Cajun Chicken and Chorizo Pasta
Creamy cajun chicken and chorizo pasta - smoky chorizo, tender spiced chicken and a rich, paprika-kissed sauce wrapped around perfectly cooked pasta. Bold, warming and ready in under an hour.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 130 g (1 ¼ cup) cooking chorizo skin removed and diced
- 500 g (1.1 lb) chicken breasts cut into bite size chunks
- 1 onion diced
- 1 pepper any colour, deseeded and diced
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 3 tbsp Cajun seasoning
- 250 ml (1 cup) chicken stock
- 800 g (28 oz) tinned chopped tomatoes
- 500 g (8 ⅓ cups) penne or another tube-shaped pasta
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 300 ml (1 ¼ cups) double cream (I use Elmlea to reduce calories!)
- 30 g (⅓ cup) parmesan finely grated, plus extra to serve
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or casserole pot over a medium heat, add the chorizo and fry for 2 minutes. Remove the chorizo with a slotted spoon onto a plate and set aside. Add the chicken to the saucepan or casserole and fry for 3 minutes, then add the onion and pepper and fry for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then scatter over the Cajun seasoning and stir the chorizo back in. Add the stock and deglaze the bottom of the pan or casserole. Then add the tins of tomatoes, stir, bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta for a minute less than the packet instructions.
- Check the seasoning of the chicken and chorizo mixture and add salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Stir in the cream and simmer gently for 1 minute.
- When the pasta is cooked, drain well and stir it into the chicken and chorizo mixture. Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce over a low heat for 2 minutes, then stir in the parmesan, and cook for 1 more minute. Serve the pasta straight from the pan, or tip into a large serving bowl. Garnish with extra parmesan and freshly ground black pepper.
Notes
- Freezable (sauce only) - the spiced chicken and chorizo sauce can be frozen for easy meals. Cool completely, then freeze in a freezer proof container for up to three months. Defrost completely and reheat until piping hot, then add cooked pasta.
- Optional variations:
- Extra spicy version - add cayenne pepper or fresh chilli.
- Add greens - stir in spinach or kale at the end.
- Mushroom boost - add sliced mushrooms for depth.
- Swap the protein - use prawns instead of chicken.
- This cajun chicken and chorizo pasta recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people.
You might also like to try:
Nutrition
Calories: 699kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 130mg | Sodium: 458mg | Potassium: 1010mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 3650IU | Vitamin C: 54mg | Calcium: 177mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Leave a star rating and comment below!