Description
A rich and flavorful creamy chicken and chorizo pasta combining tender chicken thighs, spicy Spanish chorizo, and a luscious parmesan-infused cream sauce with spinach.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 200 grams dried pasta (or 300 grams fresh)
- 1 tablespoon flour (optional)
- 2 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Sauce Ingredients
- 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 your pasta according to package instructions, undercooking by one minute so it can continue cooking in the sauce later. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.
- Prepare Chicken: Dry the chicken thighs with paper towels, season with salt and pepper on both sides, and lightly dust with flour if using.
- Cook Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken thighs smooth side down and cook for 7 minutes, adjusting heat if browning too fast. Flip and cook for another 5 minutes or until fully cooked. Set aside wrapped loosely in aluminium foil.
- Cook Chorizo: In the same pan, cook chorizo for 3 to 4 minutes until lightly golden on each side.
- Sauté Onion: Add finely diced red onion and a pinch of salt to the pan. Cook for 3 minutes until softened, lowering heat if browning.
- Add Garlic: Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds more to release aroma.
- Add Tomato Paste and Paprika: Stir in tomato paste and paprika. Cook down for 2 minutes to develop flavor layers.
- Add Cream and Simmer: Pour in heavy cream and mix well. Bring to a very gentle simmer, keeping heat low to avoid boiling.
- Incorporate Pasta Water: Add ⅓ cup of reserved pasta water and mix well. Return to gentle simmer to blend sauce consistency.
- Melt Parmesan: Push chorizo to one side and add grated Parmesan cheese in 2 to 3 additions, stirring and letting each batch melt before adding the next.
- Add Lemon Juice: Whisk in lemon juice quickly over low heat to prevent curdling.
- Combine Pasta and Spinach: Add cooked pasta and baby spinach to the sauce. Mix gently and let bubble for 1 to 2 minutes so the sauce thickens and spinach wilts. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs keep the dish juicy and forgiving, but chicken breast can be used with adjusted cooking methods.
- Flour: Light dusting of flour on chicken is optional but helps create a golden crust during pan-frying.
- Chorizo: Use cured Spanish chorizo that is firm and slicable, not fresh Mexican chorizo for authentic flavor and fat rendering.
- Lemon: To avoid lemon juice curdling the creamy sauce, ensure heat is low and mix in quickly. Add lemon juice last with pasta if nervous.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650 kcal
- Sugar: 5 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: 130 mg
