Chicken Smoked Sausage & Grilled Vegetable Skillet

Chicken Smoked Sausage & Grilled Vegetable Skillet

Serves: 4

Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 15 minutes | Total: 25 minutes

 

A fast, colorful skillet dinner that leans lighter without giving anything up. Opa's Chicken Sausage with Poblano Chile and Monterey Jack Cheese brings enough character on its own that the vegetables can stay simple — just good olive oil, a little char, and a squeeze of lemon at the end to wake everything up. This is a weeknight dinner that looks like you planned it and takes less time than deciding what to order.

Ingredients

•  4 links (1 package) Opa's Chicken Sausage with Poblano Chile and Monterey Jack Cheese, sliced into ½-inch medallions

•  1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips

•  1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into strips

•  1 orange bell pepper, sliced into strips

•  1 small zucchini, sliced into ½-inch rounds

•  ½ red onion, sliced into wedges

•  2 tbsp olive oil

•  2 cloves garlic, minced

•  1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

•  ½ tsp smoked paprika

•  ½ tsp dried oregano

•  Salt and black pepper to taste

•  1 lemon, cut into wedges

•  Fresh basil or parsley for garnish

 

Instructions

1. Brown the sausage. Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium heat. Add the sausage medallions and cook 3–4 minutes per side until golden and lightly charred. Remove and set aside.

2. Cook the vegetables. In the same skillet, add the olive oil and garlic. Add the peppers, zucchini, and red onion. Cook 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender with a slight char on the edges. Don't crowd the pan — the vegetables need room to brown, not steam.

3. Season and deglaze. Sprinkle the smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper over the vegetables and stir to coat. Add the balsamic vinegar and let it sizzle for about 30 seconds — it will reduce into a light glaze that coats the vegetables and adds a subtle sweetness.

4. Combine. Return the sausage to the pan and cook another 2–3 minutes until everything is heated through.

5. Finish. Transfer to a serving platter, squeeze one lemon wedge over the top, and garnish with fresh basil or parsley. Serve the remaining lemon wedges on the side.

 

Three Ways to Serve It

Over steamed rice for a clean, light dinner. On a bed of roasted potatoes or quinoa for something heartier. Sliced into a warm tortilla with a drizzle of sour cream for a quick weeknight taco. Or straight from the skillet with crusty bread — the simplest version and honestly the best one.

 

The balsamic vinegar at the end is the move that takes this from a basic sausage-and-vegetable pan to something that tastes intentional. It deglazes the pan, adds a touch of sweetness, and gives the vegetables a subtle glaze. One tablespoon. Fifteen seconds. Worth it every time.

 

opassmokedmeats.com