Creamy peri-peri chicken pasta
This easy, creamy peri-peri chicken pasta is the kind of showstopper meal that will have everyone asking for seconds. The creamy peri-peri sauce delivers just the right amount of spicy punch and the juicy chicken delivers big on flavor.
Ingredients
Full recipe with amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Cherry tomatoes.
- Red bell peppers.
- Red onion.
- Garlic.
- Red chillies. I used bird’s eye chillies. You can control the level of heat in the finished sauce by de-seeding the chillies or using less.
- Fresh thyme.
- Chicken. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Breast meat can also be used.
- Lemon juice.
- Dried herbs: Oregano, rosemary and thyme.
- Smoked paprika.
- Garlic powder.
- Cayenne pepper.
- Olive oil.
- Salt and pepper.
- Pasta.
- Basil, for serving.
- Parmesan cheese, for serving.
How to make creamy peri-peri chicken pasta
- Marinate the chicken: Combine all the marinade ingredients then pour over the chicken. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes but up to 24 hours in the fridge.
- Make the sauce: Combine the cherry tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic cloves, chillies and thyme on a sheetpan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and allow to roast for 30 minutes until the vegetables are soft and starting to caramelize. Remove from the oven then transfer to a blender. Pour in water (or chicken stock) and blend until smooth. Pour the sauce into a saucepan and season to taste. Simmer gently while you cook the chicken and pasta.
- Cook the chicken: Cook the chicken in a large pan set over medium-high heat (you can also cook the chicken in a griddle pan or on a grill/barbecue/braai) for 5-7 minutes per side until cooked through and golden brown. Remove from the pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
- Combine: Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of cooking water, and combine with the peri-peri sauce. Add a splash of the pasta cooking water and toss to combine. Add the chicken and any resting juices then serve with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.
Can I make this ahead?
The chicken can be marinated for up to 24 hours before cooking. The sauce can be made and refrigerated for up to a week before reheating and serving.
Can I make this without chicken?
Yes, absolutely. The chicken can be substituted with shrimp/prawns or cauliflower if you want to keep this recipe vegetarian. Season the cauliflower with the same ingredients you would the chicken the roast until cooked through.
Chicken pasta recipes
Creamy peri peri chicken pasta
This easy, creamy peri-peri chicken pasta with spicy sauce is the kind of showstopper meal that will have everyone asking for seconds.
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Calories: 546kcal
Servings: 4 - 6
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 500 g (1lb) chicken thighs chopped into bite-size chunks
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried rosemary
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
For the creamy peri-peri sauce
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 red bell peppers seeded and roughly chopped
- 1 small red onion roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves peeled
- 2-3 red chillies stems removed
- 1 tbsp thyme
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 500 g (1lb) rigatoni
- fresh basil to serve
- grated Parmesan to serve
Instructions
- Combine all the marinade ingredients then pour over the chicken. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes but up to 24 hours in the fridge.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F.
- Combine the cherry tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic cloves, chillies and thyme on a sheetpan.
- Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Place in the oven and allow to roast for 30 minutes until the vegetables are soft and starting to caramelize.
- Remove from the oven then transfer to a blender. Pour in water (or chicken stock) and blend until smooth.
- Pour the sauce into a saucepan and season to taste. Simmer gently while you cook the chicken and pasta.
- Cook the chicken in a large pan set over medium-high heat (you can also cook the chicken in a griddle pan or on a grill/barbecue/braai) for 5-7 minutes per side until cooked through and golden brown. Remove from the pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
- Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of cooking water, and combine with the peri-peri sauce.
- Add a splash of the pasta cooking water and toss to combine.
- Add the chicken and any resting juices then serve with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
Calories: 546kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 851mg | Potassium: 588mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1708IU | Vitamin C: 65mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 3mg
Great recipe. I make the marinated chicken by itself too for when I need to make fajitas or tacos.