Chicken and Chorizo Pasta

Name: Chicken and Chorizo Pasta
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 60 g chorizo sausage ((sliced)); 400 g boneless skinless chicken breast or chicken thigh ((cut in bite sized pieces)); 20 g butter ((optional)); 1 red onion ((sliced)); 1 red bell pepper ((sliced)); 2 cloves garlic ((finely chopped)); 2 medium tomatoes ((chopped)); ½ tbsp cajun spices; ½ TSP freshly ground black pepper; 1 TSP salt; 30 g mascarpone cheese ((optional)); 150 ml double cream or heavy cream; 100 g parmesan cheese ((grated)); 2 tbsp chopped parsley; 400 g pasta ((rigatoni, penne or ziti))

Jump to Recipe

Chicken and Chorizo Pasta is a comforting dish made with juicy chicken pieces and smoky chorizo sausages cooked in a creamy tomato sauce.

This super flavourful pasta is ready in just 20 minutes, a perfect weekday meal for the family after a busy day at work!

creamy and spicy chicken and chorizo pasta

This perfectly flavored Chicken and Chorizo Pasta dish makes a great family meal when served with a bowl of salad (try my Rocket and Parmesan Salad or Greek Cucumber Salad) and Little Caesars Italian Cheese Bread.

Why This Recipe Works?

This creamy pasta dish is very quick and extremely easy, it's ready in 20 minutes!

Chicken and Chorizo Pasta is hearty, delicious, and made with fresh ingredients.

You can freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months.

Same as Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese (Baked) and Spicy and Creamy Swedish Meatball Pasta, it's a great pasta dish that the whole family would enjoy.

Ingredients and Substitutes

Labelled picture of ingredients for chicken and chorizo pasta

What Type of Chorizo Do I Use?

Chorizo is a cured meat that you can eat without cooking or use as an ingredient to add flavor to other dishes.

The leaner varieties can be served at room temperature as an appetizer or tapas, whereas the fattier versions are generally used for cooking.

Chorizo is the main flavoring for this pasta dish so I prefer good quality, fresh Spanish chorizo sausage from my local deli shop.

Alternatively, you can buy it from your supermarket's charcuterie section. Sucuk (Turkish spicy sausage) is a great alternative for non-pork eaters.

What Type of Pasta Do I Use?

Tubular-shaped pasta such as penne, rigatoni, or ziti works great with this hearty tomato-based sauce.

However, you can use any type of pasta available to you!

You can also use fresh pasta for this recipe, simply reduce the cooking time as fresh pasta cooks much quicker than dried versions.

Other ingredients you will need for making a Chicken and Chorizo Pasta dish are:

Chicken - I use boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces in this recipe. You can use chicken breasts if you prefer. If your chicken is frozen, make sure to defrost or thaw it before using it. The leftovers from Baked Chicken Leg Quarters also would work perfectly with this recipe.

Red Onions - I like using red onions in this dish for their sweetness but you can substitute them with shallots or regular onions.

Red Peppers - You can use bell peppers or Romano peppers as well as yellow or orange peppers.

Garlic - Fresh garlic is a great flavoring that adds sweetness and nuttiness to dishes. Turn it into a paste with a Mortar and Pestle or grate it using a Microplane Zester Grater. You can use garlic purée or powder if you don't have any fresh garlic.

Tomatoes - I like using red & juicy summer tomatoes when they are available. Cherry tomatoes are also great for this sauce. Remove the eye of the tomatoes and cut them into small dice before adding them to the sauce.

Double Cream - It's also known as heavy cream. You can use single cream for a lighter option, just make sure you reduce it to a thick consistency for a velvety sauce.

Mascarpone Cheese - It adds extra creaminess to the sauce but you can skip it and add extra cream instead if you prefer.

Parmesan Cheese - Freshly grate the parmesan cheese just before using and stay away from grated parmesan as it won't melt smoothly. You can also use pecorino cheese.

Spices - Adjust the amount to your taste. You can use smoked paprika for a smokier taste or add chili flakes for more heat.

Parsley - It is the perfect match for this pasta dish. You can also use basil, chervil, or marjoram.

How to Make Chicken and Chorizo Pasta?

It is very easy to make this delicious pasta dish and to achieve the best results, you need to follow a few simple steps:

Start by cooking the pasta in boiling salty water following the instructions on the packaging.

Depending on the type of pasta you use, this usually takes 8-12 minutes.

Place a wok or a large pan on medium heat then add the chorizo sausages.

Cook the chorizos for a couple of minutes until they are crispy and have released their fat, and set them aside on a plate.

Brown the chicken pieces in two batches on the same wok with the fat from the chorizo.

Add some butter if there isn't enough fat or remove some using a spoon if there is too much.

Set them aside on a plate.

cooking the chicken pieces in the same wok

Sauté the sliced onions in the same wok, and add some more butter if necessary.

Add the peppers and sauté for another minute before adding garlic.

Cook the garlic for 30 seconds and then add the tomatoes along with the cajun spices, black pepper, and salt.

Stir well and cook for a few minutes and then stir in the mascarpone cheese.

mascarpone cheese is added to the tomatoes and peppers

Add the double cream and simmer the sauce for a few minutes.

Return the chicken pieces and chorizo to the wok, cook for a few more minutes, and then add the parmesan cheese.

the chicken and chorizo are added to the pan

Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce, cook the pasta for a couple of more minutes in the sauce.

Add chopped parsley to pasta, and give it a good stir.

Garnish with some more parmesan cheese and parsley before serving.

Chicken and chorizo pasta is garnished with parmesan and parsley before serving

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

Top Tips From the Chef

Make sure you put plenty of salt in your pasta water and keep a small cup of it when you’re draining the pasta. If your pasta sauce is too thick, stir in a little of the water to make it smooth & velvety again.

When cooking your pasta, make sure to use plenty of salt for the pasta water. Also, make sure the water is boiling before adding the pasta to it.

Adjust the amount of seasoning you add to your sauce depending on the saltiness of the chorizo sausage you use.

What to Serve With Chicken and Chorizo Pasta?

Garnish your pasta with chopped parsley, freshly grated parmesan cheese, and/or freshly ground black pepper before serving.

Make sure to add a nice bowl of salad such as Beetroot and Feta Salad, Ezme Salad (Acili Ezme), and Rocket Salad With Parmesan.

Recipe FAQs

Can you freeze Chicken and Chorizo Pasta?

Yes, this pasta dish freezes beautifully and keeps for up to 3 months in the freezer. Make sure you completely thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating it.

How to store the leftovers?

You can keep this pasta dish in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Alternatively, you can freeze it for up to 3 months.

How to reheat leftover pasta?

You can reheat any leftover pasta dish in a microwave. Place the pasta in a microwave-safe dish and reheat it for 1½ to 2 minutes, checking and stirring it gently every 30 seconds.

Related Recipes

For other great pasta recipes why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making this flavorsome Chicken and Chorizo Pasta dish as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂

Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!

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