If you love creamy chicken pasta, you will absolutely love this creamy chicken and chorizo pasta recipe. This decadent pasta dish is made with pesto grilled chicken, crispy chorizo, and a delicious garlic cream sauce. The sauce is similar to an alfredo sauce, but the pesto on the chicken and the flavor from the chorizo give it an extra flavorful kick.

Creamy Chicken and Chorizo Pasta

This recipe is so flavorful and takes less than 30 minutes to make. It is the perfect one pot meal for busy weeknights. The creamy sauce goes so well with the pasta, basil flavored chicken, and crispy sausage. This is peak comfort food – perfect for when the weather is starting to get colder and you need something to warm you up.

I love using sausage in pasta dishes because just a little bit goes a long way. Chorizo has a strong flavor, so you don’t need to use a whole bunch in this recipe. I used dried sausage. This sausage is already cured, but when you add it to a hot pan, it release flavorful fat that then seasons the chicken. Cooking the chicken in the chorizo fat makes it extra flavorful and delicious.

Once the chicken is cooked, I then remove the chorizo and chicken from the pan. Once you add the chicken and chorizo to a plate, you then start working on the sauce which comes together in minutes. The sauce is made from garlic, cream, and pasta water. You let it thicken slightly, then add your chicken, chorizo, and pasta to the sauce.

Chorizo Pasta

Chorizo is the Spanish word for “sausage”. There are many different types of chorizo, as mostly every spanish speaking country makes their own version. Chorizo is sometimes spicy, but I find that the dried chorizo from Goya is not spicy at all and even my daughter likes it. It basically has the same spice level as pepperoni. Pepperoni is actually a good substitute for chorizo in this recipe. If you want to use pepperoni, you should look for the kind that comes in a tube that you need to slice yourself.

Chorizo is made from pork and has a high fat content. Cooking it and crisping it up prior to adding the chicken ensures that the chicken can cook in that all of that chorizo flavor. You will notice I do not add a lot of additional oil to this recipe as the chorizo produces a good amount. The flavor in the chorizo makes this chicken and chorizo pasta absolutely delicious.

If you like creamy pasta dishes, you must also try my baked ziti with vodka sauce. It is a newer recipe on my blog, and it is also a great meal to make when you are hosting. Everyone loves baked ziti, and by adding vodka sauce to it, you are putting a fun twist on such a classic. You can find it here: baked ziti with vodka sauce.

Here is what you need to make Chicken and Chorizo Pasta

Pasta – A lot of people prefer to make long pasta with their cream sauces, however, I like to use short pasta because I feel like it mixes in with the other ingredients better. Also, I find it easier than long pasta to scoop up when I am using a fork or a spoon.
Chicken Breast – I used raw chicken and then season it with seasoning salt and basil paste and cook it in the chorizo fat. I would not substitute this with fully cooked chicken because it will not take on the same flavor as cooking the chicken fresh.
Chorizo – My current favorite bacon right now is Goya Chorizo which is a dried sausage. It comes in a 7oz package. I then cut them into 1/4″ coins
Basil Paste– I buy this from the produce section of the grocery store. They sell it near the garlic paste. It lasts a long time in my refrigerator and gives a great burst of fresh basil flavor anytime I need it.
Garlic – I used 4 cloves. You can use a little less or a little more.
Heavy Cream – I am using a cup of heavy cream in addition to 3/4 cup reserved pasta water to create a thick and glossy sauce for your pasta. Please do not try to substitute this ingredient.
Parmesan Cheese – Freshly shredded works best here because it will melt into the cream sauce easily. You can also use pre-shredded, it just may take a longer time to melt.
Reserved Pasta Water – After your pasta is done boiling, make sure to set aside 3/4 cups of pasta water. This water has starch in it that will help thicken your sauce. I do this by turning off the heat, and then sticking a clean measuring cup into the pot to collect the water. Be careful as the water is very hot.

How to make Chicken and Chorizo Pasta

INGREDIENTS

8 oz Pasta I prefer to use shorter pasta noodles
7 oz chorizo
1 lb chicken breast
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp Seasoning Salt Lawrys
1 tbsp basil paste or 1 tbsp fresh basil leaves, minced
2 tbsp garlic paste or 4 cloves garlic
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup reserved pasta water
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
4 oz spinach from a bag

INSTRUCTIONS

Boil your pasta. Cook it until it is al dente as it will cook a little longer in the cream sauce. Also, do not discard all of the pasta water. Make sure to reserve 1 cup of pasta water before you drain your pasta. This will help thicken your sauce
Cook your chorizo. I pre cut the chorizo into little slices. Cook the chorizo until it is starting to brown and the oils have come out of it.
Cut your chicken. I started out with two chicken breasts. I cut each one down the middle and then I cut each piece into 1/2″ strips. Season your chicken with seasoning salt and then add to pan with the basil paste. Mix well.
Cook your chicken pieces for 4-5 minutes per side. You want to get a light golden brown sear on each piece. Once they are cooked, add them to a plate to rest.
Add oil to the pan and turn the heat to medium. Add minced garlic to the pan and let it get lightly golden brown. Then, add cream, parmesan, and reserved pasta water. Bring the mixture to a boil and then bring it down to low while mixing it.
Let your cream sauce reduce for about 3 minutes and once it starts to get slightly thicker, add your pasta. Add the remaining teaspoon of garlic powder, another 1/2 tsp of sea salt, and some black pepper.
Once the sauce gets thick, add in your chorizo and chicken and spinach. Cook for additional minute and mix well.