Chicken Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Penne

Add 1/2 cup chicken stock, 1/2 teaspoon pepper flakes and clove or 2 of garlic makes this a good dish.

With a bit customization, this was smashing. I used Italian chicken sausage. I added a clove of minced garlic after browning the sausage. I used a combination of broccoli florets and halved Brussels sprouts. I used finely grated Parmigiana Reggiano, because that’s what I had on hand. And finally, before adding the cheese and lemon juice, I stirred in a pat of butter: very few extra calories per serving, but a big flavor boost. In short, one needs to be creative during this pandemic, use what’s on hand, and improvise when necessary. A good basic template of a recipe!

My first time with broccoli rabe and we just found it to be way too bitter.  But even with broccoli, this dish was boring.  I even added some minced garlic.  Won't make again.

I thought this was good but not great. It's a quick weeknight recipe and a good use of leftover cooked sausage. I think it was the smoked sausage that I didn't love. Next time I would try cooked hot Italian chicken sausage (I love spice but you could use any type of sausage). I don't like broccoli rabe so I used broccolini which I adore. The lemon is a great addition and adds some bright acidity.