We all love this dinner in our house. It’s Mia’s favourite so I make it all the time. It’s simple and delicious and wonderful with a garlic flatbread and a glass or two of red wine. You don’t need to add the chicken or chorizo but we prefer it with. Fresh grated parmesan optional but personally I wouldn’t be without it.

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts – cut into strips

Half a chorizo ring – cut into slices

400g pasta of choice – I like rigatoni or conchiglie

Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Tin of chopped tomatoes

Cup of sun dried tomatoes – buy the ones in oil

3 cloves garlic – minced

1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

Teaspoon chilli flakes

Tablespoon butter

50ml red wine

1 large onion cut in half

Tablespoon chilli olive oil

Method

In a large pan heat your chilli olive oil and pan fry your chicken strips, sliced chorizo and a clove of minced garlic. The chorizo will produce more oil and flavour and colour the chicken. Stir around the pan until the chicken is almost cooked through. Set aside.

In a separate large pan heat your chopped tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, chilli flakes, salt, pepper, butter, balsamic vinegar, red wine and the rest of your garlic. Place a whole onion peeled and cut into halves in the middle of the sauce and simmer for approximately 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, I remove the onion and blend the sauce to a smooth consistency as the sun dried tomatoes are better like this. Transfer back to the pan and continue to simmer over a very low heat adding your chorizo and chicken that you set aside earlier. Bring another large pan of salted water with a vegetable oxo to the boil and once boiling add your pasta to the pan of boiling water.

Set a timer to cook your pasta according to the cooking time. My pasta is approximately 10 minutes for it to be al dente. Make sure you give it a stir now and then, pasta is not like rice it loves company. When your timer goes off have a taste to make sure your pasta is al dente and if so drain in a colander, tip it back in the empty saucepan and swirl in a knob of butter and transfer into your pasta sauce.

By now your chicken will be fully cooked ( obviously check) and the sauce lovely and hot. Serve immediately with lots of cracked black pepper and parmesan. Pour the wine and enjoy with the ones you love.

Tip: Feel free to add a few more chilli flakes if you like it spicier. Its lovely with some fresh torn basil too.