Bahama Breeze Jerk Chicken Pasta

You can spice up your usual weeknight dinner routine with this fun, delicious Bahama Breeze jerk chicken pasta recipe! If you’re craving a satisfying meal that will seriously wake up your taste buds, this is it. Bahama Breeze jerk chicken pasta is made with jalapeños, bell peppers, and green onions, and then topped with roasted jerk chicken that’s bound to make your mouth water.

What is Bahama Breeze Jerk Chicken Pasta?

This Bahama Breeze jerk chicken pasta recipe is inspired by Jamaican jerk chicken with a mixture of seasonings for a spicy, sweet flavor. Feel free to purchase pre-made Jamaican jerk spice as it will make this recipe way easier, however, you can also make your own homemade jerk seasoning. Traditionally, Jerk seasoning is made of spices like chiles, thyme, cinnamon, garlic, and nutmeg.

Ingredients That You'll Need

• Chicken - Chicken breasts or boneless chicken thighs can be used in this recipe, though if you want a vegan version of this Bahama Breeze jerk chicken pasta recipe, just cook it without the chicken or substitute it with a vegan protein.
• Pasta - The pasta that I use in this recipe is penne and that's because of the way the seasoning stays on the penne and goes into the hollow of the pasta, but feel free to use fettuccine, linguine, fusilli, rotini, bow tie pasta, or any other short pasta if you prefer.
• Bell peppers - Use red and orange bell peppers to add some bright color to this dish.
• Garlic
• Jerk seasoning - This recipe uses pre-made jerk seasoning, however, when using store-bought, make sure it's a trusted brand as the quality of seasoning used will impact the outcome of your dish.
• Spring onions - These are also called scallions or green onions.
• Parmesan cheese - This is often labeled as Parmigiano Reggiano.
• Heavy cream - It can be substituted for double cream or coconut milk. Coconut cream is wonderful as it adds a tropical coconut flavor to the dish.
• Broth - Chicken broth is the best type of broth to use here, but if you are making a vegan version, you can use vegetable broth.
• Oil - Feel free to use vegetable, sunflower, or coconut oil.
• Salt
• Parsley - To garnish (optional)

How to Make Bahama Breeze Jerk Chicken

1. Season the chicken breasts on both sides with 2 tablespoons jerk seasoning, and then cover and refrigerate the chicken for 1 hour or up to 8 hours.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 F.

3. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat; add the chicken and cook it for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden.

4. Flip the chicken to the opposite side and cook it for another 3 minutes.

5. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the chicken for about 25 to 30 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to determine the chicken's doneness. It should reach an internal temperature of 165 F.

6. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil while the chicken is roasting, and cook the pasta until al dente. It should take approximately 7 to 8 minutes, but this can vary depending on the brand of pasta you use. When it's done, drain the pasta and set it aside.

7. When the chicken is done roasting remove it from the oven, transfer it to a platter, and cover it to keep it warm.

8. Place a skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining olive oil; saute both the bell peppers and onions for 4 minutes or until softened.

9. Next, stir in the jalapeno, green onions, and garlic, and allow them to cook for 2 minutes. Then, add the chicken broth to the pan and bring it to a boil.

10. Now, lower the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream, salt, and Parmesan. Then, stir in the pasta.

11. Finally, slice the chicken and serve it on top of the pasta. Then, garnish it with chopped parsley and sliced green onion if desired.

Is Bahama Breeze Jerk Chicken Pasta Spicy?

The jerk seasoning in this Bahama Breeze jerk chicken pasta recipe to season the chicken is a little spicy, but not enough to have a significant impact. However, if you are into a lot of spice then I recommend you finely chop a scotch bonnet pepper and stir it into the mix when you’re cooking the jalapeños.

What Should You Serve with Bahama Breeze Jerk Chicken Pasta?

Since Bahama Breeze jerk chicken pasta is a spicy dish, I recommend serving it with cornbread or a slightly sweet dish to balance the heat. However, it can also be served on its own. Here are some foods that you can either serve alongside it or for dessert.

• Carrot juice
• Ding Dong Cake
• Strawberry Lemonade
• German Chocolate Pie
• Madeira Cake
• Peach Crisp
• Coconut Cake
• Cream Cheese Pastry
• Jam and Cream-filled Sponge Cake

Storing and Reheating

If you have some Bahama Breeze jerk chicken pasta leftovers that you want to store for later use, here are some instructions about how you can store your pasta in either the fridge or the freezer for longer shelf life.

How to Store Bahama Breeze Jerk Chicken Pasta in the Fridge

Allow your pasta to cool to room temperature. Place your Bahama Breeze jerk chicken and the pasta in separate airtight containers and then put them in the fridge immediately. Properly stored, your jerk chicken pasta should last for up to 4 days in the fridge.

How to Store Bahama Breeze Jerk Chicken Pasta in the Freezer

I don't recommend that you freeze the pasta but you can freezer the jerk chicken if you like. To do so, start by allowing the jerk chicken to room temperature. Then, place the jerk chicken into an airtight container and then into the freezer. Properly stored, the jerk chicken should last for up to 3 months in the freezer.

How to Reheat Bahama Breeze Jerk Chicken Pasta

Allow Bahama Breeze jerk chicken to defrost overnight in the fridge if it has been frozen. However, if the chicken has not been frozen, you can skip this step. Then, to reheat it, place the jerk chicken in a pan, cover it, and reheat it in the oven at 400 F for about 6 minutes. Then, you can make fresh noodles and toss them with the chicken when you are ready to serve the pasta.

How to Cook Jerk Chicken on the Stove

1. Start by adding olive oil, chicken, garlic, jerk seasoning, and onion into a large pan.
2. Sauté the ingredients over medium heat until the chicken is cooked all the way through.
3. Add the lime juice, chicken broth, and cilantro.
4. Add the pasta and let it cook for about 5 minutes.

For a more spicy version, feel free to add a little bit of cayenne pepper as well.

Variations

Bahama Breeze jerk chicken pasta can be made with different types of pasta and meat:

• Oxtail Jerk Pasta - Use oxtail instead of the chicken and follow the same instructions for the recipe.
• Shrimp Jerk Pasta - Chicken can also be substituted with shrimp. When I make the recipe with shrimp, I use jumbo shrimp as not only is it delicious, but it is also faster to cook than the chicken at only 2 minutes compared to 7 minutes for chicken.
• Vegetarian Jerk Pasta - Instead of the chicken you can use tofu or other plant-based alternatives and use coconut milk alongside vegetable bouillon.

Recipe Tips

• You want to cook your pasta Al dente so that it still has some texture when you bite into it.
• the jerk seasoning can be adjusted to suit your taste, and if you want, you can add more peppers if you like it spicier.
• This Bahama Breeze jerk chicken pasta recipe uses red and orange bell pepper, however, you can adjust based on what you have available.
• You can use more Parmesan cheese if you desire.

Continue to Content

Bahama Breeze Jerk Chicken Pasta Recipe

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

You can spice up your usual weeknight dinner routine with this fun, delicious Bahama Breeze jerk chicken pasta recipe! If you’re craving a satisfying meal that will seriously wake up your taste buds, this is it. Bahama Breeze jerk chicken pasta is made with jalapeños, bell peppers, and green onions, and then topped with roasted jerk chicken that’s bound to make your mouth water.

Print

Ingredients

• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 3 tablespoons jerk seasoning, divided
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 pound penne pasta
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 orange bell pepper, sliced
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
• ⅓ cup sliced green onions
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
• ¾ cup heavy cream or half and half
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
• ¼ cup chopped parsley

Instructions

1. Season the chicken breasts on both sides with 2 tablespoon jerk seasoning, and then cover and refrigerate the chicken for 1 hour or up to 8 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
3. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat; add the chicken and cook it for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden.
4. Flip the chicken to the opposite side and cook it for another 3 minutes.
5. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the chicken for about 25 to 30 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to determine the chicken’s doneness. It should reach an internal temperature of 165 F.
6. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil while the chicken is roasting, and cook the pasta until al dente. It should take approximately 7 to 8 minutes, but this can vary depending on the brand of pasta you use. When it’s done, drain the pasta and set it aside.
7. When the chicken is done roasting remove it from the oven, transfer it to a platter, and cover it to keep it warm.
8. Place a skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining olive oil; saute both the bell peppers and onions for 4 minutes or until softened.
9. Next, stir in the jalapeno, green onions, and garlic, and allow them to cook for 2 minutes. Then, add the chicken broth to the pan and bring it to a boil.
10. Now, lower the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream, salt, and Parmesan. Then, stir in the pasta.
11. Finally, slice the chicken and serve it on top of the pasta. Then, garnish it with chopped parsley and sliced green onion if desired.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 443Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 93mgSodium: 419mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 3gSugar: 6gProtein: 28g