This Easy Creamy Tomato Chicken and Chorizo Pasta takes under 30 minutes to cook! And is sure to be a hit with the whole family.
With juicy chicken and flavor-packed chorizo sausage, this creamy pasta recipe has so much flavor whilst still delivering a creamy and comforting yet simple dinner.
We like this with penne pasta, but you can use any pasta shape you like here. Serve it with some garlic bread, a side salad and dinner is done!
We do love pasta! And this Creamy Tomato Chicken and Chorizo Pasta is a family favorite! Mostly because it is packed full of flavor!!! The key is a good Chorizo sausage. It adds so much to the simple sauce!!
A delicious family dinner, that cooks in under 30 minutes and is guaranteed to be enjoyed by even the pickiest eaters.
The base of the sauce is a simple can of tomatoes, this is layered with flavor from some bell peppers, onions, and Italian herbs.
If you have it, a little hint of smoked paprika helps to enhance the smoky chorizo and some sugar balances the acidity of the tomatoes.
Ingredient Notes
These notes are there to help make this recipe a success, it covers some but not all ingredients, for a full ingredient list, check out the recipe card below.
Chorizo: There are two types of chorizo - Mexican and Spanish. Both will work in this dish. I usually make this dish with the firm cured Spanish chorizo, you'll find it with the pre-packed hams and lunch meat. But if you can only find the soft Mexican sausage kind then go ahead and use that in this dish, it will work well too!
Bell Peppers: You can use any color of peppers (capsicums) you like here. We prefer the sweeter red and yellow varieties. But add green if you like.
Onions: You can use red, white or brown onions for this dish.
Canned Tomatoes: For this sauce it is best to use crushed or chopped tomatoes. They meld into a sauce better than the whole tomatoes. If you have canned peeled whole tomatoes then crush them with your hands before you add them to the pan.
Sugar: you can use brown, white or castor sugar.
Salt: Please salt your pasta water well. But for the sauce, taste it before you add any salt, chorizo sausage varies in salt content so yours could be more/less salty than mine.
Cream: I use a heavy cream/whipping cream/thickened cream here as I don't want the acidity of the tomatoes to split the cream. You can replace it with half and half or milk but there is a chance that your sauce will look slightly split. This won't affect the taste but it will affect the appearance and thickness.
Pasta: We use penne but rigatoni, spirals, ziti, spaghetti or linguine will work. Just use whatever is in the cupboard.
Recipe Tips
We've tested this recipe at least 3 times to ensure it works well for you, have a look at our tips for getting the best dish you can!
- Depending on what type of chorizo you buy can either slice or crumble the chorizo. Both work fine.
- Don't drain the oil that comes out of the chorizo, it helps to cook the vegetables and also adds flavor to the dish.
- If you don't have an electric kettle, put the pasta water on to boil when you start making the sauce, as it will take a while to come to a boil.
- Before you drain the pasta, reserve a cup of the cooking water. This can be used to thin the sauce if it gets too thick, without diluting the flavor.
- The chicken is browned first, but it doesn't need to be cooked through as it will cook for another 10 minutes in the sauce.
Recipe Adaptions
These are all just suggestions and things that have worked in our test kitchen, but it is your dinner, so adapt it to suit your family. That is the beauty of cooking; we can all create our own delicious meals.
- Swap the meat: You can swap the chicken breast for chicken thighs, or for cubes of beef or pork tenderloin. They can be cooked in the same way as the chicken. Or try adding shrimp, these can be panfried in the chorizo oil and then removed from the pan and added back in when you add in the cream.
- Extra veg: Feel free to add to the veg or mix up what you add in. Hard vegetables like carrots and celery can be added with the onion. Softer vegetables like broccoli, mushrooms, peas or corn work well and can be added 5 minutes before the sauce is cooked.
- Spice it up: Add some red pepper flakes or chopped chili to give the pasta a kick.
- Turn it into a bake by adding some cheese and breadcrumbs to the top and broiling it for 5 minutes.
- The sauce is delicious over rice, so leave out the pasta and cook some white or brown rice instead.
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Serving Suggestions
What to eat with Chicken and Chorizo Pasta
As with nearly all the pasta recipes on my site (there are over 100!), I generally serve pasta with some sort of bread and a side salad. I may occasionally add a side of garlic green beans or roasted broccoli.
What to drink with Chicken and Chorizo Pasta
The smoky chorizo works well with a Rioja, which normally can't stand up to the acidity of tomatoes, but because they are mellowed by the addition of the cream, the rioja is well balanced here. Or a light Zinfandel.
Alternatively, add a Chenin Blanc, which is rich enough to carry the sauce, but fresh enough to balance the smoky notes. Interestingly a dry cider works too!
Enjoy x
For other great pasta recipes why not try:
If you try this Creamy Tomato Chicken and Chorizo Pasta, please leave a 🌟star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I really appreciate it, and it helps others to know that the recipe is trustworthy.
Any questions about the recipe? Use the comments section below.
Get the Recipe
Creamy Tomato Chicken and Chorizo Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 5.5 oz chorizo (see note 1)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 red bell peppers chopped (see note 2)
- 1 yellow bell pepper chopped (see note 2)
- 2 chicken breasts cubed
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 can chopped tomatoes 14oz/400g sized can
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika optional
- 14 oz pasta (see note 3)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup fresh spinach
To serve
- parmesan
- flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Slice or crumble the chorizo.5.5 oz chorizo
- Heat the olive oil in large frying pan over high heat, add the chorizo and cook for 2 minutes.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Add the chopped onion and peppers and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.1 onion1 red bell peppers1 yellow bell pepper
- Add the chicken to the pan and stir around in the oil for 1-2 minutes until lightly golden. Add in the garlic and stir together until aromatic (less than 1 minute)2 chicken breasts4 cloves garlic, crushed
- Add the chopped tomatoes, Italian seasoning, sugar, salt, and smoked paprika (if using).1 can chopped tomatoes 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning1 teaspoon sugar¼ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Bring the sauce to a simmer and then cook gently on the lowest heat while you cook the pasta.
- Bring a large pan of water to a boil. Add the salt. Then add the pasta.1 tablespoon salt14 oz pasta
- Cook the pasta as per the packet instructions. Then reserve a cup of the pasta cooking liquid and drain the pasta.
- Add the pasta to the tomato sauce mixture and pour in the heavy cream. Turn the heat to medium.1 cup heavy cream
- Stir everything together until well coated, thinning the sauce with pasta water as needed.
- Stir through the fresh spinach and allow to wilt. Serve immediately with parmesan and chopped parsley.1 cup fresh spinachparmesanflat-leaf parsley
Notes
- I usually make this dish with the firm cured Spanish chorizo, have a lookout for it at the grocery store, you'll find it with the prepacked hams and lunch meat. But if you can only find the soft Mexican sausage kind then go ahead and use that in this dish, it will work well too!
- You can use any color of peppers (capsicums) you like here. We prefer the sweeter red and yellow varieties. But add green if you like.
- You can use any pasta shape that your family likes here. Penne, rigatoni, spiralli, ziti, and pasta shells work well. Or pick a long pasta like spaghetti or linguine.
Nutrition
Nutrition is per serving
Gina says
This is a truly delicious dinner. Loved the flavor the chorizo brought to the pasta.
jos says
I was looking for a recipe that reminded me of my favourite dish at a restaurant I always go to and came across this one. It was exactly what I was looking for. I ended up using whole crushed tomatoes in the can and chopped them up a bit which added such nice texture.
This recipe is so simple, and being someone who literally only just started cooking I was so happy it was easy to follow.
It was so frickin good!!!!!!!
Elizabeth S says
This was so rich and flavorful! I added double the spinach because I love it. My kids gobbled it up. I will definitely be making this again.
Brendah says
This is really a nice recipe, very tasty, easy to make but above very delicious 🥰. It ticks all the boxes when we need pasta
My kids love it, my husband goes back for more everytime we make it ❤️❤️
Sharon says
Delicious! Didn’t add the spinach because I didn’t have any! This was a last minute dish that I just happened to have all the ingredients listed. Had to use up some chorizo links and a chicken breast before we leave Florida for home!
Sarah says
This was absolutely amazing and such a warm, comforting dish for a cool evening. The chicken was tender and the chorizo just warmed everything up with a nice kick (we used a spicy variety). I also really appreciated how quickly this came together. The perfect meal for busy nights. Delicious!!
M says
No idea why it isn't recommended to do the sauce first and puree. The meal has a first year out of home vibe about it. I'd recommend letting the chicken sit in lemon first to soften and cook the sauce first. Once the sauce (remove chirzo) is done, puree it so it's a creamy texture. Then cook chicken and add the chorizo back in. Also smoked paprika amount is dependent on the type of chorizo you get given it has paprika in it. I needed to add a fair amount.
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
You do you.
Cooking is all about making a dinner that our families and ourselves love.
By all means puree the sauce, we prefer the chunks of onion and pepper, and the cream adds a lovey creamy finish. (this is why it isn't 'recommended' to dirty two more items by pureeing)
I add sugar to remove acidity from the tomatoes, as that is what my kids and I love so I would never want to soak our chicken in lemon juice. But again, it is your dinner and as I always say, adapt the recipe to suit your tastes.
As for being a 'first year out of home' meal, I don't see that as a bad thing, I loved cooking when I left home, recipes that I came up with then are still firm favourites today, and many of them are on the blog. I LOVE entertaining and spending my day preparing fancy food for a weekend meal with friends, but midweek when I have worked all day and the kids need dinner in between homework and extra curricular activities, I prefer easy meals that deliver on taste.
But it is your dinner and I am happy that you can take my recipe and adapt it to make something you love.
Cx
Rocky says
I just found this recipe, and the fact this is the top comment is wild. M literally showed they are a first year out of home cook…..I didn’t follow the steps of this recipe, because I feel like your proteins should be cooked first, removed and then the veggies and the sauce are cooked in the fond to develop flavors…..but saying you should just purée everything other then the proteins shows a lack of understanding in the cooking process, puréeing onions,peppers, and garlic will over power the beauty of this dish…..what’s the point of spending money on chicken and chorizo if every bite you only taste peppers and onions smh…..plus you loose almost all texture of the dish….constructive criticism is a great thing in the culinary world but this M person is a troll. This is a delicious recipe, if you follow the instructions or go out on your own, but M’s comment being the top one on this is ridiculous with how good the flavor profile of this is
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Hi Rocky,
Thank you for your comment, I am in agreement about the texture of the sauce. I pureed enough sauces when my kids were babies! I am happy to have some texture and substance to our food now!
The comment is top as they just get added in date order, so as more comments come in, M's comment will move lower down the page. It is a shame it has been top for so long as there are so many great comments on this recipe as it is a readers favourite.
Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Cx
Julie Camm says
I'm about to make it today, but I agree that this is a great recipe as a base.
Recipes are just a guide as to what you can do and how you can make something.
If you are confident enough to change it up to suit your taste, do it.
But, it's not cool to dis the recipe because you aren't happy with the consistency.
Maybe M. you should find another recipe that suits your style of cooking.
As @Claire/SprinklesandSprouts says, do it your way.
Thank you for your lovely recipe Claire.
Julie
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Thank you for the support Julie and for taking the time to comment 🙂
Cx
Lindsey M Farr says
You are my go-to for easy, flavorful dinner recipes. Just so you know that I am your biggest fan lol. This pasta recipe was delicious and I was actually able to make it in under 30 minutes. [my husband also thanks you for diversifying our dinner options!]
Naomi Hughes says
My 2 year old who hardly eats anything said I was the best cook in the world.
My 6 year old who is usually unenthusiastic said she would never eating anything but this again.
I’d say that makes it worthy of 5 stars!
Had no parsley or spinach and barely any capsicum so used broccoli and zucchini as well. No issues at all.
Sharina says
We had a pasta party last Saturday and this creamy tomato chicken and chorizo pasta is one of the crowds' favorites! It was bursting with flavors, so delicious and the sauce was a winner!
Angela says
I’ve made this many times. It’s a big hit in my household. Even with a fussy eater! Always a winner! And so easy to make! Thank you for sharing ❤️
EmerOShea says
Great recipe - truly well done
Claire McEwen says
Thank you 🙂
Cx
Lorna says
I loved this, so tasty 😋 I’m not keen on smoked paprika so used just paprika, and didn’t have cream so replaced with creme fraiche. Easy to scale down for just one portion - I wish I’d made 2 so I had some for tonight. However, had I done that I think there was a great danger of me scoffing both portions last night, I enjoyed it so much 😁
Thank you for a lovely recipe.
Sheelagh says
Tried this tonight it turned out well ,followed the recipe but with a wee bit less pasta !!
Delish just with a side salad ,as it’s midweek no wine but believe it would be a winner with a nice red wine ,salad and crispy bread at the weekend 🏴🍷
[email protected] says
Lovely recipe really enjoyed making it as well as eating it! Added a pinch of dried chilli flakes which gave it a nice little kick
Jenny says
Thank you for sharing this recipe, we loved it..... I didn't have spinach so I added kale so tasty.
Jamie says
This is my kind of meal! I love how it's fast and easy to make and also filling! The chorizo adds so much flavor. Delicious!
Adriana says
A delightful way to enjoy a pasta, the chorizo makes it so flavorful and a complete meal. I served mine with a salad and everyone at home loved it.
Julia says
Really love how easy this was too cook up. We rarely meal prep our dinners and sometimes after a 10 hour work day I'm way too lazy to cook up a meal that might feel like it takes too much effort. Under 30 minutes and has my favorite spicy chorizo? I'm down!
Jenny says
This creamy tomato chicken is calling my name. Can't wait to make it.! It looks like the perfect comfort food and so delicious. Thanks so much for sharing it.
Colleen says
This pasta was a big hit. Everyone loved it and I will be making this recipe again. Thanks for sharing.
Shelby says
I love all the flavors in this recipe. I don't use chorizo often but my son happens to be visiting home for the first time in 2 years and he loves it so I made sure to have some on hand to make for him. This recipe is a winner!
Linda says
What delicious pasta! Love the sauce so much especially when it has chorizo
Heather says
Chicken AND chorizo? Yes please! This sounds so amazingly hearty and easy. I'm adding this to my weekly meal plan right now!
Allyssa says
Thanks a lot for sharing this amazing and super easy to make chicken chorizo pasta recipe! Will surely have this again! Highly recommended!
veenaazmanov says
Definitely a delicious and Happy Meal option for my family. Pasta is their all time favorite and this is so rich and creamy and flavorful.
Colleen says
The whole family loved this and I will be making it again. Thanks for sharing this delicious pasta recipe!
Adrienne says
Absolutely love this recipe, I added mushrooms and some chilli but it’s defo a favourite in this house
Niamh says
Delicious....we all had clean plates. A big hit with the kids.
Claire McEwen says
Oh I am so pleased!!
Empty plates when feeding the kids always makes me smile 🙂
Cx
Peter McCormack says
I substituted chicken breast for chicken thighs which I feel have much more flavour, added the Smokey paprika which is a must place added some smoked chilli flakes which added a touch of spicyness to the dish but I did use light cream sparingly as my partner doesn’t like heavy cream. Great dish, thanks for sharing. Cheers
Judith says
We all loved this recipe.
The only slight changes I made were to use an extra pepper (as I had a pack of 3) and as we fancied a bit of a kick in the sauce I added a chopped red chilli. My husband even went back for seconds and as chicken isn't his preferred meat that spoke volumes!
Lauren says
FANTASTIC!! Our favourite pasta dish for a treat 😁
Paige says
Absolutely amazing!! Smells as good as it tastes. I didn’t use peppers as I don’t like them but it’s still such a good recipe! Definitely will be making again
Claire McEwen says
Oh I am so pleased that you enjoyed it and you were able to adapt it to suit your tastes.
Thank you for taking the time to comment 🙂
Cx
Carole says
Very nice I tried this to night, my husband enjoyed it ate too much .
I didn’t have Italian spice so I used Harrisa and creme fresh to keep the calories down.
Veronica says
I made this and all the ingredients were great but I missed the tang. I added some goat cheese and a little crushed red pepper flakes. Perfect!
Rianna says
Tonight I had 3 teenagers at my house tonight. They all thought I was a genius cook! My 2 year old also ate it. My husband ate way to much! I did not use the chicken or bell peppers because I hate chicken in pasta, also did not have any bell peppers.
This was a huge win for me! I did use a lot of extra spinach, because my family hardly eats vegetables. So I sneak them in when I can. Thanks so much!
Claire McEwen says
Oh I am so pleased everyone enjoyed it 🙂
If you aren't a fan of chicken but love the chorizo you could try this chorizo pasta as well 🙂 Easy Tomato Chorizo Pasta it is a fav with my kids!!
I love that you hide extra spinach! I do the same thing!!!!
Thank you for the lovely comment
Cx
Kim Edwards says
I modified this recipe a bit to get more veggies in. I did 1 pepper, 1 small yellow squash & 1 small zuchini. My family LOVED this dish. Thank you for sharing.
Claire McEwen says
I LOVE the addition of the veggies!
So happy the family enjoyed it 🙂
Chorizo anything is always a hit in my house 😉
Cx
Erin says
Love love loved this! I didn’t have quite enough capsicum so added a large chilli which gave it the perfect amount of heat. Brilliant recipe paired with fresh pasta 👌
Claire McEwen says
Loving the addition of a chilli! That would be perfect with the chorizo!
So pleased you enjoyed it 🙂
Cx
Erin says
I just got a pasta maker and used it to make the pasta for your recipe! What a treat.
I didn't know there were two types of chorizo! I'll have to pay more attention at the store. I live in Germany, so maybe we just have the Spanish kind here.
I used whatever my husband brought home. 😄 And it was super flavorful! The smoked paprika added an awesome touch. It turned out super creamy and was a hit with everyone. We're actually excited for the leftovers for once! Thanks.
Karen says
Just made this for tea....was a big hit..did slightly more than recipe as I had a feeling it would be good enough to take for lunch tomorrow... and it was 😁
Claire McEwen says
Oh I am so pleased you enjoyed it Karen.
I LOVE dinners that can be turned into lunch leftovers 😉
Cx
Shelley says
This certainly is yummy! Have you tried freezing it? Thanks.
Claire McEwen says
Hi Shelley,
I have frozen it and whilst it wasn't quite as good it still made a great quick lunch (heated up in the microwave)
I found the pasta absorbed more of the sauce so it was a little softer and there wasn't as much sauce in the bowl.
But the flavor was still good.
Hope that helps
Cx
Chloe says
This is delicious! Going to keep the leftovers for tomorrow! 😋
Claire McEwen says
Oh I am so pleased you enjoyed it Chloe. Enjoy your leftovers 🙂
Cx
Erin Porter says
This was the best! Would love to see 4people eat all this though...so much food .. 4ppl plus at least 3 more meals here!
Claire McEwen says
We like a lot of pasta I work on 100g per person 🙂
So pleased you enjoyed it! And at least now there is leftovers 😀 😀
Cx
Ben says
That looks awesome. I'm a big fan of chorizo in anything, and when you combine that with pasta and a creamy sauce, I'm definitely all in.
lisa says
How wonderful.... I'm sure my family and friends will love it. Thank you very much
Claire McEwen says
It is a family favorite in our house Lisa 😀
Veronica says
I made this chorizo pasta for lunch and everyone at work was swarming at my table wanting a bite, it was really a big hit, truly scrumptious!
Claire McEwen says
Oh those are the best lunches aren't they 😉
So pleased you enjoyed it Veronica, hope you didn't have to give away too many spoonfuls Cx