My Creamy Chicken Sausage Pasta is made with a healthier version of an Alfredo sauce. Still packed with all of the delicious flavours you would expect, this is a lighter alternative that the whole family will love.
Taking inspiration from alfredo sauce
Alfredo sauce is a popular pasta sauce particularly in America. It is a rich and creamy sauce that combines double/heavy cream and cheese to coat the pasta that is usually fettuccine.
Although a rich and creamy pasta sauce is delicious, it isn’t always the healthiest of options.
My Skinny Creamy Chicken Sausage Pasta uses the flavours, but is a healthier and lighter version making it perfect for an everyday meal.
What makes this pasta sauce lower in calories?
In order to make this creamy chicken sausage pasta healthier, I had to find an alternative to cream.
This healthier sauce comes from mixing the low fat cream cheese, semi skimmed milk and flour together. The cream cheese provides the creaminess with the flour keeping the sauce thick so it coats the pasta.
Parmesan is also a great healthier option as it has far less calories than other cheeses such as cheddar. It also has a strong flavour so you need less to achieve a cheesy flavour.
The really good thing about it is that it doesn’t taste ‘healthy’. It tastes like it is an indulgent, rich and creamy pasta dish.
Which type of cream cheese is recommended to use?
Cream cheese or soft cheese is an ingredient I always have in my fridge. You will always find a full fat cream cheese in my fridge for baking, and a low fat cream cheese for dishes like this.
Whereas in baking you need to use full fat cream cheese for icing so it holds it’s shape, you can use low fat cream cheese when cooking.
There are a few different options of cream cheeses you can buy; full fat, low fat and then there is usually an option in the middle.
I like to use the lowest fat option in this recipe to help keep it healthier and also because it doesn’t detract from the flavour of the finished dish. You can of course use whichever option you prefer.
Why not just use a jar of sauce?
I know jars of pasta sauce are incredibly popular as a quick and easy option; but they tend to have quite a lot of sugar in them as well as not being the healthiest option.
Making your own sauce is healthier and you know exactly what is in the sauce. And it is also really quick and easy to do!
Anyone can make this sauce in a couple of minutes and I can guarantee it will be delicious.
Which chicken sausages are recommended to use?
When I first made this recipe, there was really only one large brand making chicken sausages.
In the last few years chicken sausages have become a lot more popular and there are so many different options out there.
I would recommend using a plain or Italian seasoned chicken sausage as these flavours would work best with the rest of the dish.
The advantages of using frozen or dried basil
Fresh basil is always delicious and great to have. But I wanted this to be a recipe you could make with a few basic ingredients from the fridge and cupboards.
Frozen and dried basil do not have as strong a flavour as fresh basil, but they are a fantastic alternative to have.
If you have fresh basil, you can absolutely use it. However there is absolutely nothing wrong with using frozen or dried basil.
Which type of pasta is best to use?
You can use any shape of dried or fresh pasta for this recipe, it really is up to you. Personally I like to use a pasta shape that will help catch the tasty creamy sauce, like conchiglie. Plus they look pretty too!
It is also up to you whether you use fresh or dried pasta. I think everyone has some dried pasta in the cupboard but you may want to use fresh pasta to make this dish even quicker to cook.
You can also make this recipe even healthier by using whole wheat pasta. Personally I don’t think you can taste much of a difference between whole wheat pasta but it provides a lot of benefits.
Whole wheat pasta provides nutrients such as complex carbs, protein, fibre, iron, magnesium, and zinc. White pasta is a refined carbohydrate which means a lot of the nutrients are removed during processing.
How to serve this creamy pasta
This creamy chicken sausage pasta is a complete meal in itself.
However I do like to serve it with a really simple leafy salad and Balsamic Tomato Salad. If you want to really escalate this dish, why not make my Garlic & Parsley Dough Balls or Air Fryer Garlic Bread.
Does this Creamy Chicken Sausage Pasta make good leftovers?
This recipe is great for leftovers. I often make the quantities below so there are leftovers for us to have for lunch the next day.
The pasta will keep covered in the fridge for 2-3 days. I usually reheat it in the microwave as it is the easiest and quickest way to do so. Always make sure it it piping hot before serving.
Other recipes you might like
- Ravoli Lasagne
- Skinny Chicken Pasta Bake
- Skinny Chicken Fajita Pasta
- Easy Cheese & Broccoli Pasta
- Sausage, Mustard & Basil Pasta
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Creamy Chicken Sausage Pasta (Lower Calorie)
My Creamy Chicken Sausage Pasta is a healthier version of an Alfredo sauce. Still packed with all of the delicious flavours you would expect, this is a lighter alternative that the whole family will love.
Ingredients
- 300 g pasta
- 350 g chicken sausages de-skinned
- ½ tsp sunflower oil
- 3 tbsp low fat cream cheese
- 80 ml semi skimmed milk
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 250 ml chicken stock
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- pinch of black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic granules
- 1 tbsp frozen or dried basil
- 20 g parmesan grated
Instructions
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Cook 300g pasta as per the packet's instructions
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Remove the casing from 350g chicken sausages and split each sausage into roughly four pieces. Roll each piece between your palms to make little balls
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Heat ½ tsp oil in a frying pan on a medium high heat and add the sausage pieces. Cook for around 10 minutes until crisp and brown on the outside and cooked through
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Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside
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Mix 3 tbsp low fat cream cheese, 80 ml semi skimmed milk and 1 tbsp plain flour together in a mini food processor
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Turn the pan onto a low heat and add the cream cheese mix to the pan along with 250ml chicken stock and whisk to combine. It will look a little lumpy, but keep whisking and it will come together. Keep whisking until it thickens slightly
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Add ¼ tsp sea salt, pinch black pepper, ½ tsp garlic granules and 1 tbsp dried basil and stir through
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Add the sausage back to the pan and add the drained pasta
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Stir through and allow everything to heat through for a couple of minutes
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Add 20g grated parmesan, stir through and serve
Recipe Notes
Nutritional information is given as a guide only and can vary.
Monika says
This dish looks lovely, simple to make and delicious, and I really like the ‘healthy’ twist by using low fat ingredients. Thank you for bringing it to #CookBlogShare:)
Cat says
Thank you 🙂
Life Diet Health says
Hello Cat, what a great recipe to encourage more people to cook fresh food! We had a conversation about jars of sauce this week which included watching a very old advert with a catchy tune (I feel like…. )! Oh and I’m totally with you on the basil – even the plant on the allotment didn’t survive! Thanks so much for sharing and linking up with Fiesta Friday this week.
Cat says
So many people used jarred sauces for pasta and things like chilli con carne. I’ve never really understood it as cooking from scratch is so easy and tastes so much better! Haha I’m glad I’m not the only one that basil plants die for!
Jenny Paulin says
this looks delicious Cat . I love how it is a skinny pasta dish and yet it looks like it should not be! x
Cat says
Thanks, it doesn’t taste like it’s a skinny recipe either!x
Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food says
OH, yes. The pasta I remember from childhood and the pasta I’ve enjoyed as an adult: two ENTIRELY different animals. (Long story short: I also was not a fan as a kid.) I have a favorite chicken sausage here in the states that I know would work well for this recipe. I’m stoked that it’s so low in calories! This is totally happening in my house—soon!!!
Curly says
Haha I am glad I’m not the only one! Hope you enjoy it 🙂
Claire says
Really tasty meal – so nice to find yummy recipes that are healthier too.
Curly says
Thanks Claire 🙂
Chloe says
Yum, i love making a creamy sauce with cream cheese and milk but I’ve never tried the combo with chicken sausage before. I used the Italian ones and it was really delish!
Curly says
It’s a nice change from chicken breast I think, changing things up!
Lesley says
Loved this pasta dish, all of the flavour but a lot lighter on the calorie count. I’ll definitely be making this again.
Curly says
Thanks so much Lesley 🙂
Janice says
This is such a delicious dinner. I’ve made it several times now and everyone loves it.
Sisley says
We made this for a midweek dinner and it was delicious. Quick, easy and delicious.