This simple sausage pasta (one pan) is a hearty, one-pan meal thatโs packed with flavour and easy to make. With juicy sausage, aromatic herbs, and a rich tomato sauce, itโs a satisfying dish perfect for busy weeknights. Health benefits This one-pot pasta recipe provides a great balance of protein, healthy fats, and fibre. The tomatoes…
onepan
One Pot Smoky Chicken Penne
This One Pot Smoky Chicken Penne is a fuss-free meal thatโs rich, hearty, and perfect for a busy weeknights. Plus being cooked in one pot, means there’s just one pot to wash up! The addition of smoky paprika gives this meal a very savoury aroma and the fresh basil provides a wonderful fresh herby taste.
Health benefits
Packed with chicken for protein, this meal also incorporates spinach and basil for added fibre, vitamins, and antioxidants. The olive oil adds healthy fats, and using gluten-free pasta makes it suitable for those with dietary restrictions. Including chicken broth in the sauce adds important minerals and gut support too. Give this one a try next time you need a quick mid-week dinner! There’s approximately 50g protein per serve (if including the cheese) and about 5g fibre.
Ingredients in One Pot Smoky Chicken Penne
Simple ingredients like chicken mince, smoked paprika, tomato passata, and gluten-free pasta come together with fresh basil and optional cheddar cheese for a well-rounded, delicious meal.
How to make this One Pot Smoky Chicken Penne
The best part about this meal is that you don’t need a second pot to boil the pasta, it is cooked in the sauce in the one pan. Start by sautรฉing the onion and garlic cloves in olive oil, then add chicken mince, breaking it up as it cooks. Stir in paprika, thyme, passata, and broth or stock, then add pasta and simmer. Once the pasta is added the cooking time is just 15 minutes. Fold in baby spinach and basil, and top with grated cheddar cheese (or parmesan cheese) if desired before grilling until bubbly.
Serving suggestions and how to store
Serve with a fresh green salad for a complete meal. Store leftovers in the fridge or freezer in an airtight container, and reheat gently in a low oven until warmed through.
Vary this to suit your dietary needs
Omit the cheese for dairy-free, and for gluten-free, use a gluten-free pasta as listed. Swap penne for macaroni or shells if preferred, and feel free to add extra veggies like carrots or cauliflower. For a tomato-free version, replace passata with a no-tomato sauce substitute. If you don’t like thyme, sub with oregano.
Take a look at the variations (below the main recipe) for suggestions to alter the recipe to suit many specific dietary requirements.
For more easy, healthy dinner recipes, click HERE.
One Pot Smoky Chicken Penne
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion/s – diced
- 4 clove/s garlic – minced
- 800 g chicken mince
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ยฝ tsp dried thyme
- 700 g tomato passata (puree)
- 500 ml stock or broth
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- 250 g gluten-free penne pasta – I use Ceres Organic Quinoa Rice Penne
- 60 g spinach leaves – chopped
- 1 bunch/s fresh basil leaves – chopped
- 100 g cheddar cheese – grated, optional
Instructions
- In a large skillet or pot over medium heat, add olive oil and onion and saute for a few minutes until translucent.
- Add the garlic and chicken mince and saute, breaking up the chicken as it cooks, until almost cooked all the way through.
- Add the paprika, thyme, passata, broth/stock and season well. Stir well and bring to a rapid simmer over a medium-high heat.
- Add the pasta to the pot, stirring every 5 minutes or so, until cooked, approximately 15 minutes. If the sauce is becoming a little dry but the pasta still needs cooking, add a splash of water or extra broth.
- Once the pasta is cooked, take it off the heat and stir in the spinach and basil.
- If you like, you can sprinkle over the grated cheese and pop under the grill (broiler) until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Serve
- Serve with a leafy green salad.
Make Ahead
- Re-heat in a low oven until just hot.
Store
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
Dairy-free
Omit the cheese.Gluten-free
Choose a gluten free pasta.Different pasta
This would be great with a macaroni or shell pasta too.Add vegetables
You can definitely add in any vegetables youโd like โ this dish is a perfect blank canvas! Chop any hard vegetables like carrots fairly small, and add with the onion. Softer vegetables like cauliflower or broccoli can be chopped into florets and added with the chicken.Tomato free
Replace the tomato passata with our No (tomato) sauce. ย ย ย ย ย ยWhat did you think of this delicious One Pot Smoky Chicken Penne…let me know below…
One Pan Moroccan Dinner
This One Pan Moroccan Dinner is a delicious and hearty dish that brings together tender meat, veggies, and warming spices all in one pot. Itโs a fuss-free, set-and-forget recipe thatโs perfect for busy nights or when you want a nourishing, comforting meal without much effort.
Health benefits
This healthy Moroccan-inspired meal has everything you need to nourish the family. Protein, especially if on the bone will introduce those bone derived nutrients I posted on here. The spices improve digestion and offer immune support. The vegetables are of course full of fibre, vitamins, minerals and protective Phyto (plant) chemicals.
Ingredients in the One Pan Moroccan Dinner
Youโll need a mix of your favourite meat (or plant-based alternatives), chickpeas, veggies like carrots, celery, and zucchini, plus spices such as cumin, cinnamon, and coriander. The addition of fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon at the end brightens the dish.
Instructions to make One Pan Moroccan Dinner
Start by sautรฉing onions and garlic, then brown your chosen meat. Add in the veggies, chickpeas, spices, and tomato passata, and let it slow cook in the oven for 1-3 hours, depending on the meat. Finish with fresh herbs and lemon juice for that zesty hit of flavour.
Serving suggestions and how to store
Serve this Moroccan dish with couscous, rice, or mashed potatoes. It stores well in the fridge for up to three days, and any leftovers can be frozen in an airtight container for easy future meals.
Vary this to suit your dietary needs
For a gluten-free option, pair it with rice or mashed potatoes. Make it vegetarian or vegan by swapping the meat for chickpeas and tofu. You can also omit legumes or garlic as needed, or switch up the veggies based on what you have on hand.
One pan Moroccan dinner
Ingredients
- 500 g meat of choice -approx. such a whole chicken thighs, chicken legs or diced lamb, lamb shanks or casserole chops (see below for vegetarian)
- 1 onion/s -roughly chopped
- 2 clove/s garlic -chopped
- 425 g canย chickpeas -drained and rinsed (or cannellini beans)
- 2 carrot/s -peeled and roughly diced
- 2 stick/s celery -chopped
- 1 zucchini/s -diced (or grated for fussy people)
- 1 red capsicum/s -diced
- 75 g peas (ยฝ cup) fresh or frozen
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 cinnamon quill
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 lemon/s -zest (peel off a few strips with your peeler)
- chilli flakes -to taste
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper -to taste
- 680 g tomato passata (puree)
Serve...
- ยผ bunch/s fresh parsley leaves
- 1 lemon/s -juice
Optional extras
- 1 tsp dulse flakes
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 150โ/300โ (fan-forced).
- Use either an oven proof deep pan (with a lid) or a casserole dish.
- On a stove top, begin with softening the onion and garlic in a little-refined coconut (tasteless), butter or ghee over a low heat. Push aside and slightly brown the meat of your choice. Take off the heat. Now add the rest of the ingredients.
- Mix together roughly, place on the lid and throw in the oven for 1-3 hours (depending upon the cut and size of the meat) or until the meat is tender. Chicken will cook in an hour, lamb will do better with a longer cook time.
- Finish with the fresh herbs and lime or lemon juice which adds a real freshness to the dish.
Slow Cooker
- This can certainly cooked in a slow cooker. However, as the speed and temperature varies between the many brands of slow cookers, base the amount of liquid you add and the cook time on a similar style of recipe in the guide book for your specific slow cooker. The general rule of thumb is to halve the liquid and double the cook time, but understanding your own slow cooker is the best guide.
Serve
- Serve with cous cous or one of the variations below.
Make-ahead
- Re-heat (covered) in a low oven until just hot.
Store
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Can also be frozen.
Grab Bag Formula Method
- If you've done the **Grab Bag Formulaย Short Course, this is the method to convert this recipe...
- Place all your prepared ingredients (except the parsley and lemon juice) into the Grab Bag.
- Carefully seal your Grab Bag. I close most of the seal then press out as much air as I can then complete the seal. Place the Grab Bag in the freezer.
- To cook, remove the Grab Bag from the freezer, place on a baking tray and thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Tip the contents of the Grab Bag into a large oven proof dish (with a tight fitting lid) or Dutch oven. It may still be a bit frozen; thatโs okay.
- Place the lid on the pot, set your oven to 150ยฐC/300ยฐF (fan-forced) and cook for 1ยฝ-3ยฝ hours (depending upon the cut and size of the meat) or until the meat is tender. Chicken will cook quicker than the lamb.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning and spiciness. Lastly finish with the fresh herbs and lemon juice which adds a real freshness to the dish.
- **ย Theย Grab Bag Formulaย Short Course is available to purchase for just AU$46ย HERE. OR If you are a full-accessย Well Nourished Familyย member, the course is included in your membership and you can access in the members portal -ย HERE.


