Description
A hearty and flavorful one-pot meal featuring mild Italian chicken sausage, tender orzo pasta, sweet corn, and fresh spinach, all simmered together and finished with parmesan cheese for a comforting dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein
- 14 ounces mild Italian chicken sausage
Vegetables
- ½ medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- 3 cups packed baby spinach
Grains and Dairy
- 1 cup dry orzo
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Liquids and Seasoning
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Sausage: Remove the sausage from its casing and add it to a heavy bottom 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 kernels directly into the pot with the sausage. Sauté for 10 minutes, allowing the onions to soften and the corn to heat through without thawing.
- Add Orzo and Broth: Stir in the dry orzo and chicken broth, mixing everything to combine evenly. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Simmer the Orzo: Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Stir every few minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot to prevent the orzo from sticking.
- Wilt the Spinach: Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the packed baby spinach. Cover the pot and let it sit for a couple of minutes until the spinach is fully wilted.
- Finish and Serve: Top the dish with freshly grated parmesan cheese and season with freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve warm.
Notes
- Use low sodium chicken broth to better control the salt content in the dish.
- Feel free to substitute mild Italian chicken sausage with turkey or pork sausage for variation.
- Fresh spinach can be used instead of baby spinach; just chop it roughly before adding.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the sausage and replace chicken broth with vegetable broth, and add extra vegetables.
- Stirring frequently during simmering helps prevent the orzo from sticking and burning on the bottom.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
