This easy recipe for leftover roast chicken pasta is the perfect way to save money, reduce waste and create another family-friendly dinner. Oh, and it’s yummy!
*This post may contain affiliate links to products I find useful when making this recipe. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.*
Chicken has always been the kid’s favourite Sunday lunch meat. Thinking about it, I suspect it was mine until adulthood (beef now!).
I think, in part, it’s just because chicken is easier to cut and eat and perhaps has a milder flavour.
Or they really really like chicken gravy.
With the rising cost of everything, this is great news. Chicken is significantly cheaper than many other types of meat, and I suspect many people will be eating far more of it in the coming months.
We often put leftover roast chicken in sandwiches or with bubble and squeak on a Monday.
But, as you may have noticed, I also like to try to create another meal from my leftovers.
Things like leftover chicken risotto and this Leftover Roast Chicken Pasta are super easy, absolutely delicious, and ideal if you don’t have huge amounts of chicken left.
You can also make this Chicken and Chorizo Pasta with frozen chicken breasts (also great to have in for budget dinners!) Just pre-cook the breasts first, chop or shred them and then follow this recipe as it is.
Ingredients for Leftover Pasta
This Leftover Roast Chicken and Chorizo Pasta is delicious, and it’s also really easy with no expensive ingredients.
You’ll have lots of them already.
When I make my Leftover chicken pasta recipe, I use:
Cooked Chicken – This can be chicken breast, leg or a combination. I like to use around 400g, but whatever you’ve got. I wait for my chicken to cool on Sunday before shredding it by pulling it apart with my fingers. I then keep it in a sealed tub in the fridge until I need it. Always store leftovers at your own risk. There’s more guidance here.
Chorizo – If you don’t like chorizo, you could use bacon instead.
Red Onion
Garlic
Red Pepper
Chopped Tomatoes
Soft Cheese – You can make this Chicken and chorizo pasta with Philadelphia, but cheap supermarket own soft cheese works just as well. Swap for cream if you don’t want a cheesy sauce, or skip entirely.
Salt and Pepper
Mixed Herbs – I think the subtle flavour of mixed herbs is great with chorizo sausage, but if you want a Spicy Leftover Chicken Pasta swap for cayenne pepper or paprika.
Grated Parmesan – This is just to serve, skip if you want.
Pasta – I like rigatoni with my creamy Leftover Chicken and Chorizo Pasta. The groves help to catch the sauce. Penne pasta or any you’ve got is fine too.
How to Make Leftover Roast Chicken Pasta
Pasta with leftover chicken is a wonderful Comfort food because it’s delicious and filling, but also because it’s super easy to make!
You can get the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
What to Serve with Leftover Roast Chicken Pasta
Leftover Roast Chicken Pasta with Chorizo is great on its own. It’s a filling family meal, that doesn’t need anything extra.
If you want to add something, or you don’t have much chicken and want to bulk it out a bit (add extra peppers, too!), then you can serve your Leftover Roast Chicken Pasta with a simple side salad or/and garlic bread.
More Recipes with Leftover Roast Chicken
If you love this Leftover Chicken Pasta and want more easy ways to use up leftover roast chicken, you might also want to try:
- Easy chicken pasta with leftovers. Instead of Leftover chicken pasta with tomato sauce, this Roast Chicken Pasta is made with double cream bacon and peas.
- Leftover Chicken Risotto
- Easy curry
- Fried Rice. Swap the turkey for chicken.
- Stroganoff. Swap turkey for chicken for another yummy Pasta with cooked chicken
Leftover Roast Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 200 g Chorizo (Peeled and sliced into thin rounds)
- 1 Red Onion (Peeled and finely diced)
- 2 Cloves Garlic (Peeled and crushed)
- 1 Red Pepper (Deseeded and finely diced)
- 400 g Cooked Chicken (Shredded or diced into chunks)
- 400 g Chopped Tomatoes
- 100 g Soft Cheese
- Pinch Salt and pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Mixed Herbs
- Pasta (to serve 4 cooked to packet instructions)
- 50 g Grated Parmesan (To serve – optional)
Instructions
- Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat.
- Add the chorizo and fry for 2 minutes, stirring often, until it’s released lots of oil to coat the pan.
- Add the onion and garlic and fry for a further 5 minutes, stirring often, until soft.
- Stir in the red pepper and continue to fry for 2 more minutes, stirring often.
- Add the chicken and stir through until coated in the oil from the chorizo.
- Pour in the chopped tomatoes, add the soft cheese, a good pinch of salt and pepper and the mixed herbs.
- Stir well and bring to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce has reduced.
- While the chicken cooks, cook the pasta to package instructions and drain.
- Spoon the cooked chicken mixture on a bed of pasta and top with grated parmesan if required.
Video
Notes
- Frying the chorizo first means that you don’t need to use any additional cooking oil.
- Cook for a little longer if your sauce is still watery.
- I use rigatoni, but any pasta will do.
Nutrition
Any nutritional information is given as a general guide only and may not be accurate. The information is provided using an online calculator and is specific to my ingredients. Please make your own calculations if you want precise information.
Do you use canned diced tomatoes?
Always