Chicken Sausage And Asparagus Sheet-Pan Dinner Recipe

Sheet-pan meals are all the rage, and for good reason. With busy schedules and limited time, it's important to have easy, nutritious, and delicious meals that can be prepared quickly and with minimal clean-up, without compromising on flavor or creativity. That's where this chicken sausage and asparagus sheet-pan dinner recipe comes in! It's a simple and satisfying meal that can be whipped up in no time, and whose flavor takes you to springtime in Provence in the blink of an eye.

According to Ksenia Prints of At the Immigrant's Table, the combination of juicy chicken sausage and tender asparagus, roasted to perfection with a blend of fragrant herbs and spices, is a surefire way to bring French influences into your dinner routine. With the added bonus of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, this dish will surely become a family favorite. Give it a try and experience how quick and satisfying a dinner made in 30 minutes can be. With leftovers that taste even better with time, there's no reason not to double it!

It only takes a few ingredients to whip up this crowd-pleasing recipe. First, you'll need fresh asparagus, a great source of vitamins and minerals. Next, you'll need salt, pepper, garlic powder, and chicken sausage, which can be substituted with turkey sausage or vegetarian sausage if desired, and olive oil to coat everything for moisture and crispiness.

No one will complain about the finishing sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, but the real stars of this dish are the herbs. Prints loves using herbes de Provence when cooking asparagus and chicken. This blend of herbs is commonly used in French cuisine and includes basil, thyme, oregano, lavender, lemon zest, and onion powder — though different brands may have different mix-ins. If you don't have herbes de Provence on hand, you can make your own or create a similar flavor by mixing these individual herbs together.

The first step to a successful sheet-pan dinner is to line the baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil to make cleanup easier. You may think this feels like unnecessary information, but you'll be thanking us when you don't have to scrape baked-on sausage juices from your pan! This will also prevent the chicken sausage and asparagus from sticking to the pan.

Place the diced chicken sausage and asparagus on the tray, then drizzle over the olive oil and sprinkle on the garlic powder and herbes de Provence. Toss everything to coat, then spread the mixture out evenly. Try not to overlap any of the veggies and sausage bits; this will help the ingredients cook evenly and thoroughly, as well as ensure that everything crisps up rather than steams. 

Preheat the oven to 375 F; this high heat helps create caramelization on the edges of the sausages and cooks the asparagus quickly and efficiently without burning it. Transfer the sheet pan to the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the veggies are roasted to your desired preference and the sausage is fully cooked.

After the sheet-pan meal is done baking, remove it from the oven and sprinkle the freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top. Parmesan adds a salty, nutty flavor to the dish and pairs well with the other ingredients, but if you don't have any on hand, you could substitute it with Pecorino Romano or Asiago cheese. Finally, add some salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Congratulations — after about 30 minutes and minimal work, dinner is on the table! If you and your dining companions somehow don't finish this right away, any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Prints loves to serve this for a casual weeknight meal, but if you want it to feel a bit more festive, go all-out French and serve it with a chilled Chardonnay. Homemade French potato salad would make the perfect starchy side dish, and you can't go wrong with a chocolate souffle for dessert.