Chicken & Chorizo Pasta

Published on: August 17, 2026

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This Chicken & Chorizo Pasta is creamy, smoky and enormously satisfying, without requiring a mountain of washing-up.

Chicken breast provides the bulk of the protein, while reduced-fat chorizo brings that unmistakable smoky, savoury flavour. The sauce is made with low-fat cream cheese, milk, Parmesan and tomato purée, so it tastes properly creamy without needing half a litre of double cream.

Each generous serving contains approximately 786 calories and 72 g of protein. That makes it particularly useful when you’re trying to hit a higher protein target, feed a hungry family or prepare a substantial post-training dinner.

You’ll need a large saucepan and a wide frying pan, and the entire recipe takes around 35 minutes. It’s another easy option to add to your collection of high-protein pasta recipes and practical high-protein chicken recipes.

Why you’ll love this high-protein recipe

• A massive 72 g of protein per serving. Ideal when you’re fed up trying to build dinner around yet another protein shake.
• Ready in 35 minutes. Quick enough for a midweek dinner, even when everyone has decided they are starving immediately.
• Made with familiar ingredients. Everything should be available from a normal UK supermarket.
• Rich and creamy without double cream. Low-fat cream cheese and milk create a smooth sauce with fewer calories than a traditional cream-heavy pasta.
• Family-friendly flavours. It’s smoky and savoury rather than painfully spicy, so it should work well for adults and children.
• Excellent for meal prep. It reheats well and remains filling enough to prevent the traditional 3 pm raid on the biscuit cupboard.

Key Ingredients

Chicken Breast. The main protein source and the reason each serving delivers such an impressive protein total. Cutting it into evenly sized cubes helps it cook quickly without drying out.

Reduced-Fat Chorizo. Chorizo has enough flavour to carry an entire dinner while barely lifting a finger. It adds smokiness, gentle heat and beautifully seasoned oil to the sauce.

Penne Pasta. Penne holds its shape well and catches the creamy sauce inside its tubes. Fusilli or rigatoni will also work, but avoid delicate pasta shapes that may collapse during enthusiastic stirring.

Low-Fat Cream Cheese. This creates the creamy base without relying on double cream. Adding it over a low heat prevents the sauce from splitting or becoming grainy.

Parmesan. Parmesan provides saltiness, depth and a slightly nutty finish. Grating it finely helps it melt evenly into the sauce rather than gathering into one stubborn cheesy lump.

Tomato Purée. Cooking the purée for a full minute removes its raw, acidic taste and develops a deeper tomato flavour.

Red Pepper. Red pepper adds sweetness and colour, balancing the smoky chorizo and salty Parmesan.

Smoked Paprika. This reinforces the flavour of the chorizo without making the pasta particularly hot. It also gives the chicken a deeper colour when browned.

Reserved Pasta Water. It may look like cloudy sink water, but the starch helps loosen the sauce while keeping it glossy and properly attached to the pasta.

How to Make Chicken & Chorizo Pasta

Place the diced chicken breast in a bowl. Add the smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper, then toss until every piece is evenly coated.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken and cook for 6–8 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden on the outside and completely cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Avoid crowding the pan too much or the chicken will steam rather than brown. Pale, damp chicken is nobody’s idea of a good pasta night.

Add the diced chorizo to the same pan and cook for 3–4 minutes, allowing it to release its smoky oils.

Add the diced onion and red pepper, then cook for around 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds before adding the tomato purée. Cook for another minute, stirring well and scraping up the flavour from the bottom of the pan.

Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the penne and cook according to the packet instructions until al dente.

Before draining, carefully reserve around 100 ml of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set it aside while you finish the sauce.

Reduce the heat beneath the frying pan to low. Add the low-fat cream cheese and milk, then stir gently until the cream cheese has completely melted and the sauce looks smooth and creamy.

Keep the heat low and do not let the sauce boil, as aggressive bubbling can cause the dairy to split.

Scatter the finely grated Parmesan over the sauce and stir until melted.

Add a small splash of the reserved pasta water if the sauce seems too thick. Add it gradually—you are aiming for silky pasta sauce, not a chorizo paddling pool.

Return the cooked chicken to the pan, then add the drained penne. Toss everything together until the pasta and chicken are evenly coated in the creamy chorizo sauce.

Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Garnish with chopped parsley and a little extra Parmesan, then serve immediately.

Serving & storage: keeping Chicken & Chorizo Pasta fresh for later

To store

Allow the pasta to cool before transferring it to an airtight container. Keep it in the fridge for up to three days.

For meal prep, divide the pasta into individual containers as soon as it has cooled. This prevents the very scientific process known as accidentally eating tomorrow’s portion tonight.

To reheat

Reheat individual portions in the microwave until piping hot throughout, stirring once or twice so the chicken heats evenly.

The sauce will thicken in the fridge, so add a splash of milk or water before reheating. You can also reheat it gently in a covered frying pan over a low heat.

Avoid blasting it over a very high heat. Cream cheese sauces prefer gentle encouragement rather than interrogation.

To freeze

The cooked pasta can be frozen for up to two months in airtight, freezer-safe containers.

Defrost it fully in the fridge before reheating. The sauce may appear slightly separated after freezing, but stirring in a little milk while reheating should bring it back together.

For the best possible texture, slightly undercook the pasta if you already know the dish is destined for the freezer.

Serving suggestions

This is a substantial complete meal, so it doesn’t desperately need a side dish waving for attention.

For a larger family dinner, serve it with:

• Steamed broccoli, green beans or peas.
• A crisp mixed salad with a sharp balsamic dressing.
• Roasted courgettes, peppers or cherry tomatoes.
• Garlic bread for particularly hungry family members.
• A smaller pasta portion with extra vegetables if you want to reduce the calories while keeping plenty of chicken and protein.

Chicken & Chorizo Pasta – High-Protein Creamy Dinner

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• Total Time: 35 mins
• Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Units MUS Scale 1x2x3x

• 600 g chicken breast, cut into 2-3 cm cubes
• 120 g reduced-fat chorizo, diced
• 300 g dried penne pasta
• 150 g low fat cream cheese
• 200 ml milk
• 40 g grated Parmesan
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh parsley, chopped, to garnish (optional)

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Instructions

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Reserve 100 ml of the pasta water before draining.

Season the chicken with the smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 6–8 minutes until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.

In the same pan, cook the chorizo for 3–4 minutes until it releases its oils. Add the onion and red pepper and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds before adding the tomato purée. Cook for 1 minute, stirring well.

Reduce the heat to low. Add the cream cheese and milk, stirring until the cream cheese has melted into a smooth sauce.

Stir in the Parmesan until melted, then add a splash of the reserved pasta water if needed to create a silky consistency. Do not allow the sauce to boil.

Return the cooked chicken to the pan, then add the drained pasta. Toss everything together until evenly coated in the sauce.

Garnish with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan, if desired, and serve immediately.

• Author: Steph Dorosan
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins
• Category: Chicken, Meat

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1
• Calories: 786
• Fat: 26g
• Carbohydrates: 66g
• Fiber: 6g
• Protein: 72g

Variations & tips

• Use chicken thigh for a juicier result. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs have slightly more fat but remain tender and are more forgiving if they cook for an extra minute.
• Increase the vegetable content. Add mushrooms, spinach, courgette or frozen peas. Spinach should be stirred through at the end so it wilts without turning into green string.
• Make it even higher in protein. Replace some of the cream cheese with blended low-fat cottage cheese, or increase the chicken by 100–200 g.
• Adjust the spice level. Add chilli flakes or cayenne for adults, or use sweet paprika instead of smoked paprika for a milder children’s portion.
• Brown the chicken in batches if necessary. Crowding the pan creates steam, leaving the chicken pale and slightly miserable instead of golden.
• Keep the sauce below boiling point. Once the cream cheese and Parmesan are added, use a low heat. Boiling can cause the dairy to split.
• Don’t skip the pasta water. Add it gradually rather than tipping in the entire 100 ml. You want a silky sauce, not chicken and chorizo soup.
• Explore more easy dinners. My main collection of high-protein recipes includes plenty of similar family-friendly meals with complete calories and macros.

FAQ

Can I use regular chorizo instead of reduced-fat chorizo?

Yes. Regular chorizo will produce more oil, so you may not need the full tablespoon of olive oil. Spoon out some excess chorizo fat before adding the vegetables if the pan looks particularly oily.

Can I make Chicken & Chorizo Pasta without cream cheese?

You can replace the cream cheese with crème fraîche, mascarpone or a blended cottage cheese sauce. The flavour and nutritional values will change, but all three will create a creamy finish.

How can I reduce the calories per serving?

Use 250 g of dried pasta, reduce the chorizo slightly and add extra peppers, mushrooms or spinach. You could also divide the finished recipe into five portions rather than four while still getting a substantial amount of protein.

Is Chicken & Chorizo Pasta suitable for meal prep?

Yes. It keeps in the fridge for up to three days and reheats well with a splash of milk or water. Store it in individual containers so you have properly measured portions ready to grab.

More high-protein recipes to try

• Love this combination? Try my Chicken & Chorizo Orzo – a creamy one-pan dinner with even less washing-up.
• For another rich and comforting pasta night, make my Creamy Beef Pasta – ideal when you want something filling, beefy and family-friendly.
• My Chicken Vodka Pasta combines tender chicken with a creamy tomato sauce and another very respectable protein serving.
• Prefer rice to pasta? This Chicken and Chorizo Risotto delivers the same smoky flavour combination in a cosy risotto.
• For another creamy one-pan chicken dinner, try my Marry Me Chicken Orzo – dramatic name, straightforward ingredients and absolutely no proposal required.

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