This creamy chicken and chorizo pasta is everything you need – it’s smoky, savory, and perfectly creamy, making it a hit for any night of the week. The tender chicken is paired with flavorful chorizo in a rich, creamy sauce with added veggies like red bell pepper and spinach. Plus, this recipe comes together in under 45 minutes.
The first time I told a friend that I was working on a recipe for pasta with chicken and chorizo he looked at me like I had two heads. Chicken and chorizo? Why not just one or the other?
The answer? Incredible flavor. I like to serve this with a classic house salad. If you’re looking for other delicious pasta recipes, I also love making Rapini Pasta or Pasta with cherry tomatoes and garlic.
📋 Ingredients you’ll need
Let’s talk about the ingredients. Each component is crucial in building the rich, smoky, creamy flavors in the dish plus a dose of vegetables. Here’s what you’ll need.
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Cut into bite-sized chunks for tender and juicy bites. Feel free to use chicken breast if that’s what you have on hand.
- Cured chorizo Also cut into bite-sized chunks, this is the ingredient infuses the dish with a deep, smoky flavor.
- Tubular pasta like rigatoni works perfectly to hold the creamy sauce, but penne is a great alternative too.
- A blend of garlic, onion and oregano are the aromatics that help build a flavorful base for the dish.
- For vegetables, the pasta features red bell pepper, which adds a hint of sweetness to the sauce, and is finished off with a couple handfuls of spinach.
- Tomato paste not only gives the sauce its vibrant color but also enhances the umami flavor, perfectly complementing the chorizo
- A rich combination of chicken broth and heavy cream creates a luxurious, creamy, velvety sauce.
- Not pictured, olive oil for sauteing the ingredients.
🔪 Step by step instructions
This pasta is straightforward to make.
Cook pasta according to package directions, reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and chorizo with ¼ teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes and the chorizo is slightly crispy, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
Add the diced onion, red bell pepper, and a ¼ teaspoon of salt, cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Reduce the heat to medium and add the tomato paste to the pan, stirring to coat the vegetables. Cook another 2 minutes, until it’s a deep red color.
Pour in the chicken broth, heavy cream, stirring to combine. Add the oregano and remaining salt. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly.
Return the chicken and chorizo to the pan, stirring to coat in the sauce. Continue cooking another 2-3 minutes.
Add the cooked pasta and spinach to the sauce, toss to coat in the sauce. Add reserved pasta water, about ¼ cup at a time, until the sauce is glossy.
Serve with parmesan cheese.
📖 Variations
There are a few different variations you can make of this recipe.
- Veggie loaded: Add more vegetables like sliced mushrooms or sliced zucchini.
- Less meat: You could omit the chicken and opt for only chorizo, this ensures you still have all of the flavor while making it a little more vegetable forward.
- Spicy: Amp up the spice by adding chili flakes when you saute the onions. You could also add a tablespoon of chipotle in adobo when you add the tomato paste.
💭 Cooking tips
- Don’t forget the pasta water! I’ve been guilty of this before, so keep it top of mine! When draining the pasta, reserve at least one cup of the pasta water. This starchy water is crucial for adjusting the sauce’s consistency, making it glossy and helping it cling to the pasta better. You’ll add the sauce gradually, a splash at a time (about ¼ of a cup) until you reach your desired sauce consistency.
- Make sure the pasta is al dente. The pasta will continue to cook slightly in the sauce, so I recommend erring on the side of undercooking the pasta before adding it to the sauce.
Creamy Chicken and Chorizo Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb rigatoni or penne
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized chunks
- 6 ounces cured chorizo, cut into bite-sized chunks
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups fresh spinach
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and chorizo along with ¼ teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned and cooked through and the chorizo is slightly crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add the diced onion, red bell pepper, and another ¼ teaspoon of salt in the same pan. Cook until the vegetables are softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Stir in the tomato paste, coating the vegetables. Cook for another 2 minutes until the tomato paste turns a deep red color.
- Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream, stirring to combine and scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the oregano and the remaining salt. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly.
- Return the cooked chicken and chorizo to the pan, stirring to coat them in the sauce. Continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add the cooked pasta and spinach to the sauce, tossing to coat everything evenly. Gradually add the reserved pasta water, about ¼ cup at a time, until the sauce reaches a glossy, creamy consistency.
- Serve the creamy chicken and chorizo pasta immediately, garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Cook your pasta to al dente, or a little under. The pasta will continue cooking in the sauce, so I recommend erring on the side of undercooking the pasta.
- When draining the pasta, reserve at least one cup of pasta water, this starchy water is crucial for adjusting the sauce’s consistency, making it glossy and helping it cling to the pasta better. You’ll add the sauce gradually, a splash at a time (about ¼ of a cup) until you reach your desired sauce consistency.
Shirley Clements