Rasta Pasta

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By: Jill Mills Posted: May 23, 2024

This creamy and spicy Rasta Pasta is full of tender veggies and jerk-seasoned chicken in a velvety sauce. It’s a well-balanced and delicious meal that’s easy to make.

Homemade Rasta Pasta Recipe

I love spicy food, and this rasta pasta has the perfect amount of kick without being overwhelming. It’s even great for anyone who doesn’t like as much heat! The sauce is rich and creamy, and the jerk seasoning is spicy and has bold flavors. It pairs perfectly with the juicy chicken and tender pasta. I’ve made this meal a handful of times at home and my husband loves it. The kiddos do as well but they still like a little less jerk seasoning. Either way, it’s so delicious!

What is Rasta Pasta?

Also known as Rastafarian Pasta, Rasta Pasta is a Caribbean-style jerk chicken pasta dish. It traditionally contains slices of colorful bell peppers in a rich and flavor cream sauce. It’s bold and has a good kick.

Why You’ll Love This Rasta Pasta

• 30-minute meal. This rasta pasta is ready to eat in less than 30 minutes.
• Balanced spicy flavor. The creamy and cheesy sauce perfectly balances the heat from the jerk seasoning and the sweet peppers.
• Can be made in one pan. If you use cooked chicken, this dish can be made in one skillet.

What You’ll Need

Despite the minimal ingredients, this recipe has bold flavors that you are going to love! Each ingredient has a unique flavor and texture to add balance. Plus, they are all easy to find.

• Medium pasta: I used penne pasta for mine, but you can use elbow macaroni, rotini, or any medium-sized pasta you want.
• Chicken breasts: This recipe calls for boneless skinless chicken breasts. If I don’t feel like cooking chicken, I like to use leftover shredded chicken as a shortcut.
• Oil: Canola or vegetable oil are great for this but olive oil works as well.
• Jerk seasoning: Any variety of jerk seasoning from the grocery store is perfect or you can make your own homemade jerk seasoning. (Use this Air Fryer Jerk Chicken for inspiration)
• Bell peppers: I use one each of red, yellow, and orange. You can use any combination of those colors for this recipe. They are sweet bell peppers. I don’t recommend green bell peppers because they aren’t as sweet.
• Green onions: I love the flavor of green onions. It’s fresh and has a little more bite than cooked yellow onions.
• Stock: Chicken or vegetable stock will work in this recipe. Broth works just fine as well.
• Cream and milk: I use equal parts of cream and milk. The cream adds richness while the milk prevents the sauce from becoming too thick.
• Parmesan cheese: This adds just the right amount of sharp, cheesy flavor. Use freshly grated parmesan if possible because it has the best flavor and melts the best.
• Cornstarch and water: I use these to make a quick slurry to help the sauce thicken.

How to Make Rasta Pasta

Here are all the steps you will need to make this tasty and flavorful rasta pasta dish. It’s super easy for anyone to make.

• Cook and drain the pasta. Add water to a large Dutch oven. Bring it to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. It should be about al dente. Drain once cooked and set it aside.
• Season the chicken. Generously season both sides of each chicken breast with jerk seasoning (about 1 teaspoon per breast).
• Heat a skillet and add oil. Heat a separate large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil once hot. 
• Cook the chicken. Sear each side of the chicken for about 3-4 minutes or until they are fully cooked. 

• Set aside and add the remaining oil. Remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside. Then, add the rest of the canola oil to the Dutch oven over medium heat. 
• Cook the pepper and onions. Add the sliced bell peppers and green onions and cook until they soften and start to brown. 
• Add garlic. Next, add the minced garlic cloves and cook for about one more minute or until it becomes fragrant. 
• Add the remaining jerk seasoning. Stir in the last 2 tablespoons of jerk seasoning. 
• Pour in stock and dairy. Add the chicken stock, cream, and milk. Continue to cook until the mixture starts to bubble and thicken.

• Make a slurry. Then, combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Add small amounts of the cornstarch slurry until the sauce reaches the consistency you want. 
• Melt parmesan cheese. Add the cheese and stir until it is melted and fully combined.
• Slice the chicken. Cut up the cooked chicken while the cheese is melting.
• Return pasta and chicken to the skillet. Add the cooked pasta and chicken back to the Dutch oven. Stir well and then remove it from the heat. 
• Garnish and serve. Top with extra sliced green onion and parmesan. Enjoy!

Storage Directions

Store leftover rasta pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For best results, reheat it in a pot on the stovetop over medium-low heat. You can use the microwave as well but I recommend covering the plate with a damp paper towel to keep the pasta from drying out.

More Pasta Recipes to Try

• Chicken Pesto Pasta
• Cajun Shrimp Pasta
• Irish Pasta Recipe
• Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
• Crack Chicken Stuffed Shells

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Rasta Pasta

This creamy and spicy Rasta Pasta is full of tender veggies and jerk-seasoned chicken in a velvety sauce. It’s a well-balanced and delicious meal that’s easy to make.

Servings: 8 Servings

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 25 minutes mins

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Ingredients

  

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• ▢ 1 16 ounce box of dried medium-size pasta (Penne, Rotini, Bow Ties, Fusilli, Gemelli, macaroni, etc.)
• ▢ 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts (or you can also use 3 cups of shredded pre-cooked chicken)
• ▢ 3 Tablespoons Canola oil
• ▢ 3 Tablespoons Jamaican Jerk Seasoning
• ▢ 1 red bell pepper sliced
• ▢ 1 yellow bell pepper sliced
• ▢ 1 orange bell pepper sliced
• ▢ ½ cup green onions thinly sliced
• ▢ 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• ▢ ½ cup chicken or vegetable stock
• ▢ ½ cup heavy cream
• ▢ ½ cup milk
• ▢ ¾ cup shredded parmesan cheese.
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons Corn Starch
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon water

Instructions

• Cook pasta in a Dutch oven, or other large, heavy-bottomed pan according to instructions. Cook to al-dente then drain and set aside.
• If you are using raw chicken breasts instead of pre-cooked chicken, pat the breasts dry and apply 1 teaspoon of the Jerk Seasoning to both sides of each breast.
• You can grill the breasts or use a cast-iron skillet to cook them.
• If using a cast-iron skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon of canola oil over medium heat.
• Once the pan is hot, cook the chicken breasts for 3-4 minutes on one side, then flip over and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until chicken reaches 165 degrees. Then remove.
• Once the chicken is resting, heat the remainder of the canola oil in the Dutch oven over medium heat.
• Once hot, add the sliced peppers and onions to the pan and cook, stirring often until the peppers are tender and slightly browned.
• Add the garlic to the peppers and continue cooking for an additional minute or until the garlic is fragrant.
• Add the Jerk Seasoning and mix.
• Add the stock, cream and milk and cook stirring often until it starts to bubble and thicken.
• In a small bowl, mix the corn starch and water. If the sauce needs additional thickening, add the corn starch and water mixture a little at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
• Add the parmesan cheese and stir until melted.
• Add the pasta and stir together.
• Serve immediately with additional sliced onions, parmesan and/or cracked black pepper.

Last Step:

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Notes

• Chicken breasts vary according to thickness, and some may take longer than others. You may need to flip the breasts a few more times or add some water to the pan and cover with foil to assist in the cooking process.
• Once the chicken reaches 165 degrees, it is safe to remove to a cutting board and rest.
• When cooking the chicken breasts the seasoning will help the chicken to slightly char which is normal.
• This makes a good amount of sauce for the pasta, however, if waiting to serve or storing overnight, you may want to increase the stock, milk, and cream and reserve some sauce for when reheating as the pasta will continue to absorb the sauce as it rests.
• If storing overnight, add a splash of milk to the pot and heat over medium-low stirring often until heated through. Add additional sauce as necessary.

Nutrition

Calories: 272kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 370mg | Potassium: 534mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2286IU | Vitamin C: 68mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 1mg

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