Thirteen ingredients and forty-five minutes, in a pot and one wide pan.
The peppers cook in the pan the chicken came out of, and the cream goes in on top of them, which is how the sauce ends up tan rather than white.
How the Sauce Turns Tan
The sauce in the photograph is not white, and nothing in the ingredient list is brown. The colour comes from the jerk seasoning that stays behind in the pan after the chicken is seared, which is why the order of these layers matters.
The chicken, first and out
Until 165°F1 1/4 lb SLICED CHICKEN BREAST coated in 1 1/2 tbsp JERK SEASONING, seared in 1 tbsp NEUTRAL OIL
SEARED OVER MEDIUM-HIGH UNTIL BROWNED AND 165°F, then TRANSFERRED TO A PLATE. What it leaves in the pan is the base of the colour.
The peppers
1 sliced RED BELL PEPPER and 1 sliced GREEN BELL PEPPER
COOKED IN THE SAME PAN UNTIL CRISP-TENDER, lifting the spice off the base as they release moisture.
Butter and garlic
2 tbsp UNSALTED BUTTER and 2 MINCED GARLIC CLOVES
Added to the peppers, carrying the spice into fat where it can colour the cream.
Cream, broth and thyme
Until lightly thickened1 cup HEAVY CREAM, 1/2 cup CHICKEN BROTH and 1/2 tsp DRIED THYME
SIMMERED UNTIL LIGHTLY THICKENED. This is the point the sauce becomes TAN rather than ivory.
Back together
The seared chicken and 12 oz cooked ROTINI, with 1/2 tsp SALT as needed
FOLDED IN UNTIL COATED IN A TAN JERK-SPICED CREAM SAUCE, with the spirals holding the sauce in their twists.
Then tasteFinished with 1/3 cup CHOPPED CILANTRO OR PARSLEY. The recipe's own last line sets the boundary: DO NOT ADD SHRIMP, SAUSAGE OR A CHEESE TOPPING. Leftovers are refrigerated promptly because of the cream.
Ingredient Notes
- Jerk seasoning
- A tablespoon and a half on the chicken. What comes off it in the pan is what tints the cream.
- Red and green bell peppers
- One of each, sliced. The title doesn't name them, but they are in every forkful in the photograph.
- Heavy cream and chicken broth
- A cup of cream with half a cup of broth, simmered only until lightly thickened.
- Dried thyme
- Half a teaspoon stirred into the sauce, the herb note that runs through jerk seasoning.
How to Make It
Rotini cooked al dente and drained
Cook the rotini until al dente and drain.
Chicken coated in jerk seasoning, seared to 165°F
Coat the chicken with the jerk seasoning. Sear in the oil over medium-high heat until browned and 165°F, then transfer to a plate.
Peppers crisp-tender, then butter, garlic, cream and broth
Cook the red and green peppers in the same pan until crisp-tender. Add the butter and garlic, then pour in the cream and broth and stir in the thyme.
Simmered, chicken back in, rotini folded through
Simmer until lightly thickened, return the chicken, and fold in the rotini until coated in a tan jerk-spiced cream sauce.
Herbs on top; no shrimp, sausage or cheese topping
Finish with the chopped cilantro or parsley. Do not add shrimp, sausage or a cheese topping.
Why This Recipe Works
- Coating sliced chicken in jerk seasoning gives a lot of crusted surface for the time it cooks.
- Taking the chicken out before the peppers go in keeps its crust from softening.
- Cooking the peppers only to crisp-tender leaves them visible in the finished bowl.
- Broth alongside the cream keeps the sauce pourable rather than heavy.
- Dried thyme is the herb that carries jerk seasoning, so it goes into the sauce itself.
Success Tips
- Slice the chicken evenly so every piece takes the same time to reach temperature.
- Keep the peppers moving so they colour a little without going soft.
- Fold the pasta in off a rolling boil, or the cream can split.
Serving Ideas
Four bowls of rotini in a tan jerk-spiced cream sauce with seared chicken strips and red and green pepper slices, finished with chopped cilantro or parsley.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the name mean here?
It is used as the established name for this style of creamy pepper pasta. This recipe makes no claim about tradition, origin or authenticity.
Can I add shrimp or sausage?
Not in this version. The final step rules out shrimp, sausage and any cheese topping.
How hot is it?
That depends on the jerk seasoning you use, since it is the only source of heat. The cream and broth soften it.
