Description
A rich and creamy chicken and chorizo pasta dish with layers of flavor from sautéed Spanish chorizo, garlic, and paprika, finished with Parmesan and fresh baby spinach. Perfect for a comforting Italian-inspired dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Chicken
- 200 grams dried pasta (or 300 grams fresh)
- 1 tablespoon flour (optional)
- 2 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Sauce
- 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 the Pasta: Boil your pasta according to package instructions, undercooking it by one minute so it can finish cooking in the sauce. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.
- Prepare the Chicken: Dry chicken thighs with paper towels, season generously with salt and pepper, and lightly dust with flour if using.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs smooth side down and cook for 7 minutes, adjusting heat if browning too fast. Flip and cook for another 5 minutes until cooked through. Set aside loosely wrapped in foil.
- Cook the Chorizo: In the same pan, cook the chorizo slices for 3 to 4 minutes until lightly golden on each side.
- Sauté Onions: Add the diced red onion and a pinch of salt to the pan, cooking for 3 minutes until softened. Lower heat if onions start to brown.
- Add Garlic: Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Build the Sauce Base: Add tomato paste and paprika to the pan and cook for 2 minutes to develop flavors.
- Add Cream and Simmer: Pour in the heavy cream and stir well, bringing to a very gentle simmer without boiling. Adjust heat as needed.
- Incorporate Pasta Water: Stir in ⅓ cup of reserved pasta water and bring back to a gentle simmer to help the sauce come together.
- Melt Parmesan: Push chorizo to one side and add grated Parmesan cheese in 2 to 3 batches, mixing each time to fully melt the cheese into the sauce.
- Add Lemon Juice: Whisk in lemon juice quickly over low heat to avoid curdling.
- Combine Pasta and Spinach: Add cooked pasta and baby spinach to the sauce. Mix and let it gently bubble for 1 to 2 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and spinach to wilt. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
Notes
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs remain juicy and forgiving. Chicken breast can be used but may dry out; proper pan-frying technique is recommended.
- Flour: Lightly dusting chicken with flour before cooking adds a golden crust but is optional.
- Chorizo: Use cured Spanish chorizo that is firm and sliceable, not fresh Mexican chorizo, for best flavor and fat rendering.
- Lemon Juice: To prevent curdling when adding lemon juice to the creamy sauce, keep heat low and stir quickly. Adding lemon juice last with the pasta can help reduce curdling risk.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
