This is a simple, quick, economical, and easy meal you can make in a skillet on the top of your stove. The dish is full of vegetables as well as mild Italian chicken sausages, so you won't need many extras on the side. A salad and some bread would be a gracious plenty. The skillet meal is incredibly tasty for something so simple. The vegetables add plenty of extra flavor, and the pierogies are pure comfort food. I use cheese and potato pierogies, but use the kind you like. A little sour cream to finish the dish provides extra creaminess and a nice tang. Shaved Parmesan adds even more flavor to the dish. Enjoy!
Chicken Sausages and Pierogies -- Serves 4
2-3 teaspoons of canola or olive oil
1/2 of a medium/large onion, chopped (about 1/2 a cup)
1/2 of a medium/large sweet red bell pepper chopped (about 1/2 a cup)
6-8 mushrooms, chopped
12-ounce package of Italian-style, fully-cooked chicken or turkey sausages
2-5 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 cups of hot water
16-ounce package of frozen pierogies (cheese and onion or other)
4 ounces of fresh spinach (about half an 8-ounce bag)
1 tablespoon of cornstarch or potato starch mixed with 1/4 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 - 3/4 cup of light sour cream (or use regular!)
1/4 cup of shaved Parmesan cheese
In a large non-stick skillet or chef's pan heat the oil until it's hot. Add the onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms to the pan and saute them for about 5 minutes or until they soften a bit. Add the sausages to the pan and brown them a few minutes, while the veggies continue to cook. Stir in the garlic and let it cook with the rest of the ingredients for a minute or so. Stir in the water and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in the pierogies and bring the mixture back to a boil. Turn down the heat to a simmer, partially cover the pan, and let the mixture cook for about 5 minutes or until the pierogies are cooked through and the liquid has reduced by about 1/4 - 1/3. Stir in the spinach, a little at a time until it wilts into the mixture. Stir in the cornstarch or potato starch mixture gently until the sauce thickens. Add salt and pepper to your taste. Turn off the heat and stir in the sour cream. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top of the mixture. You can cover the pan for a minute or two to hasten the melting of the cheese before you serve the sausages with the pierogies and sauce.
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