Creamy Chicken and Chorizo Pasta

Introduction

Smoked paprika is the trick here. It, combined with the fat and orange oil the chorizo renders in the pan, gives the sauce a depth that tastes like you have been standing at the stove far longer than 20 minutes. The chicken sears quickly in the chorizo fat and picks up all that flavour — the roasted pepper strips from a jar do the sweetness and colour work without any extra effort.

This is a Wednesday dinner with confidence.

Ingredients

• 400 g rigatoni or penne (14 oz)
• 2 chicken breasts (approx. 400 g / 14 oz), cut into bite-sized pieces
• 150 g chorizo (5 oz), sliced into coins or half-moons
• 2 roasted red peppers from a jar, sliced into strips
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 200 ml heavy cream (3/4 cup)
• 100 ml chicken stock (1/3 cup), or pasta water
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 0.5 tsp chili flakes (or to taste)
• Salt and black pepper
• Olive oil
• Parmesan or Pecorino, freshly grated, to serve
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley or basil, roughly chopped

Method

1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to the boil and cook the pasta al dente according to the packet. Reserve 100–200 ml (1/3–3/4 cup) of pasta water before draining.
2. Heat a little olive oil in a wide, deep pan over medium-high heat. Fry the chorizo slices for 2–3 minutes until lightly crisp at the edges and the orange fat has rendered. Remove the chorizo and leave the fat in the pan.
3. Season the chicken pieces with smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Sear in the chorizo fat over medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside with the chorizo.
4. Reduce heat to medium. Soften the onion in the same pan for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and chili flakes and fry for 30 seconds. Add the roasted pepper strips and stir to combine.
5. Pour in the cream and chicken stock. Let it bubble and reduce for 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened.
6. Return the chorizo and chicken to the pan. Toss to coat and heat through.
7. Add the drained pasta directly to the pan. Fold everything together, loosening with pasta water a little at a time until the sauce clings to every piece.
8. Serve topped with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan, fresh parsley, and a final crack of black pepper.

Serving note

Serve straight from the pan into deep bowls. Leftovers keep well for a day in the fridge — loosen with a splash of water or stock when reheating.

Want more greens? A handful of baby spinach stirred into the sauce in step 5 wilts in under a minute and pairs perfectly with the chorizo.