Today I’m sharing this delicious Creamy Chicken & Chorizo Macaroni — an easy, comforting and budget-friendly dinner that feeds a family of 4 for under €10. It’s creamy, packed with flavour and perfect for busy weeknights when you want something filling without spending a fortune. My two kids absolutely love this dish — they’re big fans of pasta-based meals, so this one ticks all the boxes! This recipe is perfect for when you’re trying to make the weekly shop stretch a bit further.
One thing that has really helped us is being more ingredient-led instead of relying on pre-made or convenience foods. They might seem handy, but they often come with a much bigger price tag — and once you start cooking from scratch a bit more, you really notice the savings add up.
Why You’ll Love This Creamy chicken & chorizo macaroni
- Creamy, comforting and full of flavour
- A proper family-friendly pasta bake-style dinner
- Budget-friendly
- Quick and easy to make on busy weeknights
- Packed with simple, everyday ingredients
- Kid-approved (especially for pasta lovers!)
- Delicious as leftovers for lunch the next day
It’s still not great weather here in the west of Ireland — some evenings can be a bit chilly, and we’re still getting plenty of rain.
This is exactly the kind of comforting dinner you want after coming in from a cold walk on the prom or after sport training. It’s warm, creamy and filling — proper comfort food that brings everyone straight to the table. If you make it, don’t forget to tag @littleloucooks — I’d love to see your version! Looking for weekly meal plan inspiration? Check out my post Sunday Reset: Plan, Shop, Prep for easy recipes!
Creamy chicken & chorizo macaroni
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breast – 300g approx
- ½ tsp salt & pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 200 g chorizo skinned, diced
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic finely grated
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 200 g macaroni pasta
- 600 ml hot chicken stock
- 125 ml cream
- 100 g grated cheddar and mozzarella
- 150 g peas
- 50 g baby spinach
Instructions
- Dice and coat the chicken in paprika, oregano, salt and pepper, set to one side.
- Warm a large frying pan, add the oil and chorizo, cook for a few minutes to release the oils from the chorizo.
- Next add the onion and cook to soften for 10 minutes.
- Grate in the garlic then add the chicken and tomato paste. Cook for a few minutes.
- Pour in the pasta and stock, stir and cook for 10 minutes, make sure the liquid is bubbling so the pasta cooks, stir every few minutes.
- When the pasta is almost cooked add the cream, cook for a further few minutes. Add the peas and spinach for the final 2 minutes. Taste add salt and pepper if needed. Serve up.
- Reheats well.
- Storage: good in the fridge for 3 days.
