Chicken and Chorizo Pasta

This Chicken and Chorizo Pasta is made with juicy pan fried chicken and a creamy tomato sauce. It’s quick, easy and absolutely bursting with flavour! Perfect for a hearty family dinner.

Chorizo Pasta with Chicken

We’ll get to the chorizo pasta part in just a sec, but firstly let’s talk chicken.

For best results you’ll want to get 2 breasts and pan fry them. We’re also going to season them with Italian herbs, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. Fry the breasts both sides until beautifully golden, then lay to rest. Laying to rest is important as it helps retain some of the juices after frying. Because who the heck enjoys dry chicken!?

After, it’s time to slice up the chicken. I like to lay it on top of the pasta (like the photo above) just because it’s pretty 🥰 Then I mix it in and eat it like an absolute maniac. The contrast is beautiful.

How to Pan Fry Chicken for Pasta (quick summary)

1. Bring two chicken breasts to room temp.
2. Coat in olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and black pepper.
3. Fry over medium heat until golden.
4. Flip and cook until white through the centre.

Creamy Tomato Chorizo Pasta

The base of this sauce is tomato, but I like to add a steady helping of cream too. Apart from the fact I love cream in just about everything, I find that in this recipe it mellows out the spice of the chorizo and sweetens the tang of the tomatoes.

When it comes to what pasta to use, I usually opt for linguine. I love the way this allows the creamy tomato sauce to ooze in and out of the noodles, and makes the perfect bed of pasta for the chicken to sit on. However, you can totally use whatever pasta you like.

How to make Chorizo Pasta (quick summary)

1. Fry onion, sun dried tomatoes and garlic.
2. Add chorizo slices.
3. Pour in tomato passata. Add fresh parsley and basil.
4. Pour in cream. Add smoked paprika, salt and pepper.
5. Add linguine.
6. Toss to combine.

From there like I said, I lay the chicken on top. This way it’s perfect to bring to the dinner table and serve up from there. Doesn’t look quite as striking when the chicken is mixed in straight away! 

Oh, and grate that parmesan over the top like there’s no tomorrow. Serve with roasted garlic bread!

Hey, whilst you’re here why not check out my other recipes?

Family Pasta Recipes

• Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
• Penne Arrabita with Smoked Sausage
• Cheesy Meatball Pasta Bake
• Creamy Mushroom Pasta
• Penne Alfredo with Bacon and Sun Dried Tomato

Recipes using Chorizo

• Chorizo Sausage Rolls
• Spanish Chicken Tray Bake
• Breakfast Burritos
• Spanish Style Chicken Orzo

Alright, let’s tuck into this chicken chorizo pasta recipe shall we?

How to make Chicken and Chorizo Pasta (Full Recipe & Video)

Chicken and Chorizo Pasta

This Chicken and Chorizo Pasta is made juicy pan fried chicken and a creamy tomato sauce. It's quick, easy and absolutely bursting with flavour! Makes 4 big portions.

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 607kcal

Author: Chris Collins

Cost per serving: £4 / $5

Equipment

• 12" frying pan
• Sharp Knife
• Chopping Board
• Pasta Tongs
• Wooden Spoon
• Large Pot (for boiling pasta)

Ingredients

Chicken:

• 2x 5oz/150g Chicken Breasts (see notes)
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1.5 tsp Dried Italian Herbs
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper

Chorizo Pasta:

• 12.3oz / 350g Linguine, or pasta of choice
• 1x 24oz/700g jar of Tomato Passata (pureed/crushed tomatoes in US)
• 5oz / 150g Chorizo, sliced
• 3/4 cup / 75g Sun Dried Tomatoes, finely diced
• 1/2 cup / 125ml Heavy/Double Cream
• 1 medium Onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp Garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp Fresh Basil, finely diced
• 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley, finely diced + extra to serve
• 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
• Salt & Black Pepper, to taste
• Olive Oil, for frying
• Parmesan, to serve

Instructions

• Coat your chicken in 1.5 tsp Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and 1 tbsp olive oil. Fry both sides over medium heat for 4-5mins, or until golden on the outside and white through the centre (with the juices running clear). Place to one side to rest. When ready, slice into strips, ensuring you slice at an angle and against the grain.
• Place your pasta in salted boiling water and cook until al dente.
• Meanwhile, add oil as needed to the pan, then add your onion. Fry for a few minutes until they pick up colour, then add your sun dried tomatoes and garlic. Cook for a few minutes longer, then push to the outside of the pan.
• In the centre, add your chorizo and leave to fry for a few minutes until it begins to crisp. Flip, cook for a couple of minutes longer, then incorporate with the onion, garlic and sun dried tomatoes.
• Pour in your passata, and shake out the bottle with a splash of water. Stir in basil, parsley, 1/2 cup / 125ml cream, then season with 1/2 tsp smoked paprika and salt & pepper to taste. Bring to a gentle simmer and add your pasta. Serve with chicken on top or use pasta tongs to combine. Serve with a generous helping of parmesan and a sprinkle of parsley.

Quick 1 min demo!

Notes

a) Chicken Breast - If your chicken breasts are particularly large, consider slicing them both through the centre to create 4 thinner breasts (just so they cook evenly). You could also cover in cling film and bash with a rolling pin to flatten slightly. In all instances, cooking times will vary depending on the thickness of the breast, so just be vigilant as you cook.

b) Oil - The 1 tbsp is enough to fry the chicken, after that I usually add around 1 tsp extra to fry the onions. When you fry the chorizo it will release more oil. Depending on the variety of chorizo, it may release a lot of oil. A couple of tsp's worth is fine, but anything over I would drain away some before pouring in the tomato passata.

c) Dried Herbs - The reason I use fresh basil and parsley is that they tend to infuse better when cooking times are fast. You'll only need to simmer the sauce for 5mins or so before you add the pasta, which isn't enough time for dried herbs to really work their magic in the sauce. Also, fresh parsley to garnish is of course preferred. 

d) Calories - based on sharing between 4 people, using 1 tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil, all the chorizo fat and no parmesan.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Chicken and Chorizo Pasta

Amount Per Serving

Calories 607 Calories from Fat 296

% Daily Value*

Fat 32.86g51%

Saturated Fat 13.271g66%

Trans Fat 0.007g

Polyunsaturated Fat 3.157g

Monounsaturated Fat 13.735g

Cholesterol 155mg52%

Sodium 1132mg47%

Potassium 1367mg39%

Carbohydrates 45.53g15%

Fiber 6.5g26%

Sugar 13.59g15%

Protein 35.4g71%

Vitamin A 2600IU52%

Vitamin C 26.4mg32%

Calcium 130mg13%

Iron 5.6mg31%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition is based on the absence of salt unless stated as a measurement in the ingredients. Cost is worked out based on ingredients bought from UK supermarkets, then divided by the number of servings. In both instances these values are just for guidance. Please check out my FAQ Page for more info.

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