This is a recipe that I’ve been waiting all week to try. We love Italian dishes but a lot of them can seem super heavy but not this one since it is served over polenta instead of noodles.
Begin by chopping some onions, garlic and mushrooms.
Then cut chicken breasts into bite size pieces and slicing some sausage.
Prep all other ingredients and begin to cook. First start with the polenta since it takes about 30 minutes to cook.
Once the polenta is mixed throughly you can begin cooking the main dish. Just keep an eye on the polenta and whisk every few minutes.
Begin cooking the onions and mushrooms for about 3 minutes. Then add garlic and stir. Let cook for about 30 seconds.
Add seasonings
Add tomato paste and chicken and sausage. Cook for 10 minutes. Let the meat brown.
Stir in chicken broth and tomato sauce and scrape the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil then simmer for about 10 minutes.
Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 45 min
INGREDIENTS
For Italian Chicken and Sausage
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 4 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 3 – 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dry oregano
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into small bite size pieces
- 2 Italian sweet sausage links (turkey or chicken), cut into 1 inch pieces
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1- 15oz can tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp sundried tomato paste
- 1 pinch chili red pepper flakes (depends on how spicy you want it)
- 1 tbsp butter
- torn fresh basil for garnish (adds a lot of flavor)
For Creamy Parmesan Polenta
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 4 cups water
- 4 oz Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tbsp butter
- ¼ tsp black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
For Creamy Parmesan Polenta
- Boil 4 cups water. Add 1 cup cornmeal slowly into water while whisking constantly to remove lumps. Turn down the heat to medium to low heat and continue whisking. This will ensure there will be no lumps. The polenta will start to thicken as the cornmeal absorbs the water. You will need to whisk occasionally but there’s no need to hover over the pot while it’s cooking. While this is cooking…begin the main dish. This way, they will both be done about the same time.
- After about 30 minutes, test the polentato see if it is cooked through. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining ingredients.
For Italian Chicken and Sausage
- In a saucepan or a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes until the onion is soft and has become translucent and mushrooms begin to sweat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add sundried tomato paste and cook until color has turned into a rust color (about 1 – 2 minutes). Add the chicken and sausage, season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and oregano. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the chicken and sausage starts to brown.
- Stir in the chicken broth and scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook for 2 minutes then add the tomato sauce and chili pepper flakes. Stir in butter and taste for seasoning. Adjust as necessary.
- Cook for 5 more minutes, remove from heat.
- Serve by plating polenta, then topping it with the chicken and sausage stew and garnish with torn basil and some parmesan cheese.