A creamy leftover chicken rasta pasta recipe, loaded with colourful peppers and zesty Jamaican jerk seasoning! Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s the ideal quick meal for busy weeknights.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email you this post for easy access later! You'll also join the Effortless Foodie mailing list and receive my popular 'No Bake Bars and Slices' eBook for free!
This site is protected by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Jamaican rasta pasta is traditionally made with vibrant peppers, aromatic Caribbean jerk seasoning, pasta, and creamy sauce. I love to include leftover chicken too, for an extra boost of flavour!
👩🍳 Love easy pasta recipes? Try my creamy cajun chicken pasta!
Jump to:
What is rasta pasta?
Rasta pasta was first created in Jamaica in 1986, by chef Lorraine Washington. The dish included green, yellow, and red bell peppers, which her customers thought were reminiscent of the Rastafarian flag, hence the name 'rasta pasta' was coined!
✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
- Ready in under 30 minutes, perfect for busy weeknights.
- Bright peppers add a vibrant touch to the dish.
- Turn your leftover chicken into a tasty meal while reducing food waste. you might also like my leftover chicken tacos recipe too!
🛒 Ingredients
Pasta - I prefer using short pasta like penne or rigatoni, but traditionally, tagliatelle was used to resemble dreadlocks in Rastafarian culture.
Olive Oil - You can also use sunflower oil.
Onions & Garlic - Finely chopped.
Peppers - Sliced red, green, and yellow peppers are needed.
Seasonings - Jerk seasoning and cayenne pepper add a delightful kick to the dish!
Creamy Sauce - Made from vegetable or chicken stock, double cream, and Parmesan cheese.
Chicken - Use leftover roast chicken, or alternatively, two fresh chicken breasts, thinly sliced.
Optional Garnishes - Chopped spring onions and red pepper flakes.
🔪 How to make rasta pasta with chicken
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Heat the olive oil on a medium heat in a large frying pan and fry the onions, garlic, and bell peppers for 5 minutes until softened.
Two: Stir in the jerk seasoning and cayenne pepper.
Three: Pour in the cream, stock and sprinkle in the grated Parmesan. Stir until a cheesy sauce forms.
Four: Add in the cooked pasta and leftover cooked chicken. Mix well and serve with more Parmesan.
Top Tips
- When cooking the pasta, reserve a cup of the cooking water before draining. This water can be added to the sauce to help it emulsify and achieve a silky smooth texture.
- Cook the pasta until al dente, ensuring it retains a slight bite and isn’t overly soft.
- If using fresh chicken breasts, slice them into thin strips and add them to the pan after sautéing the onions and peppers. Cook over medium-high heat until the chicken is no longer pink.
- If you have the time, consider making your own homemade jerk seasoning for an extra burst of flavour!
🍴 Serving suggestions
Serve with a side of green vegetables such as air fryer asparagus, or roasted courgettes!
📖 Variations
- Make it with prawns (shrimp rasta pasta) instead of chicken.
- Make it vegetarian friendly by omitting the chicken and adding more peppers, or other vegetables such as corn.
- For a vegan rasta pasta, substitute the double cream for the same quantity of coconut milk and omit the Parmesan.
- Up the spice and double the amount of cayenne pepper!
🥡 Storage
Store - Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat - Place in a microwave safe dish and cook on full power until piping hot.
Freeze - Leftovers can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost fully in the fridge before reheating.
❓ FAQs
Jerk seasoning has a bit of heat but not overwhelmingly so. Omit the cayenne pepper from the recipe if you prefer your food less spicy!
Ingredients in Jamaican jerk seasoning include cumin, nutmeg, allspice, smoked paprika, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, and brown sugar.
😋 More easy pasta recipes
- Paprika Chicken Pasta
- Angel Hair Pasta with Garlic and Herbs
- BBQ Chicken Pasta
- Creamy Sausage Pasta
- Halloumi Pasta with Chorizo
- Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta
Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter to stay up to date with what's cooking in the Effortless Foodie kitchen! You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram too!
Recipe
Leftover Chicken Rasta Pasta
Would you like to save this?
We'll email you this post for easy access later! You'll also join the Effortless Foodie mailing list and receive my popular 'No Bake Bars and Slices' eBook for free!
This site is protected by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Equipment
- Chopping Board
- Knife
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- 350 g Pasta short pasta like penne or rigatoni
- 200 g Cooked Chicken
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 3 Peppers 1 each of red, yellow and green, sliced
- 1 Onion chopped
- 3 Garlic Cloves chopped
- 2 tablespoon Jerk Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 100 ml Vegetable Stock
- 80 ml Double Cream
- 80 g Parmesan grated
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
- Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta to al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta cooking water before draining. Set aside.350 g Pasta
- Heat the olive oil on a medium heat in a large skillet and sauté the onions, garlic, and bell peppers for 5 minutes until softened.1 tablespoon Olive Oil, 3 Peppers, 1 Onion, 3 Garlic Cloves
- Stir in the Caribbean seasonings of jerk seasoning and cayenne pepper.2 tablespoon Jerk Seasoning, ½ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- Pour in the cream, stock (broth) and sprinkle in the grated Parmesan. Stir until a cheesy sauce forms.100 ml Vegetable Stock, 80 ml Double Cream, 80 g Parmesan
- Add in the cooked pasta and leftover cooked chicken. You may want to add in some of the reserved pasta cooking water at this point, in order to make the sauce glossy and smooth. Season before serving.350 g Pasta, 200 g Cooked Chicken, ¼ teaspoon Salt, ¼ teaspoon Pepper
Nadja
Love how easy it is to prepare, and it's a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken. Thanks for sharing.
Mirlene
Love a good Rasta Pasta recipe. This meal turned out so good and very easy to follow. It is on rotation in our home.
Cara
So easy and so flavourful! Absolutely loved it. New weeknight fav!
Carrie Robinson
I am just loving all of the flavors happening in this pasta dish! Definitely going to have to add this to my weekly meal plan soon. 🙂
Kechi
This looks so flavorful and yummy; I love anything with Jerk seasoning! Definitely going to make some!
Emily
Love the name! My whole family liked the recipe too. Thanks for coming up with such an easy to make dinner.