Pasta with sausage, chicken, asparagus and cherry tomatoes

New version. A few weeks ago I made a shrimp and artichoke pasta and we loved it so much, I made another version with italian sausage and asparagus. I threw in a half a chicken breast for me because I wasn't in the mood for all sausage and it worked out perfectly. I've become such a fan of enjoying the wonderful flavors of the pasta and the seasonings and the vegetables, that I don't even miss the sauce.


Begin by removing the italian sausage from the casing and brown it in the pan with olive oil, chopped onion and chopped garlic. Add in the chopped chicken and your favorite seasonings. I liked thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper tonight. Once the meat is almost cooked through, add in the asparagus and let cook for 4-5 minutes. You want it to still be bright green and crisp in the middle.


Then throw in a pint of halved cherry tomatoes, cover and let cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. While that's sitting, go ahead and cook your pasta in boiling water until just al dente, then drain and reserve the salted pasta water.


Remove the lid and mash the tomatoes to squeeze out some of the juice. Then cover and let cook for 4-5 more minutes. You should start to get some nice aromatic juices in the bottom of the pan now.


Now add the cooked pasta directly into the pan, throw in some spinach leaves, because I love my fiber and folate, and really anything green (except olives...for another day). Pour in some of the reserved pasta water. I used about 3/4 cup, but you can do whatever makes you happy.


Stir it around over medium-low heat until the spinach leaves just start to wilt and the sauce begins to thicken. Then shave some fresh parmesana over the top, and add some salt and pepper if you think you need it.


winner winner pasta dinner!