Healthy Chicken Sausages with Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Pasta

Last Tuesday, I threw together this One-Pot Chicken Sausages with Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Pasta because I had twenty minutes before soccer practice and three hungry kids staring at me. The sausages were getting close to their expiration date, I spotted some zucchini hiding in the crisper drawer, and honestly – I just needed something that wouldn’t dirty every pot in my kitchen.

Thirty-five minutes later, my family was scraping their bowls clean and my daughter actually said “Mom, this is restaurant good!” Now it’s our Tuesday tradition, and I’m sharing it with you because sometimes the best recipes come from those moments when you’re just trying to survive dinnertime.

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

My kids actually fight over the last serving of this pasta – and they never agree on anything! The sausages get these perfect crispy edges while everything else stays tender, and somehow the pasta soaks up all the flavors without getting mushy. I love that I can sneak vegetables past my picky eater because everything tastes so good together.

The cleanup is what really sold me though – just one pan and we’re done. No boiling water separately, no multiple pots bubbling on the stove, just throw everything in and let it work its magic.

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📝 Ingredient List

The basics:

• 1 tsp olive oil (just enough to get things started)
• 1 lb Italian chicken sausages – I buy the mild ones from Costco
• 1 cup diced onion (about half a medium onion)
• 2 tsp minced garlic from the jar – don’t judge me!
• A good pinch of red pepper flakes if your family can handle it

The good stuff:

• 8 oz pasta – shells, penne, whatever short pasta you’ve got
• 2 cups zucchini, chopped small (I use 2 medium zucchini)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 2 ½ cups chicken broth – the boxed kind works fine
• 1 ½ cups shredded Parmesan, split up
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped up
• Salt and pepper

🔍 Why These Ingredients Work

So I used to cook pasta separately and then mix everything together, but honestly? What a pain. The sausages already have all the Italian herbs in them so you don’t need to buy a million different spices. When I brown them first, all that good flavor gets stuck to the bottom of the pan, and then when I add the broth it scrapes up and flavors everything.

Those shell-shaped pastas are my go-to because they catch all the sauce and cheese. My kids call them “pasta boats” and fight over who gets the most loaded ones. The zucchini was actually an accident the first time – I was trying to use it up before it went bad. But now I always add it because it makes me feel better about feeding my family vegetables.

Cherry tomatoes pop when they cook and make these sweet little bursts. And the Parmesan trick? My neighbor Rosa taught me that – she’s from Italy and said never add cheese to a hot pan or it gets stringy. Off the heat, it melts perfect every time.

Essential Tools and Equipment

You need a big skillet – like really big. I use my 12-inch one but sometimes wish it was bigger when I’m stirring everything around. A sharp knife for chopping, cutting board, wooden spoon, and measuring cups. If you’re grating your own Parmesan (and you should), grab your grater too.

👩🍳How to Make Chicken Sausages with Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Pasta

Step 1: Get your big skillet nice and hot with that olive oil, then toss in your sliced sausages and diced onion. I always slice my sausages about as thick as a quarter – any thinner and they’ll cook too fast, any thicker and they won’t brown properly. Let them sizzle for about 5-6 minutes until the sausages have these gorgeous brown edges and your onions smell amazing.

Step 2: Now add your garlic and red pepper flakes – I’m telling you, don’t skip the red pepper even if you think you don’t like spice! Just a pinch adds so much flavor. Stir everything around for maybe 30 seconds until your kitchen smells incredible, but watch that garlic because burnt garlic is bitter and nobody wants that.

Step 3: This is where the magic happens – dump your raw pasta right into the pan with the chicken broth. Yes, uncooked pasta! I was doubtful at first, too, but you’ll have to trust me on this. Bring it to a boil and then lower the heat to medium and let it bubble away for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring every few minutes so nothing sticks.

Step 4: Once your pasta is about 50% done (taste a piece – should still be pretty firm) add your diced zucchini. This timing is everything because zucchini goes from perfect to mushy really quickly. Keep cooking another 6-8 minutes until your pasta is just tender and most of the liquid is gone.

Step 5: Turn off the heat – this is super important! Then stir in most of your Parmesan cheese and that lemon juice. The hot pasta will melt the cheese into this creamy sauce that’s way better than anything from a jar. Add your fresh tomatoes and basil last so they stay bright and fresh.

Step 6: Pile it into bowls and sprinkle the rest of that Parmesan on top. My family always hovers around the stove waiting for this step!

Tips from Well-Known Chefs

My mom always said to save pasta water, but with this method you don’t need to worry about it – you’re already cooking everything together. And that thing about using good Parmesan? She was right about that one. The cheap stuff just doesn’t melt the same way.

❗ You Must Know

Here’s what I learned the hard way – take the pan off the heat before you add the Parmesan! I made the mistake of keeping it on the burner once and ended up with stringy, clumpy cheese instead of that smooth, creamy sauce. The pasta stays hot enough to melt everything perfectly.

My own secret: I have an extra squeeze of lemon juice ready to add just before serving. And it just brightens and freshens everything up, especially if you’re eating leftovers the next day.

💡 Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

Don’t dump the zucchini in too early or you’ll end up with green mush. I did that once and my son asked why there was “gross green stuff” in his pasta. Now I wait until the pasta’s half done.

My sauce used to come out watery until I figured out the pasta keeps soaking up liquid even after you turn the heat off. Just wait a minute and it thickens up. I buy the big block of Parmesan from Costco and grate it myself because the pre-shredded stuff has powder on it that makes it weird. Rosa also told me to add a little butter with the cheese if I want it extra rich – she’s never wrong about food.

🎨 Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Dave likes everything spicy so sometimes I grab the hot sausages instead. The kids whine but they still eat it. Last week I had mushrooms that needed to get used so I threw those in with the onions. Bell peppers work too.

My sister Sarah is always on some diet, so when she comes over I make it with zucchini noodles instead of pasta. Just spiralize them and add them right at the end for like 2 minutes. She’s doing fine on it and she says she’s eating the same but I know she misses the carbs. Occasionally I might also swirl in some Greek yogurt to give it an even creamier texture if I am trying to use up a container before it goes bad.

⏲️ Make-Ahead Options

Look, I tried meal prepping this and it just doesn’t work. The pasta gets mushy and the zucchini gets soggy. What I do now is chop everything on Sunday when I’m doing other food prep – dice the onion, chop the zucchini, cut the tomatoes. Then on Tuesday night it only takes like 10 minutes to get everything going.

Leftovers are okay – they last 3 days in the fridge but they’re not as good. The pasta soaks up all the sauce and gets dry. Add some broth when you reheat it and it’s decent.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

I was so scared the first time I put raw pasta in the pan. Like, is this really going to work? But it does! The pasta soaks up all the broth and gets way more flavor than when you boil it separately. Don’t freak out when it looks soupy at first – the pasta is still drinking up the liquid.

This really does take 35 minutes but most of that is just waiting for things to cook. I usually start it and then go fold a load of laundry or help with homework. By the time I come back, it’s ready to add the zucchini.

And if you’re looking for more Zucchini recipes, check out my Healthy Tomato Zucchini Pasta Or Mediterranean Stuffed Zucchini– they’re both reader favorites!

🍽️ Serving Suggestions

This would definitely be hearty enough for a meal without accompaniment, but I like to throw together a simple salad with whatever greens I have and a no-fuss lemon dressing. Sometimes the children dabble their crusty bread in the remaining sauce afterwards They make a mess of course, but it’s rather good, so I can’t really blame them can I?.

It’s easy for me to throw back a glass of white wine (occasionally I do) as a treat but it seems that honestly some days I am just running around after kids while sipping water, or even water mixed with iced tea. It’s a dish worthy of the good-sounding name; it doesn’t require any fancy accompaniments!

I really hope this saves your weeknight dinners like it saved mine. There’s something so satisfying about getting a complete, delicious meal on the table without destroying your kitchen or spending your whole evening cooking.

Let me know how it goes in your house – I love hearing about other families’ dinner victories! 🍽️

🧊 How to Store Your Chicken Sausage Pasta

In the fridge: It lasts about 3 days in containers. The pasta absorbs additional sauce the longer it sits and may seem a bit dry

Reheating: I tend to reheat it on the stove with a little bit of broth to loosen it up. The microwave works too – just use half power and stir it a bunch. Takes forever but it won’t get rubbery.

Freezing: Don’t. The zucchini gets all watery and weird when you thaw it out.

⚠️ Allergy Information

Has dairy – obviously because of all that Parmesan. Some pasta has eggs too.

For gluten-free: Use whatever gluten-free pasta you like – it cooks the same way in this recipe.

No dairy: Skip the cheese and use nutritional yeast instead. Tastes pretty close and my lactose intolerant friend says it works great.

❓ Questions I Get Asked A Lot

💬 Did you try this recipe? Tell me how it went in the comments! Let me know how it turned out! I love hearing about your cooking experiments and what changes you made.