One-Pan Chicken Sausage and White Beans
Dinner in one pan, with enough comfort to feel like effort.
If you’re tired and need dinner to happen with as little thinking as possible, this is a good one to make. It lands in the sweet spot of cozy, filling, and fast without demanding a bunch of chopping or a second pan. The chicken sausage brings the savory base, while white beans make it hearty enough to count as a real meal. You’ll get a saucy skillet with tomato, garlic, and greens that feels comforting but still light enough for a weeknight. Expect a low-stress dinner that tastes like you tried harder than you did, and saves well for lunch tomorrow.
Ingredients
- 12 oz chicken sausage — sliced into coins
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 unit yellow onion — small, diced
- 3 unit garlic cloves — minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup canned diced tomatoes — with juices
- 2 cup canned white beans — drained and rinsed
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 4 cup baby spinach
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 0.5 tsp kosher salt
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan — optional, for serving
Method
- 1 Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced chicken sausage and cook until browned on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- 2 Add the onion to the same skillet and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, oregano, and smoked paprika for 30 seconds.
- 3 Add the diced tomatoes, white beans, chicken broth, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring once or twice, until slightly thickened.
- 4 Stir in the spinach and cook just until wilted. Return the sausage to the pan, add the lemon juice, and warm through for 1 to 2 minutes. Serve hot with Parmesan if you want it.
Variations
- Vegetarian swap — Skip the sausage and use an extra can of white beans plus sliced mushrooms for a meatless version.
- Faster swap — Use pre-diced onion and pre-minced garlic, or substitute a handful of baby arugula for the spinach and stir it in at the end.
- Substitutions — Use kale instead of spinach, cannellini or great northern beans instead of any white bean, and red pepper flakes if you want more heat.
Notes
If the skillet looks too thick, splash in a little more broth. If it looks too loose, simmer for a couple extra minutes before adding the spinach. Serve with toast, rice, or just a spoon.
Equipment that helps
- Large skillet — A wide pan gives the beans and sausage room to brown and simmer without crowding.
- Wooden spoon — It makes it easy to scrape up the browned bits that build flavor in the sauce.
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