Who doesn’t love pasta? It’s the go-to comfort food we all crave. This creamy chicken and chorizo pasta is the epitome of just that!
It’s creamy, it's cheesy and it's packed with savoury notes balanced by the tanginess of sun-dried tomatoes. For us, it ticks all the boxes!
Bold, silky and luxurious, this pasta comes together in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for a quick weeknight meal but equally fitting for a romantic weekend dinner.
Pair it with a fresh salad, garlic bread and a crisp, cold wine.
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If you love a quick and easy pasta dish as much as we do, have a look at our Mongolian ground beef noodle recipe. Or have a gander at this collection of our favourite pasta recipes.
What's to love about this recipe?
- Simple to make, 30 minutes from start to finish.
- Perfect for busy weeknights or dressed up for date night with a crisp wine and a pretty salad.
- Elegant and sophisticated, perfect if you're out to impress!
- The sauce is rich, creamy and incredibly flavourful.
- Easy to customise with your favourite herbs and spices.
Key ingredient notes and substitutions
**Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe and list of ingredients.
The Pasta
We love using Rigatoni - it looks great and adds a touch of elegance to the dish.
Nonetheless, feel free to opt for your favourite pasta - Pappardelle, fettuccine or penne pasta all make excellent alternatives.
Chicken thighs (skinless, boneless)
We urge you to stick to chicken thighs rather than chicken breasts. Thighs are much juicier and more flavorful, unlike breasts which can often be dry and bland.
Chorizo
You can either slice a ring of chorizo into small cubes or opt for pre-diced chorizo.
As a tip, we’ve found that freshly diced chorizo tends to be softer and fresher, while the pre-cubed variety is often dry and hard.
Feel free to use either a spicy or mild chorizo variety.
Sundried tomatoes
The jarred sundried tomatoes preserved in oil are ideal for this recipe.
Make sure to drain them from the oil, though the small amount of residual oil clinging to the tomatoes imparts extra flavour and silkiness to the pasta.
Please note that the 170g (6oz) of sundried tomatoes mentioned in the recipe refers to their weight after being drained of oil. This is roughly equivalent to one cup of drained sundried tomatoes.
The herbs
Our recipe calls for both dried basil and dried oregano but experiment with your favourite combination of Italian seasoning, like using all basil or all oregano.
Alternatively, try Herbs de Provence or swap dried herbs for fresh herbs.
Additionally, for a bit of a kick, you can add red pepper flakes too.
The recipe does include a substantial amount of garlic, so consider your in-person meeting schedule for the next day!
Opt for either fresh garlic or save time with garlic paste.
Parmesan
We appreciate that Parmesan can sometimes come with a hefty price tag.
In that case, don't hesitate to explore alternatives such as Grana Padano, Pecorino Romano, Parmigiano Reggiano or Piave, all of which offer a similar hard and robust cheese flavour.
Don't shy away from the sachets of pre-grated hard cheese either. They're cost-effective, get the job done and save you the time and effort of grating.
Top Tip
Avoid cooking the pasta too far ahead of the sauce.
If it cools down too much, it can become congealed and soft, making it tricky to mix into the sauce without breaking or sticking together.
It's better to let the sauce wait for the pasta, not the other way around.
Step-by-step instructions
1. In a large pot of water, cook the pasta following the package directions until al dente. Make sure to generously season the pasta water with salt. As a guide, you will need just under 1 tablespoon of salt for this amount of pasta.
(You can start on the chicken and the sauce while the pasta cooks)
2. Drain the cooked pasta thoroughly in a colander.
3. Coat the diced chicken pieces with the salt, black pepper and smoked paprika.
4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan (large skillet) over medium-high heat and add the chicken and chorizo.
5. Sauté the chicken pieces and diced chorizo until they are golden brown on all sides and fully cooked, approximately 6-8 minutes.
6. Transfer the cooked chicken and chorizo to a bowl, cover with foil to keep it warm and set it aside until needed.
7. In the same pan, melt the butter and add the chopped onions.
(Yes, the pan will be coated in a vibrant orange oil from the paprika chicken. Don't pour it out, we need it for flavour and colour)
8. Cook the onions over medium-low heat until softened and lightly browned, approximately 4 minutes.
9. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
10. Next, pour in the chicken stock (chicken broth) and allow it to simmer for 1 minute. Scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze, incorporating any flavorful bits of onion and chicken that may be sticking.
11. Add the drained sundried tomatoes, dried basil, dried oregano and balsamic vinegar.
12. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, gently stirring, until the tomatoes start to soften. Gently break the tomatoes into smaller pieces with your spoon/spatula as you stir.
13. Pour in the heavy cream (double cream) and stir over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until the cream comes to a gentle simmer.
14. Sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese and stir it through the sauce.
15. Add the cooked chicken and chorizo back into the pan and combine it with the sauce. Cook for 1 minute.
16. Lastly, tip in the drained pasta.
17. Using two spoons, gently lift and mix the pasta into the sauce until every piece is covered. Ensure an even spread of chicken, chorizo and sun-dried tomato pieces throughout the pasta.
18. Top with torn, fresh basil leaves, an additional sprinkle of Parmesan and a generous grind of black pepper.
Helpful tips on cooking pasta well
- Opt for your largest saucepan when cooking pasta. A cramped space may cause the pasta to stick together.
- Ensure the saucepan is filled with ample water. Insufficient water can cause the pasta to stick together and cook unevenly. When in doubt, add more water than you think you need.
- Add a generous amount of salt to the cooking water. For a pound of pasta, aim for at least a tablespoon of salt.
- When cooking strand-like pasta such as Pappardelle, gently separate the pasta 'nests' with a fork as soon as they start to soften (approximately 2-3 minutes after reaching boiling point).
Failing to separate the strands at the beginning may result in them sticking together after cooking, which is not very appealing. - That being said, always give ALL types of pasta a quick stir when the water starts to simmer. This will prevent the pasta from sticking together and it will cook more evenly.
Serving suggestions
- Pair with white wine like Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.
- Garlic bread.
- Italian salad like Panzanella Toscana.
- Crusty Italian bread or breadsticks for dipping into the creamy sauce.
- Create a small antipasto platter with olives, artichoke hearts and cured meats for a Mediterranean touch.
- Roasted, fried or grilled vegetables such as fried courgettes and roasted tenderstem broccoli.
Storage and reheating
Allow the pasta to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Store it in the fridge within 2 hours of cooking. It will keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To reheat the pasta, you can use either the microwave or stovetop. If the pasta seems a bit dry, consider adding a splash of water or cream to loosen it up.
When freezing, keep in mind that pasta may become slightly mushy upon thawing. Freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
Recipe
Creamy Chicken and Chorizo Pasta
Ingredients
- 400 grams (14oz) rigatoni - or pasta of choice like pappardelle, fettuccine etc
- 600 grams (1⅓lb) skinless, boneless chicken thighs - cut into bite-sized chunks
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon oil for frying
- 150 grams (5oz) chorizo - diced into small cubes
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 teaspoons chopped garlic/garlic paste - roughly 6 cloves
- 120 millilitre (½ cup) chicken stock - made up with one stock cube
- 170 grams (1 cup/6oz) sun-dried tomatoes in oil - weight is after drained from oil
- 1½ teaspoons dried basil
- 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 300 millilitre (1 and ¼ cup) double cream - USA heavy cream
- 100 grams (3½oz) grated parmesan cheese
- fresh basil for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot of water, cook the pasta following the package directions until al dente. Make sure to generously season the pasta water with salt. As a guide, you will need just under 1 tablespoon of salt for this amount of pasta.(You can start on the chicken and the sauce while the pasta cooks)400 grams (14oz) rigatoni
- Drain the cooked pasta thoroughly in a colander.
- Coat the diced chicken pieces with the salt, black pepper and smoked paprika.600 grams (1⅓lb) skinless, boneless chicken thighs, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan (large skillet) over medium-high heat and add the chicken and chorizo.1 tablespoon oil for frying, 150 grams (5oz) chorizo
- Sauté the chicken pieces and diced chorizo until they are golden brown on all sides and fully cooked, approximately 6-8 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked chicken and chorizo to a bowl, cover with foil to keep it warm and set it aside until needed.
- In the same pan, melt the butter and add the chopped onions.(Yes, the pan will be coated in a vibrant orange oil from the paprika chicken. Don't pour it out, we need it for flavour and colour)2 tablespoons butter, 1 medium onion, diced
- Cook the onions over medium-low heat until softened and lightly browned, approximately 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.4 teaspoons chopped garlic/garlic paste
- Next, pour in the chicken stock (chicken broth) and allow it to simmer for 1 minute. Scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze, incorporating any flavorful bits of onion and chicken that may be sticking.120 millilitre (½ cup) chicken stock
- Add the drained sundried tomatoes, dried basil, dried oregano and balsamic vinegar.170 grams (1 cup/6oz) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, 1½ teaspoons dried basil, 1½ teaspoons dried oregano, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, gently stirring, until the tomatoes start to soften. Gently break the tomatoes into smaller pieces with your spoon/spatula as you stir.
- Pour in the heavy cream (double cream) and stir over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until the cream comes to a gentle simmer.300 millilitre (1 and ¼ cup) double cream
- Sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese and stir it through the sauce.100 grams (3½oz) grated parmesan cheese
- Add the cooked chicken and chorizo back into the pan and combine it with the sauce. Cook for 1 minute.
- Lastly, tip in the drained pasta.
- Using two spoons, gently lift and mix the pasta into the sauce until every piece is covered. Ensure an even spread of chicken, chorizo and sun-dried tomato pieces throughout the pasta.
- Top with torn, fresh basil leaves, an additional sprinkle of Parmesan and a generous grind of black pepper.fresh basil for serving
Notes
Top Tip
Avoid cooking the pasta too far ahead of the sauce. If it cools down too much, it can become congealed and soft, making it tricky to mix into the sauce without breaking or sticking together. It's better to let the sauce wait for the pasta, not the other way around.Helpful tips on cooking pasta well
- Opt for your largest saucepan when cooking pasta. A cramped space may cause the pasta to stick together.
- Ensure the saucepan is filled with ample water. Insufficient water can cause the pasta to stick together and cook unevenly. When in doubt, add more water than you think you need.
- Add a generous amount of salt to the cooking water. For a pound of pasta, aim for at least a tablespoon of salt.
- When cooking strand-like pasta such as Pappardelle, gently separate the pasta 'nests' with a fork as soon as they start to soften (approximately 2-3 minutes after reaching boiling point). Failing to separate the strands at the beginning may result in them sticking together after cooking, which is not very appealing.
- That being said, always give ALL types of pasta a quick stir when the water starts to simmer. This will prevent the pasta from sticking together and it will cook more evenly.
**Nutritional data disclaimer**
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is calculated by a third party and we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We try our best to give you the most accurate information, but we do not take responsibility for errors that may be present. Also, the nutritional value of the recipe may change depending on the exact brands and products used. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalised advice on your dietary needs.
Nutrition
For food safety advice, including guidance on food allergies
Bianca says
YES!! Absolutely loved it, the whole fam did. Very tasty.
Maretha Corbett says
Hey Bianca,
So pleased you enjoyed the recipe. It's a regular in our house! Thanks for the feedback.