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creamy jerk chicken rasta pasta in a skillet with colorful bell peppers
Katie

Creamy Jerk Chicken Rasta Pasta

This creamy jerk chicken rasta pasta is bold, colorful, and ready in 40 minutes — seared jerk chicken, sautéed bell peppers, and penne pasta all tossed in a rich garlic-herb cream sauce with melted mozzarella and Parmesan.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 5 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American, Caribbean
Calories: 700
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 chicken breasts filleted (sliced in half horizontally)
  • 1 box penne pasta 12 oz
  • ½ stick garlic herb butter about 4 tablespoons
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup half-and-half
  • 2 packets jerk seasoning Walkerwood or dry jerk seasoning, divided
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
  • 1 red bell pepper sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper sliced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper sliced
  • 1 orange bell pepper sliced
  • 1 tsp garlic paste or to taste
  • kosher salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • ½ tsp Old Bay seasoning
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • canola oil for cooking

Method
 

  1. Season the filleted chicken breasts with 1 packet of jerk seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, Old Bay, salt, and black pepper on both sides.
  2. Heat a thin layer of canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken in a single layer, without moving it, for 4–5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove from the pan, let rest for 2–3 minutes, then slice.
  3. In a separate pan, heat a small amount of canola oil over medium heat. Add the sliced bell peppers, season lightly with salt and black pepper, and sauté until softened with light char on the edges, about 5–6 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  4. Cook the penne pasta according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of pasta water. Drain and set aside.
  5. In the same pan used to cook the chicken, melt the garlic herb butter over medium heat, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  6. Pour in the heavy cream and half-and-half, stirring to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat — do not boil.
  7. Reduce heat slightly and stir in the shredded mozzarella gradually until melted and smooth. Add the freshly grated Parmesan and continue stirring until the sauce is creamy and well combined.
  8. Season the sauce with the remaining packet of jerk seasoning, garlic paste, and additional salt, pepper, or spices to taste. Stir well to incorporate.
  9. Add the cooked penne to the sauce and toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water one splash at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
  10. Fold in the sautéed bell peppers and sliced jerk chicken. Toss everything together until evenly coated in the sauce. Serve immediately.

Notes

Don't rush the cream sauce — keep the heat at medium when adding the dairy. High heat can cause the cream to separate and the cheese to clump instead of melt smoothly.
Add cheese gradually and off a rolling boil. Pull the pan back from high heat before stirring in the mozzarella and Parmesan for the smoothest result.
Always save a cup of pasta water before draining. It's starchy and loosens a thick sauce in seconds without watering down the flavor.
Jerk seasoning brands vary in saltiness. Taste the sauce before adding more — Walkerwood tends to be bolder than store-brand dry jerk packets.
Leftovers keep well for up to 3 days in the fridge. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat with a small splash of cream or half-and-half stirred in to bring the sauce back together.
To add more heat, stir a pinch of cayenne or a dash of hot sauce into the cream sauce before adding the cheese.