Creamy Chicken and Chorizo Pasta
I’m a suck for pasta. My love for pasta wasn’t just ignited after I realized I had a pasta-loving-toddler on my hands. The truth is, I’ve always loved it. When I profess this to clients or even when I share pasta-based recipes, some folks are in awe that I (a Registered Dietitian) am comfortable with this particular food and include it almost weekly in my dinner rotations.
While the rest of the world might have you believe that pasta should be restricted, I’m not going to do that. Instead, I’m going to tell you:
You should eat it,
You should enjoy it (guilt free) and,
You should purchase something that works for you and your family
This is why I love all the options Catelli has to offer ranging from Gluten Free, Ancient Grains and the one I felt inspired by, Catelli Smart. No seriously. It’s not just smart, it’s genius. They found a way to offer us a white-looking pasta (hello picky eaters) that contains about 8g of fibre per serving. Do you know what that means? That’s nearly 30% of your requirement done, done like dinner.
Okay, I know I get carried away by #nerdmode when I talk nutrition, and really, you just want the recipe. So let’s talk Creamy Chicken and Chorizo Pasta. I was inspired to create this recipe after visiting a local restaurant in Winnipeg. This particular restaurant is “famous” for a pasta dish that includes chorizo, chicken, cashews and cream (wow, that’s a lot of C’s). I knew I wanted a similar flavor profile and I could accomplish this with the chorizo while forgoing the cream for something lighter. I chose to use evaporated milk! The result? A pasta dish that left all the boys in my home wanting more and this mama very happy!
Don’t let me be the one to tell you to use bow shaped pasta. Choose any shape you prefer – we’ve tried spaghettini and it worked well with this recipe too. I also find the longer the noodle, the longer my toddler stays with us at the dinner table. He he. I’m full of mom-tricks!
Ok, ok. Enjoy the recipe and don’t forget to let me know what you think!
Creamy Chicken and Chorizo Pasta
PREP TIME: 20 mins
COOK TIME: 25 mins
TOTAL TIME: 45 mins
Serves: 5 - 6
INGREDIENTS
2 .5 cups Catelli Smart Bow Pasta, uncooked
2 tbsp canola oil
2 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
1 – 2 tbsp Sriracha
1 tsp basil, dried
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup vegetable broth, low sodium
2 red, yellow or orange bell peppers, sliced thinly
1 Roma tomato, diced
½ - 1 cup Chorizo sausage, cut into coin shape (add as much or as little as you’d like)*
1 can (12oz) 2% M.F. Evaporated milk
2 green onion, finely sliced
¼ cup roasted, unsalted cashews
Salt and Pepper, pinch
INSTRUCTIONS
Marinade chicken pieces in Sriracha, basil, salt and pepper. Set aside for 15 minutes.*
Meanwhile, prepare pasta as per directions. Cook pasta until it is el dente or to your liking.
Once the chicken has had an opportunity to marinade, bring a skillet to medium-high heat with 2 tbsp canola oil. Brown your chicken. You can also add your chorizo at this time if you purchased it in raw form. Add in garlic and sauté.
Once the meat has browned, deglaze the pan with vegetable broth scraping the brown bits at the bottom of the pan.
Allow the vegetable broth to come to a light simmer, and then add in bell peppers and tomato. If your chorizo was purchased cooked or cured, this would be the time to add it!
Once your chicken is cooked through, turn the heat to a low simmer, and gently pour in evaporated milk, stirring constantly to prevent curdling. If you bring this to a boil, you may risk a curdled sauce! Add in green onion and cashews. Cook only 1 – 2 minutes longer to ensure the sauce is heated through.
Serve on top of pasta. Garnish with extra green onions if you wish. Enjoy!
NOTES:
You can decide how much or how little chorizo you want to add. Remember, a little goes a long way in terms of flavor! You can typically find this sausage at most grocers or a specialty meat shop. It can be sold raw or smoked.
If the opportunity presents itself, I always like to marinade my poultry overnight! The longer the better is my recommendation.
This post was written in partnership with Catelli. As always, all opinions are my own!
