Description
A rich and flavorful Creamy Chicken and Chorizo Pasta featuring tender chicken thighs, smoky Spanish chorizo, and a luscious creamy tomato sauce, perfect for a comforting Italian-inspired dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Chicken
- 200 grams dried pasta (or 300 grams fresh)
- 1 tablespoon flour (optional)
- 2 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Sauce
- 120 grams Spanish chorizo sliced into 0.5cm rounds
- ½ small red onion finely diced
- 2 - 3 fresh garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 40 grams Parmesan cheese very finely grated
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 handfuls baby spinach leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta: Boil the pasta according to package instructions, undercooking by one minute so it can finish cooking in the sauce. Reserve one cup of pasta water before draining.
- Prepare chicken: Dry chicken thighs with paper towels, season well with salt and pepper, and lightly dust with flour if using.
- Cook chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken thighs smooth side down and cook for 7 minutes, adjusting heat to avoid burning. Flip and cook another 5 minutes until cooked through. Set aside wrapped loosely in aluminum foil.
- Cook chorizo: In the same pan, cook chorizo for 3 to 4 minutes until lightly golden on each side.
- Sauté onion: Add red onion and a big pinch of salt to the pan; cook for 3 minutes until softened, lowering heat to avoid browning.
- Add garlic: Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds to release aroma.
- Build flavor base: Stir in tomato paste and paprika; cook for 2 minutes to develop flavors.
- Add cream and simmer: Pour in heavy cream and stir well. Bring to a gentle simmer without boiling, adjusting heat as needed.
- Incorporate pasta water: Add one-third cup of reserved pasta water and mix well; return to gentle simmer.
- Mix in Parmesan: Push chorizo to one side of the pan. Gradually add grated Parmesan in 2 to 3 portions, stirring to melt completely between additions.
- Add lemon juice: Whisk in lemon juice quickly to prevent curdling.
- Combine pasta and spinach: Add cooked pasta and baby spinach to the sauce. Stir and let it bubble gently for 1 to 2 minutes for the sauce to thicken and for spinach to wilt. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs stay juicier and are more forgiving than breast, but breast can be used with proper pan-frying technique.
- Flour: Dusting chicken with flour before pan-frying helps create a golden crust, but it is optional.
- Chorizo: Use cured Spanish chorizo (firm and sliced), not fresh Mexican chorizo, to render fat and add smoky flavor.
- Lemon Juice: Add lemon juice quickly at low heat to prevent the sauce from curdling; add it last with pasta if preferred.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
