Rasta pasta is a Caribbean inspired pasta dish with huge flavor! It’s a Jamaican spin on Italian pasta made with jerk chicken, bell peppers, and penne pasta in a rich cream sauce!
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Easy Rasta Pasta
Rasta pasta is where Italian penne pasta and Jamaican jerk chicken come together in a deliciously creamy pasta dish with sautéed peppers and tons of flavorful spices!
Fusion recipes like Mexican mac and cheese, and bang bang shrimp pasta are some of my favorite ways to get creative in the kitchen. The flavors are always explosive.
This rasta pasta is a nice change from your everyday pasta dinner and because it comes together in about 30 minutes, it’s great for a busy weeknight meal and has quickly become one of our most requested pasta recipes!
Why is it called Rasta Pasta
Often Jamaican culture and the Rastafarian culture are thought to be the same. They are not! Rastafari is a religion and ironically, they’re mostly vegetarian if not vegan.
Jamaica is one of the countries in the Caribbean where Jerk seasoning is widely used for things like jerk pork, jerk beef, and the popular jerk chicken!
However, because the colorful bell peppers are similar to Rasta colors, this dish has become known as Rasta pasta.
So, it’s safe to say it’s an Italian, Jamaican, AND Rastafarian fusion!
Whether you call it Jamaican Rasta pasta, jerk alfredo, or that delicious pasta with jerk chicken and peppers, it’s all the same. One big bowl of deliciousness.
Rasta Pasta Ingredients Notes
The complete list of ingredients with amounts are listed in the full recipe card below.
- Chicken: Boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch cubes. You can also use chicken tenders or boneless skinless chicken thighs. Shredded rotisserie chicken is also wonderful in a pinch. Just season it with the jerk seasoning.
- Jerk seasoning: Your favorite store-bought seasoning. It comes in a dry rub and a wet marinade. Both will work for this recipe. You can adjust the seasoning amount if you like more spice.
- Butter: You’ll need some to cook the chicken and the rest to sauté the onions and peppers.
- Sliced onion and bell peppers: I use green bell peppers and red bell peppers, but you could use yellow bell peppers too if you’d like.
- Minced garlic: For extra flavor, which is great in the cream sauce.
- Chicken broth and heavy cream: For the base of the sauce. Feel free to swap the heavy cream for coconut milk.
- Monterey Jack cheese: Freshly grated from a block so it melts nicely into the pasta.
- Penne pasta: This is the only thing that will be cooked on its own according to package directions.
- Red pepper flakes, parmesan cheese and fresh parsley: Optional garnishes.
Variations You Can Make
1. Use any favorite medium or short pasta you’d like. Bow tie pasta, large elbow noodles, fettuccine or rigatoni are all good swaps.
2. Toss in extra veggies like mushrooms and zucchini.
3. Make it a vegetarian rasta pasta recipe and omit the chicken!
4. I love it with chicken, but you can swap the protein for shrimp, pork, or beef too.
How We Make Rasta Pasta
This recipe will come together in a few easy steps for an easy dinner the whole family will love.
Step 1 – Season the chicken cubes with the seasonings and stir well to coat.
Step 2 – Cook the chicken for about 5-7 minutes until just barely cooked and no longer pink in the middle. Transfer the chicken to a bowl and set aside.
Step 3 – In the same pot, add the remaining butter and sauté the onions and peppers for 4-5 minutes until soft and the onions are translucent. Then, add the minced garlic and remaining jerk seasoning. Cook for another couple of minutes.
Step 4 – Add the chicken back into the pot and pour in the chicken stock and heavy cream. Stir well to combine and bring that to a boil.
Then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce starts to thicken. Remove from the heat and set aside. Then stir in the cheese.
Step 5 – In the meantime, boil pasta in salted water to al dente according to package directions. Drain the pasta and add it into the sauce and chicken mixture. Toss to coat, making sure the noodles are nicely sauced!
Garnish with red pepper flakes, parmesan cheese and/or parsley if desired.
Tips
- Do not overcook the chicken initially. It’ll spend time simmering in the sauce at which point it will cook all the way through.
- If the sauce is too thick, add a tablespoon or two of broth and stir
- If the sauce is too thin, simmer it uncovered for 5-10 minutes until it thickens to your desired consistency.
How to Store Leftovers
Refrigerate: Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It’s just as good the next day!
Reheat: In the microwave or a skillet over medium heat. You may find the pasta has absorbed the sauce, so it’s a good idea to add a splash of cream or broth into the sauce as it reheats just to loosen it up.
More Pasta Recipes To Try:
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Easy Rasta Pasta Recipe with Jerk Chicken
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds chicken breasts boneless skinless, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons jerk seasoning divided
- 3 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 large onion sliced
- 1 large red bell pepper sliced
- 1 large green bell pepper sliced
- 3-5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups Monterey Jack cheese freshly grated
- 16 ounces penne pasta dry
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- Fresh parsley for optional garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the cut chicken pieces and 2 tablespoons of jerk seasoning and stir to coat well.3 tablespoons jerk seasoning, 1.5 pounds chicken breasts
- In a dutch oven or large pot, add 2 tablespoons of butter and melt over medium heat.3 tablespoons butter
- Add the cubed chicken and cook for approximately 5-7 minutes until cooked until just barely no longer pink in the center. Then move it to a bowl and set aside. Be careful not to overcook the chicken.
- In the same pot, add an additional tablespoon of butter with the sliced pepper and onions and sauté over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until the onions are translucent.1 large onion, 1 large red bell pepper, 1 large green bell pepper
- Then add the minced garlic and remaining tablespoon of jerk seasoning and sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes.3-5 cloves garlic
- Add the cooked chicken back to the pot along with the chicken broth and heavy cream and stir to combine well.1 ½ cups chicken broth, 1 cup heavy cream
- Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce starts to thicken. Remove from the heat and set aside. Stir in the cheese.1 ½ cups Monterey Jack cheese
- Prepare the noodles while sauce is simmering. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook in only to al dente according to your package instructions.16 ounces penne pasta
- After cooking the pasta, drain into a colander in the sink and add the cooked pasta to the chicken mixture. Stir to combine.
- Garnish with red pepper flakes and fresh parsley if desired.¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, Fresh parsley
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclosure
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
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