Pasta with chorizo and chicken is a hearty and delicious dinner, loaded with flavor, and ready in just over 30 minutes. Tender white meat chicken, spicy chorizo, spinach, and gluten-free fusilli are bathed in a creamy, cheesy sauce to create the ultimate dinner.
Hearty, easy chicken recipes like this chorizo and chicken pasta or garlic parmesan chicken are great dinner ideas for a hungry family, with leftovers for lunches or another dinner the next day.
I love that because I not only have kids, but I have a super-busy life, so gluten-free main dishes that make less work for me are always welcome. You all know what I'm talking about!
Like my gluten-free pulled pork, this delicious creamy chicken pasta recipe makes a great dinner on the first night and a great lunch the next day. It's also full of bold flavor but not so strong that kids won't eat it. It's a great family meal that almost everyone will enjoy.
Oh, and pro tip. If you pair this chicken chorizo pasta with my arugula salad with pistachios, you'll enjoy a wide variety of flavors that work very well together.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: This recipe uses basic ingredients like chicken, pasta, chorizo, chicken broth, and seasonings. There are no specialty ingredients to track down.
- One pan: Once you have boiled the pasta, everything gets made in one pan, even the chicken.
- Hearty and Filling: The chicken breasts, pasta, and rich, creamy sauce with grated parmesan cheese make a hearty, filling meal that leaves even the biggest eaters satisfied.
- Great for Reheating: It's easy to reheat this creamy chorizo and chicken pasta, making it a great way to make a couple of nights' worth of dinner in one skillet.
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Ingredients
I prefer Springer Mountain Farms boneless skinless chicken breasts because of their quality and freshness. They also never use added hormones or antibiotics, and they're certified humane.
I also use Costabile olive oil in all my recipes, as well. I love its purity and flavor. Use Code: 15GoldenGK for 15% off.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact quantities.
Flavor Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken: This recipe can be made with chicken breasts or thighs. They both work very well.
- Other Protein: The flavors in this dish work well with pork or shrimp, as well.
- Regular Pasta: If you don't have food restrictions, feel free to use traditional pasta.
- Pasta Shapes: I use fusilli, but any short, textured noodles will work. For example, you could easily use penne pasta instead.
- Spicy: Add red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
- Dairy Free: Use plant cream or milk and dairy-free cheese to make this recipe dairy-free, as well.
How to Make Pasta with Chorizo and Chicken
Step 1. Pound the chicken to a uniform thickness and season with half the seasonings. Then, sear until cooked through and transfer to a plate. Cook the chorizo and tomato paste with the remaining seasonings in butter until fragrant. Then, add the flour, cream, and broth, mixing until a bubbly creamy sauce forms.
Step 2. Next, add the Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese and stir until completely melted. Continue cooking until the sauce reaches your desired thickness.
Step 3. Gently mix in the spinach and cooked pasta. Adjust with one tablespoon of reserved pasta water at a time, if necessary. Finally, serve with sliced chicken breasts on top.
Step 4. Or serve with the sliced chicken mixed in.
Expert Tips
- Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water to thin out the sauce if necessary. This natural starch from the pasta water will help keep the sauce from thinning too much as you adjust it.
- Only pound the chicken enough to thin it out to a uniform thickness. Focus on thinning out the thickest part of the breast. You're not making cutlets!
- To easily pound the chicken, place it between two pieces of parchment paper. Then, use the flat side of a mallet. This reduces mess and bacterial spread.
- Always wash your utensils and counters thoroughly after working with raw chicken.
- Be sure you only cook your pasta to al dente so it doesn't break apart when you stir it into the dish.
- Be sure the skillet is nice and hot so the chicken sears quickly, giving it a good color.
Pasta with Chorizo and Chicken FAQ
Quality gluten-free pasta is almost indiscernible from regular pasta. Most people don't even notice.
If you don't sear your chicken on high enough heat, it will cook too much while getting color. Then, when you finish cooking it, it will overcook, becoming tough.
Al dente pasta should be tender but still a bit firm. It should have just a bit of chew when you bite into it.
Pasta water helps thin the sauce without reducing its ability to cling to the pasta. This is thanks to the natural starch found in the pasta water.
More Delicious Chicken Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Pasta with Chorizo and Chicken
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Costabile olive oil
- 1 ½ lbs Springer Mountain Farms Chicken Breasts
- 3 small chorizo links
- 2 tablespoon OliveNation sweet smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon OliveNation garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic and herb seasoning
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups diced spinach
- 12 oz gluten-free fusilli
- 4 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoon gluten-free flour
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 6 oz shredded parmesan
- 6 oz mozzarella
- ¼ cup pasta water
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving ¼ cup of the pasta water.
- Place all the seasonings in a small bowl and mix well. Then, divide it evenly into two portions.
- Remove the casing from the chorizo and dice it into small cubes.
- Pound the chicken down to thin it out slightly, then season it on both sides with half of the seasoning.
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Then, sear the chicken for 5 minutes on each side. Once the chicken is seared, flip the breasts again and turn the heat to medium-low. Place a lid on the pan and cook the chicken for an additional 10 to 12 minutes.
- Remove the chicken breasts when their internal temperature reaches 165 degrees and place them onto a cutting board.
- Melt butter in the same pan and add the chorizo and tomato paste along with the other half of the seasoning. Stir well and simmer for 1 minute.
- Add the flour to the pan and stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan.
- Add the chicken broth and heavy cream, whisking until a smooth and creamy sauce has formed.
- Add the parmesan and mozzarella cheese and stir until completely melted. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until it reaches your desired thickness.
- Add the diced spinach, then pour in the pasta and toss well to coat evenly.
- Add pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time to thin out the sauce if necessary.
- Slice the chicken breasts and add them to the pasta. Stir carefully and enjoy!
Notes
- Refrigerate for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- Because this is a cream-based sauce, freezing is not recommended.
- Reheat the entire dish in a large saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed through.
- Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water to thin out the sauce if necessary. This natural starch from the pasta water will help keep the sauce from thinning too much as you adjust it.
- Only pound the chicken enough to thin it out to a uniform thickness. Focus on thinning out the thickest part of the breast. You're not making cutlets!
- To easily pound the chicken, place it between two pieces of parchment paper. Then, use the flat side of a mallet. This reduces mess and bacterial spread.
- Always wash your utensils and counters thoroughly after working with raw chicken.
- Be sure you only cook your pasta to al dente so it doesn't break apart when you stir it into the dish.
- Be sure the skillet is nice and hot so the chicken sears quickly, giving it a good color.
- Cook the noodles to al dente and rinse them with cold water after draining them to stop the cooking process. This ensures firm yet soft noodles that won't break apart when mixed into the sauce.
- For food safety, check your chicken with a meat thermometer. When it registers 165 degrees in the thickest part of the breast, it's done.
Gary Myers says
how much flour do you add? I don't see it in the ingredients list. Thanks
Nicole Kendrick says
Hello, the flour is down in the recipe card. It is 2 tbsp.
Lorraine says
Hi
This recipe is one of best dishes I have ever made.
It is so easy to make.
The whole family loved it.
Thank you for your recipes and easy to follow instructions.
5*****
Nicole Kendrick says
Thank you so much!!!
Wendy says
what is the amount of tomato paste - I don't see it listed in the ingredient list but it's in the instructions
Nicole Kendrick says
Hello, thank you for catching that. I updated it, 3 tbsp!
Yasmin C says
I made this for me and my family, we absolutely loved it, got seconds and had no left overs😋
NKendrick says
Thank you so much for sharing!
Thomas says
Was soo good and super easy to make too!
StephMars says
Made this for dinner last night, my daughter had sent me this recipe and I decided to give it a try, SO glad I did! I followed the recipe as written. The Chorizo is a wonderful touch, it adds a nice layer to the dish. The chicken was nice and moist! This will now be a staple recipe in my household. Fair to say I also gave some to my neighbor and she also said it was AMAZING! So easy to make, great for meal prep too! Thank you for this amazing dish, it’s simple but it’s too good!
NKendrick says
Thank you so much for sharing your feedback! I love that it was enjoyed by everyone!
Jeffrey Stafford says
I saw this on Instagram and thought I would try it. Put it together last night and was not disappointed. The sauce is super creamy and tastes great. Don’t be stingy with the chorizo, I held back but will definitely use more the next time. Looking forward to some leftovers for lunch today and trying more recipes from Nicole.
NKendrick says
So happy you found it there and came to the site!!! Thank you for the great review!
Bernice says
Such a comforting and easy family dinner. Loved the combination of chorizo with chicken and the creamy sauce tying it all together. Clean plates all around!