Man, what a week. On nights like this, the one thing I actually want to cook is this rasta pasta recipe. It’s the only dish I know that’s somehow super comforting but also exciting at the same time. It’s hard to explain the flavor until you’ve had it—it’s this wild mix where the spicy jerk seasoning makes your mouth tingle, and then this rich, sweet coconut sauce comes in and cools everything down. It just works. The bell peppers are key, they get all soft and sweet and bridge the gap between the spice and the cream. It’s just so good.
Here’s All The Stuff
Don’t look at this list and get overwhelmed, it’s mostly basic things. The magic is in how you put it together for this creamy jerk chicken pasta.
- Chicken: About a pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. Honestly, thighs are better here, they don’t dry out. Just cut it into chunks. Don’t stress about being exact.
- The Spice: 2-3 tablespoons of jerk seasoning. You know your spice level. I usually go for the Walker’s Wood brand if I can find it, it has a good kick.
- The Pasta: Half a box of penne, about 8 ounces. Anything with ridges to hold the sauce is great.
- The Veggies:
- 1 yellow onion, sliced.
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced.
- 1 of each: red, green, and yellow bell pepper. It feels like a lot when you’re chopping but they cook down, I promise.
- The Sauce Stuff:
- A can of coconut milk. And I mean the real stuff, the full-fat kind in a can. The stuff in a carton is too thin and your sauce will be watery and sad.
- About a half cup of chicken or veggie broth.
- A couple of green onions.
- A little bunch of fresh parsley.
- Basics: Olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Okay, Let’s Do This
This all happens pretty fast, so it helps to have your stuff chopped and ready to go.
Step 1: Chicken and Pasta Prep
Get your pot of water on for the pasta so it can heat up while you do other things. While that’s going, toss your chicken chunks in a bowl with the jerk seasoning, a drizzle of oil, and some salt and pepper. Get your hands in there and really coat it. Now, check your water. If it’s boiling, salt it well and throw the pasta in. Just cook it a minute or two less than the box says. You want a little bite left in it. Before you drain it, use a mug to save some of that pasta water.
Step 2: The Searing Part
Get a big skillet hot over medium-high heat and add some oil. When it shimmers, carefully lay the chicken in. Don’t overcrowd the pan! If you have to, do it in two batches. The goal here is to get a nice brown crust, so let it sit for a few minutes before you flip it. Don’t poke at it. Once it’s browned and cooked, take it out and put it on a plate.
Step 3: Peppers and Onions
Toss your sliced peppers and onions right into that same hot pan. There are all sorts of tasty brown bits from the chicken on the bottom—that’s flavor. Let the veggies cook down for a good 5-7 minutes, until they get all soft and sweet-smelling. Then, throw in the garlic and most of the green onions for the last minute.
Step 4: The Sauce
Turn the heat down to medium-low. Pour in the whole can of coconut milk and the broth. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan and get all that flavor mixed in. Let it come to a gentle simmer—like, little lazy bubbles, not a crazy boil. The first time I made this I walked away and it boiled over. Don’t be like me. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes to thicken up a bit. This is where you get that perfect rasta pasta with coconut milk sauce.
Step 5: Put It All Together
Alright, time to make it happen. Add the cooked chicken back into the skillet. Dump in the drained pasta. Give it all a good stir. See how the sauce is coating everything? This is what you want. If it looks too thick, add a little splash of that pasta water you saved. Let it all bubble together for a minute.
Step 6: Serve it!
That’s it, you did it. Spoon it into some big bowls. Top it with the rest of your green onions and a bunch of chopped parsley. It needs that fresh green hit at the end.
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Why It’s Worth The (Minimal) Effort
Look at that bowl. It’s colorful, it smells amazing, and it tastes even better. For a meal that comes together so fast, it feels really special. This is my go-to easy weeknight rasta pasta because it saves me from another boring dinner, and leftovers are incredible the next day (if there are any). For real though, if you make this rasta pasta recipe, I’d love to know. Drop a comment or something. It’s cool to know people are out there making and enjoying the same food.
rasta pasta recipe
A creamy spicy pasta with jerk chicken and colorful bell peppers. A taste of the Caribbean thats surprisingly easy to make for a weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breasts or thighs cut in chunks
- 2-3 tbsp jerk seasoning
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- Salt and pepper
- 8 oz penne pasta
- 1 yellow onion sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper sliced
- 1 green bell pepper sliced
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk (13.5 oz)
- 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 green onions sliced
- Fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
Step 1
get the pasta water boiling first. while thats going chop up the chicken and toss it with the jerk seasoning oil and thyme.
Step 2
when the water boils throw the pasta in. cook it but not all the way. you want a little chew left. save a cup of the pasta water then drain it.
Step 3
get a big skillet hot with some oil. put the chicken in and let it get brown and crusty. dont mess with it too much. take it out when its cooked.
Step 4
in that same pan throw in all your sliced peppers and onions. cook em till they get soft and sweet. then add the garlic and green onions for just a minute.
Step 5
turn the heat down. pour in the coconut milk and broth. scrape all the good brown stuff off the bottom of the pan. let it bubble gently for like 5 minutes.
Step 6
toss everything back in the pan. the chicken the pasta. stir it all up in that creamy sauce. if it looks too thick add a splash of that pasta water you saved.
Step 7
serve it up in bowls and throw some fresh parsley on top. looks great and tastes even better.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 665Total Fat: 36gSaturated Fat: 22gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 139mgSodium: 769mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 4gSugar: 8gProtein: 51g
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