Creamy, cheesy, garlicky, and optionally a little spicy, this easy chicken sausage linguine is the perfect weeknight pasta when you want something comforting without spending hours in the kitchen. The best part is that it comes together in one pan after cooking the pasta, making it an easy dinner for a busy weeknight.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easy to make: This is a simple dinner with ingredients you can find at almost any grocery store.
• Creamy without being overly heavy: The combination of cream cheese, Parmesan, butter, and pasta water creates a smooth, silky sauce.
• Full of flavor: Garlic, onion, Italian seasoning, tomato paste, and chicken sausage give this pasta plenty of flavor without requiring a long ingredient list.
• Customizable: Want more heat? Add some red pepper flakes. Want it cheesier? Add more Parmesan. You really can’t go wrong.
• This recipe is perfect for leftovers

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Ingredients

• 6 oz linguine or fettuccine
• 9 – 10 oz chicken sausage, sliced or chopped
• ½ yellow onion, diced
• 2 – 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 oz tomato paste
• 2.5 – 3 oz cream cheese
• 1 cup plain water
• ½ cup pasta water
• 1 tbsp butter
• ¼ – ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• ½ tsp Italian seasoning
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, optional
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• Olive oil, for cooking

A Note About the Pasta Water

Don’t forget to save some of the water before draining your pasta!

Pasta water contains starch from the noodles, which helps loosen the sauce while also helping it cling to the pasta. It’s one of those little tricks that makes homemade pasta taste so much better.

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Instructions

Step 1: Cook the Pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta (linguine, fettuccine or pasta of choice) according to the package directions until al dente.

Before draining, reserve ½ cup of pasta water.

Drain the pasta and set it aside.

Step 2: Start the sauce

While the pasta is cooking, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. add the diced yellow onion.

Cook for about 3 – 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften.

Add the chicken sausage and cook until it’s heated through and nicely browned around the edges.

Those browned pieces are where so much of the flavor comes from, so don’t rush this step!

Step 3: Add the Garlic and Tomato Paste

Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, being careful not to burn it.

Add the tomato paste to the skillet along with the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes, if using.

Stir everything together and allow the tomato paste to cook for about 1 – 2 minutes.

Cooking the tomato paste before adding the liquid helps deepen its flavor and takes away some of that raw tomato taste.

Step 4: Add the Water

Slowly add 1 cup of plain water to the skillet, stirring constantly to combine it.

Slowly pour in ½ cup reserved pasta water, stirring as you go.

You may not need every drop depending on how thick you like your sauce.

The goal is a sauce that’s creamy, smooth, and loose enough to coat the pasta.

Step 5: Add the Parmesan

Stir in ¼ – ½ cup Parmesan cheese.

Start with ¼ cup and add more if you want a cheesier, richer sauce.

Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Step 6: Make It Creamy

Add the cream cheese and butter.

Continue stirring until the cream cheese melts completely and the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.

Add the drained pasta and toss everything together until the pasta is completely coated in the creamy sauce.

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Make It Your Own

One of my favorite things about this recipe is how easy it is to customize.

• Make it spicy – Add red pepper flakes or even a pinch of cayenne for extra heat.
• Make it extra cheesy – Add more Parmesan right before serving. You can also sprinkle a little mozzarella over the top for an extra cheesy finish.
• Add vegetables – If you want to sneak in some vegetables, spinach, mushrooms, zucchini, or bell peppers would all work really well.
• Swap the sausage – You can use spicy Italian chicken sausage, turkey sausage, pork sausage, or even leftover cooked chicken.
• Make it gluten-free – Use your favorite gluten-free linguine, fettuccine, or pasta of choice. Just be sure to check that your chicken sausage and other packaged ingredients are also gluten-free.

Tips for the Best Creamy Pasta

• Don’t skip browning the sausage – Getting some color on the sausage adds so much flavor.
• Don’t burn the garlic – Garlic only needs about 30 seconds to a minute before you move on to the next step.
• Save your pasta water – It makes a huge difference in the consistency of the sauce.
• Add liquid gradually – It’s much easier to thin out a thick sauce than it is to fix a watery one.
• Use freshly grated Parmesan when possible – It melts into the sauce more smoothly and gives you a richer flavor.
• Taste before adding extra salt – Parmesan and chicken sausage can already be pretty salty, so taste the sauce first.

What to Serve With It

This pasta is filling enough to serve on its own, but if you want to make it a full dinner, pair it with:

• Garlic bread
• A Caesar salad
• Roasted broccoli
• Green beans
• A simple side salad

How to Store Leftovers

Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 – 4 days. The sauce will thicken as it cools. When reheating, if you would like to thin the sauce, add a small splash of water or milk and heat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring occasionally until creamy again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use another type of pasta?

Absolutely! Fettuccine, penne, rigatoni, spaghetti, or bowtie pasta would all work. Fettuccine is especially good because the wide noodles hold onto the creamy sauce.

Can I use heavy cream instead of cream cheese?

Yes. You can substitute some of the cream cheese with heavy cream, although the sauce will have a slightly different texture and flavor.

Can I leave out the red pepper flakes?

Of course! They’re completely optional. I like the little bit of heat, but the pasta is delicious without them.

Can I use regular sausage?

Definitely. Chicken sausage keeps this recipe a little lighter, but Italian sausage would give it an even richer and more savory flavor.

The Final Bite

This Creamy Italian Chicken Sausage Linguine is exactly the kind of dinner I love. It’s easy enough for a weeknight, comforting enough for a cozy night in, and flavorful enough that it doesn’t taste like a “quick and easy” meal.

The creamy tomato sauce, garlicky chicken sausage, Parmesan, and Italian seasoning all work together so well, while the optional red pepper flakes add the perfect little kick.

If you’re serving it with garlic bread or a salad, you could comfortably stretch this recipe to 3 – 4 servings. 🍝❤️

Grab a fork and dig in.