Chicken and Chorizo Pasta
This chicken and chorizo pasta is bursting with umami flavors. It's so delicious, you will make this pasta over and over again. Best of all, this easy pasta recipe can be ready in about 30 minutes.
Equipment
- a large skillet (12-inch or larger)
- a pair of Kitchen tongs
Ingredients
- 6 oz Spanish chorizo
- 8 oz dried penne
- 2 boneless and skinless chicken breasts, cubed, (about 6 oz each)
- 1½ cups diced yellow onion
- 1½ tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon white sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1½ teaspoons dried oregano, (add more according to your taste)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, (and more for serving)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- black pepper , (to taste)
Optional:
- red chili pepper flakes, (to taste)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil then season with salt(see notes). Cook the penne until al dente. Reserve at least ½ cup of pasta water for later use.
- In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Cook the chorizo and stir often for 1-2 minutes, until slightly crispy. Transfer to a plate.
- Add cubed chicken, season with salt and black pepper, and cook until the meat is almost done. Transfer to a plate.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan, cook the onion until soft on medium heat, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir just until fragrant. Add the tomato paste, stir for 1 minute. Add sugar and stir to combine.
- Add the diced tomatoes. Use a spatula to crush most of the tomato chunks and gently scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan to prevent burning.
- Add heavy cream, oregano, and ½ cup of pasta water. Simmer for 3 minutes or until reduced and slightly thickened.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Whisk in butter and parmesan cheese. Add the chorizo, simmer for 2 minutes or longer until the sauce is thickened and creamy to your liking and enough to cover the pasta. Add salt, black pepper, and red chili pepper flakes if needed.
- Add the chicken and simmer for 1-2 minutes or until the meat is fully cooked. Add the pasta and toss to combine.
Notes
Salted water. For this recipe, I used about 1 tablespoon of kosher salt per 8 cups of water.
Parmesan cheese. Remember to always grate fresh parmesan cheese blocks on your own instead of using the store-bought pre-grated cheese to avoid a gritty and grainy sauce.
Sauce. Do not let the sauce come to a boil. The sauce should stay below a boiling point. Let it simmer to reduce and bring out more of the flavor and to prevent gritty or grainy sauce. Please keep in mind that the sauce will get thicker as it sits.
Chicken. Don't overcook the chicken. As mentioned in step #3, you only need to pan-sear the chicken until it's almost cooked. That way we can continue cooking them in the sauce to allow the meat to absorb flavor from the sauce without overcooking. As a result, you'll get the moist and juiciest chicken bites that are far from bland.
The safe cooking temperature for all poultry products, including chicken breast is 165ºF.
Portion size. This recipe is good for 4 people, with about 2 oz of dried penne per person (8 oz total, recommended for maximum flavor). However, you can use up to 10 oz of penne pasta per this recipe maximum (lighter taste). Keep in mind you may need to use extra salt, black pepper, and pasta water to compensate for the loss of flavor if you add more pasta.
Storing the leftover. Let the pasta cools down at room temperature before refrigerating. Store in it can last 3-5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer
Reheating the leftover.
Option 1. In the microwave
- Place a single serving of pasta in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Drizzle the pasta with a small amount of broth/pasta water/water (about 1-2 tablespoons) then cover the dish with a microwave-safe lid.
- Cook for 1 minute at medium heat. Open the door, If the pasta isn't warmed all the way through, stir it, and cook it again in 15-second increments until completely heated.
- Place the cooked pasta in a skillet. Add a small amount of water or broth then reheat the pasta over medium-low heat for a few minutes until the pasta is heated through and the liquid is fully absorbed.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Transfer the leftover pasta to a baking dish.
- Drizzle the pasta with a small amount of broth/pasta water/water about 1-2 tablespoons) then cover the dish with foil.
- Reheat for about 15 minutes or until heated through.
Nutrition
Calories: 867kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 45gFat: 51gSaturated Fat: 25gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 192mgSodium: 1236mgPotassium: 817mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1480IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 203mgIron: 3mg
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