sliced into strips after searing
  • 12 oz (340g) Italian sausage links Sliced into rounds
  • 2 tbsp (30ml) Olive oil For searing
  • 2 cups (480ml) Heavy cream For the glossy sauce
  • 1.5 cups (355ml) Tomato sauce or marinara Creates the light-orange color
  • 4 cloves Garlic Minced
  • 1/2 cup (50g) Parmesan cheese Finely grated
  • 1/4 cup (15g) Fresh parsley Chopped

Equipment

  • 1 Heavy-bottomed Skillet Cast iron preferred for searing
  • 1 Wide ceramic pasta bowl For serving

Method
 

Preparation and Proteins
  1. Boil penne in salted water until 1-2 minutes shy of al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain.
  2. Heat olive oil in a skillet. Season chicken and sear until golden-brown (internal temp 165°F). Remove and slice.
  3. In the same skillet, brown sausage rounds until charred edges appear. Remove and set aside.
Sauce and Finishing
  1. Sauté minced garlic in the skillet. Stir in tomato sauce, then slowly whisk in heavy cream until a light-orange sauce forms.
  2. Add pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat. Layer sliced chicken and sausage on top.
  3. Dust heavily with finely grated parmesan and sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Notes

Ensure the skillet is very hot before adding chicken to get that golden sear.
Use reserved pasta water if the sauce becomes too thick while tossing.