This is one of those pastas that feels instantly familiar, even if you’ve never cooked it before. Creamy, smoky, rich, and comforting, but still quick enough to knock together without thinking too hard. Chicken and chorizo is a combination that never really lets you down, and when you fold it through pasta with a soft, mascarpone-based sauce, it becomes the kind of meal people quietly demolish.
Chicken & Chorizo Pasta
Chicken and chorizo pasta sits firmly in the category of food that just makes sense. It’s not flashy, it’s not trying to be clever, and it doesn’t need explaining at the table. Smoky chorizo fat, tender pieces of chicken, a creamy sauce that clings to ridged pasta, and enough savoury depth to make it feel like something you’d happily order in a restaurant.
This is comfort food with structure. It’s rich without being heavy, bold without being aggressive, and quick enough to cook midweek without feeling like a compromise. It’s also one of those dishes that’s incredibly forgiving. You can tweak it, stretch it, or simplify it, and it still comes out tasting like something you actually wanted to eat.
That’s the real appeal here.
Why chicken and chorizo is such a strong pairing
Chorizo does a lot of work in this recipe.
As it cooks, it releases its oils, which are packed with paprika, garlic, and spice. That oil becomes the base of the sauce, seasoning everything else in the pan before you even add a single extra ingredient. The chicken picks up that flavour as it cooks, staying juicy while taking on all that smoky richness.
Chicken on its own can be bland if you’re not careful. Chorizo fixes that problem immediately. You don’t need loads of seasoning, and you don’t need a complicated sauce. The flavour is already there.
Adding onion and red pepper brings sweetness to balance the spice, while garlic rounds everything out. From there, the sauce is built gently rather than forced.
Why mascarpone works better than cream here
This is a mascarpone-based sauce, not a cream-heavy one, and that’s very deliberate.
Mascarpone gives you richness and body without the sauce feeling loose or soupy. It melts into the stock and tomato paste to create something thick, smooth, and glossy, without needing to reduce for ages. It also has a slight sweetness that plays beautifully with the smoky chorizo and the acidity of the tomato paste.
Cream would work, but mascarpone makes this feel more luxurious while still being quick. It also reheats better, which matters if you’re cooking for one now and one later.
The importance of pasta choice
Rigatoni is doing a job here.
Those ridges catch the sauce, the chunks of chicken, and the little bits of crispy chorizo, meaning every forkful actually tastes of the dish rather than just plain pasta with sauce sliding off it. You could use penne, fusilli, or any other short pasta, but ridged shapes are the way to go.
Cooking the pasta just shy of al dente and finishing it in the sauce is non-negotiable. That last couple of minutes in the pan is where everything comes together.
This is a one-pan mindset recipe
Aside from the pasta water, everything happens in one pan, and that’s intentional.
The chorizo goes in first so it can crisp and flavour the oil. The chicken follows so it cooks in that fat. The vegetables soften in the same pan, picking up everything that’s already there. The sauce is built right on top, so nothing gets lost.
It’s efficient cooking, but it’s also better cooking. Flavour builds naturally instead of being bolted on at the end.
When this recipe shines
This is the kind of dish that works just as well for lunch as it does for dinner. It’s filling without being overwhelming, and it hits that perfect middle ground between “proper meal” and “comfort bowl of pasta”.
It’s also brilliant for people who don’t want to cook something experimental. There’s nothing unfamiliar here, just well-balanced flavours and a method that’s hard to mess up.
Ingredients
150 g rigatoni pasta
120 g chorizo, chopped into small pieces
1 chicken breast, diced
½ red onion, diced
½ red pepper, diced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
200 ml chicken stock
1 tbsp tomato paste
200 g mascarpone
1 bunch of basil, chopped
Grated parmesan, to serve
How to make Chicken & Chorizo Pasta
Cook the pasta in well-salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the packet instructions, so it stays al dente. Reserve some pasta water before draining.
Heat a drizzle of cooking oil in a large frying pan over a medium to high heat. Add the chorizo and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until it starts to crisp and release its oils.
Add the diced chicken to the pan and cook for a few minutes until almost cooked through.
Add the diced red onion and red pepper. Cook for a minute until they start to soften, then add the chopped garlic and cook for another minute.
Pour in the chicken stock and stir through the tomato paste, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan.
Lower the heat and stir in the mascarpone until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Season to taste.
Add the cooked pasta to the pan and toss to coat. Use a splash of the reserved pasta water if the sauce needs loosening.
Stir through the chopped basil, then remove from the heat.
Dish it up and finish with grated parmesan.
Serving notes
This doesn’t need much else. A green salad with a sharp dressing works well if you want something fresh alongside it. Garlic bread is optional but rarely refused. Finish with plenty of parmesan and a crack of black pepper at the table.
FAQs
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breast?
Yes, and they work really well here. Dice them into similar-sized pieces and cook them a little longer until fully cooked through.
Can I make this without mascarpone?
You can use cream or cream cheese instead, but mascarpone gives the best balance of richness and texture.
Is this spicy?
It’s gently warming rather than hot. The heat level will depend on the chorizo you use.
Can I add extra veg?
Spinach, mushrooms, or courgette all work, but don’t overload it. This dish is about balance.
Does it reheat well?
Yes. Reheat gently on the hob with a splash of water or stock to loosen the sauce.
This is the kind of pasta that earns a permanent spot in rotation. Simple ingredients, proper flavour, and the sort of dish that makes you glad you cooked at home instead of ordering in.
Chicken & Chorizo Pasta
Ingredients
- 150 g Rigatoni pasta
- 120 g Chorizo chopped into small pieces
- 1 Chicken breast diced
- ½ Red onion diced
- ½ Red pepper diced
- 3 Garlic cloves chopped
- 200 ml Chicken stock
- 1 tbsp Tomato paste
- 200 g Mascarpone
- 1 Bunch of basil chopped
- Grated parmesan to serve
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the packet states (for al dente).
- Heat some cooking oil in a large frying pan over a medium to high heat. Cook the chorizo for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until it starts to turn crispy.
- Add the diced chicken and cook for a few minutes until it’s almost cooked through.
- Now add in the diced red onion and pepper. Cook for a minute then chuck in the chopped garlic. Cook for another minute.
- Pour in the chicken stock, then add in the tomato paste.
- Stir through the mascarpone, then season to taste.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain it, but save some of the pasta water to add to the sauce if it needs loosening up.
- Add the pasta to the sauce and stir to coat. Toss through the basil, then it’s ready to dish up.
- Finish it with grated parmesan.
24 comments on “Chicken and Chorizo Pasta”
Loved this. My daughter actually messaged me to say how much she loved it which is unusual for her! I would add more chicken as two wasn’t quite enough for 4 people. All your recipes are amazing ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I absolutely love this so much. The flavour is amazing and i love the sauce, 10/10.
Absolutely delicious and so easy to make!! One of my favourites, although all of Jon’s recipes are a hit in our household!
This has become a weekly favourite – easy to make and absolutely delicious.
Super easy to make and very flavoursome. My husband reckons its restaurant quality and he’s not a fan of pasta. Will definitely make again. Going to try Mongolian chicken next and pre-order your book. Just wow 👌
Great midweek recipe! All the family loved it! Thanks for all you do!
So delicious and simple to make.
Made this evening ….delicious!!!!
Such a good tasty pasta dish that is super easy to make! Will definitely make this again!
Such a good tasty pasta dish that is super easy to make! Will definitely make this again!
Really nice easy to make cheers jon
So nice, I made this for the first time, I used 3 chicken fillets so increased the amount of chorizo and other ingredients and it was absolutely delicious, everyone that had it really liked it a lot so will definitely be making it again and the fresh basil really added to the flavour of the whole dish, thank you for the recipe
Always looking for a new recipe to cook and this is easy and tasty so is a keeper.
Oh my this was Devine , quick and easy to prep and do and some left over for my lunch tomorrow!
Perfect mid week meal
Another delish easy and quick dinner to add to a fair few now we now make, thank you Jon keep them coming.
I made this recipe and found it really simple to follow and quick to make. (I swapped the mascarpone for crème fraise as it was all I had in but worked well) it was a hit with the whole family who said it was very tasty. It will be a regular dish at our house now!
Absolutely delicious, quick and easy recipie tastes amazing!
So delicious and easy to make! My husband has requested this stays on our dinner rotation. Thanks, Jon!
So easy but so tasty! Crowd pleaser, will be making it again for sure!
Made this last night. It was very well received and I’ll definitely make it again. Couldn’t get mascarpone so used Ricotta.
Absolutely delicious. So tasty and easy to make. Will definitely be making it again.
Just made this for the first time, wonderful and have made enough for two days. Very tasty and moist. Love your recipes 🙂
Delicious-so quick and easy to make and tastes as good as a restaurant dish, another firm favourite.
Super quick and easy to make for the whole family. Tastes absolutely gorgeous!