Rasta Pasta

This vibrant one-pot wonder brings jerk-spiced chicken, jewel-toned peppers, and a silky Parmesan cream sauce together in under 45 minutes—the kind of dish that tastes like you've been cooking all day but takes hardly any effort.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb chicken breast, cubed
• 2 tbsp jerk seasoning
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 12 oz pasta (penne or rigatoni)
• 1½ cups chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half)
• ½ cup grated Parmesan
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

Method:

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Season chicken with jerk seasoning and cook until golden, about 5–6 minutes. Remove and set aside.
2. In the same pot, sauté onion and peppers until softened, 4–5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
3. Stir in pasta, chicken broth, and cooked chicken. Bring to a boil, then simmer until pasta is tender, about 12–15 minutes.
4. Pour in cream and Parmesan, stirring until sauce coats the pasta. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve hot, topped with cilantro if you like.

Full recipe at Budget Bytes →

Chef's tip: Don't oversimmer after adding the cream—just a minute or two keeps the sauce silky instead of splitting. The magic is in that balance.