Description
A hearty and flavorful one-pot meal featuring Italian chicken sausage, tender orzo pasta, sweet corn, and fresh spinach, all cooked together in a rich chicken broth and topped with parmesan cheese. Perfect for a quick and satisfying dinner with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 14 ounces mild Italian chicken sausage
- ½ medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- 3 cups packed baby spinach
Pantry Items
- 1 cup dry orzo
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
Finishing Touches
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook Sausage: Remove the sausage from its casing and add it to a heavy-bottomed sauce pot or Dutch oven. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until browned and cooked through.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add the chopped onion and frozen corn (no need to thaw) to the pot. Sauté everything together for 10 minutes until the onion is soft and the corn is heated through.
- Add Orzo and Broth: Stir in the dry orzo pasta and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
- Simmer the Orzo: Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the orzo simmer for 10 minutes. Stir every few minutes and scrape the bottom of the pot to prevent the orzo from sticking or burning.
- Wilt Spinach: Remove the pot from heat, add the baby spinach, and stir it in. Cover the pot and let it sit for a couple of minutes until the spinach has wilted.
- Finish and Serve: Top the dish with freshly grated parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve warm.
Notes
- You can substitute mild Italian chicken sausage with turkey sausage or a vegetarian sausage alternative if preferred.
- For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free orzo pasta or substitute with rice.
- Adding a squeeze of lemon juice or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes can brighten the flavor and add a little heat.
- If you want a creamier texture, stir in a splash of heavy cream or a spoonful of cream cheese when adding the spinach.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop with a splash of broth or water.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 580 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
