Recipe for Chicken and Chorizo Pasta
Spanish Meets Italian for this Quick, Tasty Dinner
Oct 21, 2009
As the weather grows colder, and the nights draw darker we look for a hot dinner to warm us up after a long day. There are few meals as comforting as a bowl of pasta, and the smoky, spicy edge that chorizo brings adds warmth.
Chorizo originates from Spain, and according to marbellaguide.com it has been eaten for thousands of years. Chorizo is made by blending pork fat and meat, garlic, salt and paprika and then stuffing the sausage meat into its casing. It is then left to marinate and then hung up to cure. Its flavour gives an unmistakable “Spanish” feel to any dish.
Spinach is also used in this recipe to add colour and is in season at the moment. Large chunky pasta shapes work best with this recipe as the sauce is in itself quite chunky and needs a pasta that can hold up to it. Thin and light pasta shapes would be in danger of getting lost in the sauce. With the smoky chorizo and chicken, the end result is a dish that is not too spicy but leaves a warm hum in the mouth.
How to Make Chicken and Chorizo Pasta
Serves 4, generously
Ingredients
- 2 fat cloves of garlic, crushed and then chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped finely
- 2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, diced into small chunks
- 100g chorizo, sliced into thin rounds
- 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2-3 leaves of spinach, finely shredded
- Salt and black pepper, to season
- Approx 350g dried rigatoni, or other large pasta shape, to serve
Method
- Put a large pan of water on to boil and cook the pasta according to the instructions. Pour a drizzle of olive oil into a frying pan and cook the garlic and onion over a medium heat until soft. Add the chicken breast and stir in the hot pan, to seal the meat. Tip in the chorizo and stir. The red colour will start to ooze from the chorizo and begin to coat the other ingredients in the pan. Stir fry for about 2-3 minutes.
- Tip in the tin of tomatoes and sprinkle in the teaspoon of sugar. Half - fill the empty tomatoes tin with water and pour this into the pan. Stir well to mix. Leave to bubble for another 5 minutes and then stir in the shredded spinach leaves.
- When the chicken is cooked through and the spinach has wilted, the sauce is ready. Drain the pasta when cooked, and add to the sauce, stirring to coat evenly. Season carefully with the salt and pepper and serve in warmed bowls.
A Quick and Tasty Supper
Chorizo is not just for Tapas or for summer dishes. Its warmth can be used to create a smoky and intensely flavoured pasta dish for the autumn and winter. And what better way to warm up than with a hot bowl of pasta with the flavours that remind you of a Spanish holiday?
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