Crisp-Tender Italian Chicken Sausage Mix &Amp; Onion Plate Worth Saving

This quick and hearty meal stars savory chicken sausage, springy pearl couscous and tender zucchini in a rich cream sauce brightened up with tangy lemon and herbaceous dill. If you have 35 minutes, a pot, a pan and an appetite for perfectly balanced flavors, this is the dish for you!

With a creamy sauce infused with lemon and dill, every bite is comforting yet fresh. The pearl couscous adds a delightful chew, while the zucchini and sausage make it a complete, satisfying dinner.

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Ingredients

18 ounce Italian Chicken Sausage MixView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit ZucchiniView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Cream CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Cream Sauce BaseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce DillView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.75 cup Pearl CouscousView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry produce. Trim and halve zucchini lengthwise; cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick half-moons. Peel, halve and finely dice onion. Peel and mince or grate garlic. Pick fronds from dill and finely chop half; reserve remaining for serving. Zest and quarter lemon.
2. In a medium pot, combine couscous, 1 cup water (2 cups for 4 servings) and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until couscous is tender, 6-8 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to use in Step 5.
3. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and softened, 5-6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
4. Heat a drizzle of oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and sausage. Cook, breaking up meat into pieces and stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and sausage is cooked through, 6-8 minutes. Stir in cream sauce base, stock concentrates, cream cheese, chopped dill, ½ cup water (1 cup for 4 servings) and juice from half the lemon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened, 3-4 minutes more.
5. Add couscous and zucchini to pan with sausage mixture. Cook, stirring, until combined, 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat; stir in 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) until melted and combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
6. Divide couscous between plates or bowls. Sprinkle with lemon zest and remaining dill. Serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use regular couscous instead of pearl couscous?

Yes, but cooking times will vary. Pearl couscous is larger and chewier; regular couscous cooks in about 5 minutes.

How do I store leftovers?

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave.

Can I make this dairy-free?

You can substitute the cream cheese and butter with dairy-free alternatives and use a dairy-free cream sauce base if available.