Rasta Pasta Recipe with Jerk Chicken (extra creamy!)

This extra creamy rasta pasta recipe with jerk chicken is easy to make and great for busy weeknights. It’s creamy, spicy, and packed with flavor! Plus, the whole recipe comes together in less than 45 minutes.

The best rasta pasta recipe

This Jamaican rasta pasta recipe is so good!  It is super easy to make and the perfect weeknight dinner. I also love it for meal prep!

This delicious creamy pasta dish comes together in about 40 minutes total. But don’t let the cook time scare you away. This simple recipe is truly is perfect for a weeknight meal. Most of that 40 minutes is just letting the chicken thighs cook. The hands-on time is pretty minimal.

If you love spicy foods that are packed with flavor then this jerk chicken pasta recipe is for you! 

What is rasta pasta?  

Rasta pasta was originally created by Chef Lorraine Washington, owner of Paradise Yard Restaurant in Negril, Jamaica in 1985. She created this Jamaican-Italian fusion dish to serve to a group of construction workers and they remarked that the colors of the dish were rasta colors (due to the red, green, and yellow colors of the peppers). People loved this dish so much that she kept it on the menu for over a decade!

This fusion dish of Italian cuisine and Jamaican cuisine is a twist on classic Italian pasta. This Italian pasta style was turned into an ode to Rastafarian culture via the colors of the dish and its classic Caribbean seasonings. You won’t believe how much flavor this dish has!

Rasta pasta has become remarkably popular in New York and can be found on menus all across the region! And for a good reason. It’s flavorful, spicy, creamy, and oh-so comforting! This is a great recipe for all the spicy food lovers out there! 

How to make the best rasta pasta

To make the best rasta pasta, you need to start with the freshest, highest quality ingredients you can get. This will really make the flavors pop!

You will also need a good jerk seasoning. For this recipe we are going to use dry jerk seasoning that you can purchase in your local grocery store spice aisle, online, or make your own blend at home! 

For this recipe you will begin by cooking chicken thighs in a skillet. Then while these cook you start the sauce by softening the peppers and adding all of the seasonings, cream, and cheese. After that you will just stir in your cooked pasta, thin the sauce as needed with some pasta water, then serve with the sliced jerk chicken on top! So easy and so delicious!

Ingredients needed to make this easy rasta pasta recipe

• 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs (1 lb)
• ¼ cup Jamaican jerk seasoning, divided
• 3 Tbsp butter, divided
• 3 colorful bell peppers (red, green, and yellow), sliced
• 5 green onions (spring onions), sliced
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup heavy cream 
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 3 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 lb penne pasta
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese*
• Extra sliced green onion for garnish

How to make rasta pasta with jerk chicken

(Printable recipe card at the bottom of the post)

1. Boil water for pasta over high heat.

2. Cook chicken. Dry thighs and sprinkle with some salt and pepper and 2 Tbsp jerk seasoning to coat both sides. Heat 2 Tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once butter begins to brown, add chicken. Allow chicken thighs to cook for 15 minutes without touching, then flip and cook for 15 more minutes or until the centers reach 170ºF. Remove, allow to rest for 5 minutes, then slice at an angle. While chicken is cooking you can make the rest of the recipe. 

3. Cook veggies and make sauce. In a separate large skillet or pot, melt 1 Tbsp butter over medium high heat. Once hot, add sliced peppers, green onion, and thyme to the skillet. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes or until just beginning to soften, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Add remaining 2 Tbsp jerk seasoning and smoked paprika and stir. Add heavy cream and stir. Bring to a gentle simmer then reduce heat to low. Allow to simmer on low (it should just barely be bubbling) for 5 minutes then remove from heat. Remove thyme sprigs. Add parmesan, mozzarella, and fresh lemon juice. Stir and cover. 

4. Cook pasta. Once the water is boiling, salt it well** and add the pasta. Cook pasta al dente (about 1 minute less than package instructions). You can begin cooking the pasta while your veggies are cooking in step 3.

5. Add cooked pasta to sauce. Using a strainer, transfer the pasta to the sauce, reserving the pasta water. Thin with pasta water to get a nice creamy sauce (about ½ cup of pasta water). As the pasta cools the sauce will continue to thicken and you can thin with more pasta water as needed.

6. Stir gently and season to taste with sea salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.

7. Slice chicken thighs and top the pasta with the chicken. 

8. Garnish with extra green onion slices and serve. Enjoy!

*Freshly shredded mozzarella works best for the silkiest sauce. Try to avoid the pre-shredded kind if possible. It only takes 2-3 minutes to shred it yourself and is well worth the extra effort for the creamiest sauce! 

**When adding salt to boiling water it should be salty like the sea. Just add some, taste, and adjust. 

Equipment needed to make this creamy rasta pasta recipe

• Cutting board
• Chef’s knife
• Large pot
• 2 large skillets 
• Cooking spoon
• Tongs
• Strainer
• Serving spoon or ladle

Tips to make the best rasta pasta

• Serve with red pepper flakes for even more spice. 
• Old Bay seasoning can also be a great addition if you want some more flavor
• If you want even more flavor, I love using grilled chicken! Just marinate whole chicken breasts in jerk seasoning and 1 Tbsp olive oil or avocado oil in the refrigerator for 4 hours, then grill over medium-high heat until cooked through. Slice and arrange the chicken on top of the finished pasta dish. 
• You can also use shrimp instead of chicken in this recipe! Just adjust the cook time to 3 minutes or until the shrimp are just opaque throughout. 
• Pro tip: before storing any leftovers, stir in more pasta water to the cooled pasta until you have a creamy consistency again.
• Store room leftovers in airtight container or in a bowl with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Cream sauces do not freeze well, so I do not recommend freezing. Click here for my favorite compostable plastic wrap alternative! Allow leftovers to cool to room temperature before storing. 
• You can also use another type of pasta instead of penne. Rigatoni or fusili also work great!
• Make sure to cook pasta al dente to avoid mushiness or breaking once you stir it into the sauce (about 1 minute less than package directions).
• Gluten-free pasta can also be used in this recipe! I like this one!
• I don’t usually rinse my chicken, but if you feel the need you can rinse in cold water to remove any debris or bone fragments. Just make sure they are patted dry really well before adding the seasoning and cooking. 
• Cooking time for the chicken thighs can vary based on how large they are. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the perfect cooking time. 

Can I make this recipe dairy free?

Yes! To make this delicious pasta dish dairy free:

1. Replace the heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream. Coconut cream seems thick at first, but once heated it melts right into the sauce. 
2. Use vegan cheese. This is a great parmesan substitute and this is a great mozzarella substitute! If you still feel like you need more cheesy flavor at the end, I love to use nutritional yeast for extra umami! 
3. Use vegan butter.

How to make vegetarian rasta pasta or vegan rasta pasta

Yes! To make a vegetarian rasta pasta recipe:

• Omit the chicken
• Substitute with tofu! You can use a jarred jerk marinade to marinate the tofu for a few hours and then you can pan-sear it, grill it, or even stick it in the air fryer. If you can’t find a pre-made jerk marinade in your local grocery store, you can order it here. Or just mix your jerk seasoning with a few tablespoons of water and a splash of oil to make a quick marinade.

If you want to make a vegan rasta pasta recipe you will also need to follow my tips above for making it dairy-free. The vegan and vegetarian versions of this recipe are actually quite good! 

Other ingredients/techniques that you could use:

• Homemade seasoning – if you can’t find jerk seasoning at your local grocery store, here is a recipe that you can use to make your own homemade jerk seasoning!
• Jerk marinade – jars of jerk marinade can be used instead of or in addition to the jerk seasoning, if desired
• Shrimp – try using shrimp instead of chicken. Just a quick 3 minute sear will work for large shrimp. 
• Brown sugar 
• Scotch bonnets (Scotch bonnet peppers)
• Garlic powder or onion powder
• Chicken stock, chicken broth, seafood stock, vegetable stock, or vegetable broth – for even more flavor, consider boiling your pasta in a broth or stock! It will be more expensive, but the added flavor is insanely good. I love using a homemade shrimp stock. YUM!
• Extra green peppers – If you can’t find yellow peppers and red bell peppers or they are not affordable, you can absolutely use all green bell peppers in this recipe!
• Fresh herbs – extra fresh thyme or other herbs like parsley can add even more color and flavor
• Lime juice
• Cream cheese

Love pasta? Check out these other yummy recipes!

• Spicy Shrimp Pesto Gnocchi Bowls (super quick weeknight meal!)
• Greek Chicken Pasta Salad
• Garlic Butter Cream Sauce (for any kind of pasta!)
• Baked Feta Fettuccine with Shrimp (seriously addictive!)
• Dairy Free Cauliflower Alfredo
• Lobster Mac and Cheese

Did you love the recipe? Please consider commenting and leaving a star rating below to let me know! 

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Rasta Pasta Recipe with Jerk Chicken (extra creamy!)

4.97 from 64 votes

Print

This easy rasta pasta recipe is simple to make, creamy, spicy, and packed with flavor! It comes together in about 40 minutes and is perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner.

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients 

• 4 boneless chicken thighs (1 lb)
• ¼ cup jerk seasoning, divided
• 3 Tbsp butter, divided
• 3 bell peppers (red, green, and yellow), sliced
• 5 green onions sliced
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 3 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 lb penne pasta
• ½ cup grated parmesan
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella*
• Extra sliced green onion for garnish

Instructions

• Boil water for pasta over high heat.
• Cook chicken. Dry thighs and sprinkle with some salt and pepper and 2 Tbsp jerk seasoning to coat both sides. Heat 2 Tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium. Once butter begins to brown, add chicken. Allow chicken thighs to cook for 15 minutes without touching, then flip and cook for 15 more minutes or until the centers reach 170ºF. Remove, allow to rest for 5 minutes, then slice at an angle. While chicken is cooking you can make the rest of the recipe.
• Cook veggies and make sauce. In a separate large skillet or pot, melt 1 Tbsp butter over medium-high heat. Once hot, add sliced peppers, green onion, and thyme to the skillet. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes or until just beginning to soften, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Add remaining 2 Tbsp jerk seasoning and smoked paprika and stir. Add heavy cream and stir. Bring to a gentle simmer then reduce heat to low. Allow to simmer on low (it should just barely be bubbling) for 5 minutes then remove from heat. Remove thyme sprigs. Add parmesan, mozzarella, and fresh lemon juice. Stir and cover.
• Cook pasta. Once the water is boiling, salt it well** and add the pasta. Cook pasta until al dente (about 1 minute less than package directions). You can begin cooking the pasta while your veggies are cooking in step 3.
• Add pasta to sauce. Using a strainer, transfer the pasta to the sauce, reserving the pasta water. Stir gently and thin with pasta water to get a nice creamy sauce (about ½ cup pasta water). As the pasta cools the sauce will continue to thicken and you can thin with more pasta water as needed.
• Season to taste with sea salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
• Slice chicken thighs and top the pasta with the chicken.
• Garnish with extra green onion slices and serve. Enjoy!

Did you love the recipe? I would love it if you left me a 5-star review below!

Notes

*Freshly shredded mozzarella works best for the silkiest sauce. Try to avoid the pre-shredded kind if possible
**When adding salt to boiling water it should be salty like the sea. Just add some, taste, and adjust.
-Serve with red pepper flakes for even more spice.
-Old Bay seasoning can also be a great addition if you want some more flavor
-If you want even more flavor, I love using grilled chicken! Just marinate whole chicken breasts in jerk seasoning and 1 Tbsp olive oil or avocado oil in the refrigerator for 4 hours, then grill over medium-high heat until cooked through. Slice and arrange the chicken on top of the finished pasta dish.
-You can also use shrimp instead of chicken in this recipe! Just adjust the cook time to 3 minutes or until the shrimp are just opaque throughout.
-Pro tip: before storing any leftovers, stir in more pasta water to the cooled pasta until you have a creamy consistency again.

Category:

• 45 minutes
• American
• Caribbean
• Chicken / Turkey
• Chicken thighs
• Date Night
• Dinner
• Fall
• Main Dish
• Pasta & Pizza
• Quick Weeknight Dinners
• Spring
• Summer
• Winter

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