Creamy Rasta Pasta with Jerk Chicken

Rasta pasta is creamy pasta with Caribbean-style jerk chicken and sauteed bell peppers. This dish is so full of flavor, color, and surprises. The creaminess from the heavy cream and the parmesan cheese goes perfectly with the peppers’ flavor and the jerk seasoning.

This Jamaican pasta recipe is one of my family’s favorites; once you try it, you’ll understand why. It has everything that we love: creamy sauce, spices, chicken, and some colorful veggies. All ingredients are added to one pot and are ready in only 15 minutes. Amazing recipe! Quick, easy, and so delicious!

Rasta Pasta FAQ

Before we begin preparing the Rasta pasta recipe, I think it’s best to learn a little more about where it comes from and the seasonings that give its unique taste. I always love to learn everything there is to know about a new recipe before I start preparing it, as it gives me time to process it thoroughly.

What Culture Is Rasta Pasta From?

This pasta recipe, which uses three colored bell peppers and jerk seasoning, is Jamaican-inspired. Like most Jamaican cuisine dishes, it is full of flavors and has a spicy kick from the jerk seasoning, which gives it its signature taste.

Jamaican cuisine includes some original cooking techniques, surprising flavors, and bold spices influenced by Amerindian, African, Irish, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Indian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern people who have inhabited the island over the years. So, in the present, many Jamaican dishes are actually variations on cuisines brought to the island from elsewhere

Who First Made Rasta Pasta?

Rasta Pasta has become a favorite Jamaican dish in many restaurants around the world. Its credits belong to Lorraine Washington, now a celebrated international chef, “who unwittingly created this dish.”

At the Paradise Yard Restaurant in Negril, back in 1985, I was preparing a meal for some construction workers when I placed some ackee on tomato sauce on a bed of home-made fettuccini. The Rasta colors evident in the dish inspired one of the carpenters to name it Rasta Pasta. Another pointed out that the fettuccini was the dreadlocks and so Rasta Pasta was born. They begged me to put it on the menu and there it remained from February 14, 1986, to July 1997.

Chef Washington tells the story behind the Rasta Pasta

How Do You Make Jamaican Jerk Seasoning?

In order to achieve the Caribbean spice kick, mix together the following:

• 1 tablespoon onion powder;
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder;
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper;
• 2 teaspoons salt;
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper;
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme (or 1 teaspoon ground thyme);
• 2 teaspoons sugar;
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice.

How to Make Raspa Pasta with Caribbean Jerk Chicken

When I first prepared this Jamaican-inspired recipe and saw the ingredient list, I freaked out! However, none of that drama was actually necessary. Believe me, the instructions are so easy that you kind of just add all of the ingredients to one pot, and that’s it.

Not to mention the surprise I had when I cooked the peppers with the garlic together… that delicious aroma! Just stick with me. You’ll see what I’m talking about.

What You Need to Make Rasta Pasta

First of all, let’s just see what we need in order to rock this spicy dish:

• 1 pound of pasta;
• 2 chicken breasts (2 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken);
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (1 tbsp for frying chicken + 1 tbsp for sauteeing bell peppers);
• 3 tablespoons jerk seasoning (1.5 tbsp for the chicken + 1.5 tbsp for the sauce);
• 3 bell peppers (preferably in 3 different colors – sliced);
• 2 green onions (sliced);
• 4 cloves garlic (minced);
• ¼ cup  vegetable or chicken stock;
• ½ cup heavy cream;
• ½ cup parmesan cheese (grated).

Easy Step-by-Step Recipe

Now that we know what we need, it’s time to get to work! First, one piece of advice I have for you, my loves, is to thoroughly read the steps one time before starting. This is one great suggestion my father once gave me. Patience and research are key in cooking, too.

Good! Now that everything is set, let’s rock this creamy Rasta pasta with jerk chicken.

1. Cook pasta according to the package instructions, and remember we want “al dente” pasta, so you can even cook it 1 minute under the package instructions.

2. Cube the chicken breast, toss it in jerk seasoning and oil and cook it until it’s golden and cooked through. Then remove it from the pot and set it aside to add later.

3. Add the vegetable oil to your heavy-bottomed pot, and saute bell peppers with green onions.

4. Next, add the minced garlic to the peppers and cook it until it’s fragrant.

5. Add the remaining jerk seasoning to the pot. Stir.

6. Add heavy cream, chicken, and vegetable stock to the pot. Simmer for a few minutes or until the sauce thickens.

7. Add the parmesan to the sauce and then mix in the pasta.

8. Garnish with chopped chives and green onions, and serve!

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Rasta Pasta Video Recipe

As you probably already noticed, I began adding some short video tutorials for the last recipes this week. I wanted to tell you that this happened because I had extra time, as my hubby is helping me with editing and everything.

However, we all are at his mercy! I just don’t have enough time to cook, write, film, edit, raise the monsters, and live too. So, eternal thanks to my handsome best friend for every video recipe here!

Now, without any cheesy sharing (we love only cheesy pasta!), let’s watch the Rasta pasta video recipe:

Enjoy your Colorful Pasta!

Finally, there you have it: a delicious Jamaican pasta dish for your dinner gatherings with your loved ones! What do you think about it? Did you find it hard to follow the recipe’s steps? Also, did you use store-bought jerk spice blend or did you make it yourself? Tell me everything in the comment section below.

Furthermore, don’t forget that your input on everything I write about is extremely valuable. It really helps me know what you think about my work and how you would improve my recipes, ideas, and advice. So, keep on asking any questions in the comments section. I will make sure to respond as soon as possible! Furthermore, feel free to share your experience with this creamy Rasta pasta and all your advice on it. I am always super excited to hear from my beloved readers!

Last but not least, if you’re a big pasta fan, give the next recipes a try too: