Creamy Chicken, Chorizo and Mozzarella Pasta Bake
A beautifully rich and luxurious creamy pasta bake made with chicken and chorizo and topped with parmesan and gooey mozzarella.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
Method
Heat the oven to 180C/350F and bring a pan of well salted water to the boil, once boiling turn down the heat to a simmer until you're ready to cook your pasta.
Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a (preferably oven-proof) pan and fry the chorizo for a few minutes until it release it's oils.
Add the chicken and garlic and cook until the chicken has turned white on all sides, stirring frequently.
Pour in the chopped tomatoes along with 1 tsp of oregano and a little salt and pepper, cook for around 10 minutes until thickened.
If you haven't done so, now would be the time to start cooking your pasta, so turn up the heat on the water to bring to a rolling boil - you might need to top it up with a little more hot water - and cook according to packet instructions.
Stir the olives and cherry tomatoes (leave them whole) and cook for 1-2 minutes, then stir in the mascarpone (or cream cheese) until you have a smooth, creamy sauce. Turn off the heat and sprinkle with a few basil leaves.
Add the cooked pasta to your sauce and stir everything together. If your pan is not oven proof you will need to transfer the pasta sauce mix a baking dish.
Break your mozzarella ball into pieces and sprinkle over the top of the pasta, followed by the parmesan. Finish with an extra sprinkle of oregano a crack of black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil if you wish.
You can also use grated mozzarella rather than balls if you prefer
Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the cheese has melted, then remove and rest for a few minutes.
Sprinkle over a few extra basil leaves for garnish and drizzle a little extra olive oil if you wish before serving
How to Cook Chicken, Chorizo and Mozzarella Pasta Bake
Start by bringing a pan of well salted water the boil, turn down to a simmer; we'll start cooking the pasta at the same time we add our tomatoes. I'm using rigatoni, but penne, conchiglie (shells) or fusilli (spirals) will also work well.
Fry the chorizo in a little olive oil until it releases it's oils and flavours
Add the chicken and garlic and fry until the chicken becomes opaque (white) and all pink bits have disappeared.
Add the tomatoes and oregano along with a little salt and pepper and give everything a good stir and cook for 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.
Now is the time to add your pasta to the boiling water
Stir in the tomatoes - leave them whole - and Kalamata olives and cook for a 1-2 minutes. You can also use black olives or leave the olives out if you prefer.
Stir in the mascarpone (or cream cheese) - you should see the sauce lighten in colour and look beautifully creamy! Sprinkle over a few basil leaves.
If your pan is not oven proof drain the pasta and stir into the sauce then transfer to a baking dish before the next step.
Drain the pasta, and stir in the rigatoni (or whatever pasta shape you are using), then dot the mozzarella over the top. Sprinkle over the parmesan, a little oregano and pepper and bake on 180C/350F for 20-25 minutes until the cheese has melted.
Remove from the oven, rest for a few minutes and sprinkle over a few extra basil leaves before serving.
Questions and Substitutions
What can I use instead of rigatoni?
Any tubular pasta, such as penne or ziti, will work well, otherwise go for a sturdy shape that can hold the thick creamy sauce, such as conchiglie (shells) or fusilli (spirals).
What can I use instead of Kalamata Olives?
Kalamata olives are a Greek olive (from the city of Kalamata) and have a slightly more tangy flavour than normal black olives, however, I would absolutely cook this dish with black olives, which have a milder flavour. You could even try green olives if you prefer.
Can I leave out the olives completely?
I know not everybody likes olives, so feel free to leave them out, this dish will still taste great without them!
Can I use grated mozzarella instead of balls?
Yes of course, the aim is to get the gooey, melty cheese topping, so grated mozzarella will work perfectly.
What's the difference between mascarpone and cream cheese?
I use mascarpone here, which is a milder and sweeter than cream cheese, however, both mascarpone and cream cheese work well in this dish so you can directly substitute one for the other.
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