Jerk Alfredo Chicken Pasta

Ingredients

For the Jerk Alfredo Sauce:

For the Jerk Alfredo Sauce:

• 1 cup cottage cheese (4% whole milk)
• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon Flora & Mana's Jamaica Jerk Joy dry jerk seasoning
• 2 teaspoons  wet jerk seasoning, or to taste
• Juice of ½ lime
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

For the Pasta and Chicken:

• 1 pound penne pasta
• 1 pound chicken breast, butterflied or cut thin
• 1 teaspoon Flora & Mana's Jamaica Jerk Joy dry jerk seasoning (for chicken)
• 2 teaspoons  wet jerk seasoning (for chicken, or to taste)
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt, to taste

For Garnish:

• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

1. Cook the Pasta Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, use a measuring cup to scoop out about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water and set it aside. You'll need this later to adjust the sauce consistency. Drain the pasta and set aside.
2. Season and Cook the Chicken While the pasta cooks, season the butterflied or thinly cut chicken breasts on both sides with the dry jerk seasoning and wet jerk seasoning, rubbing it in so every surface is well coated. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown with some charred spots and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove the chicken from the skillet and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing. Set aside.
3. Sauté the Bell Peppers In the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add all three colors of diced bell peppers and sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened but still crisp with some color. You want them tender but not mushy. Remove from the skillet and set aside with the sliced chicken.
4. Blend the Sauce Add the cottage cheese, milk, Parmesan cheese, cornstarch, whole garlic cloves, dry jerk seasoning, wet jerk seasoning, and lime juice to a blender or food processor. Blend on high speed for 30-60 seconds until the mixture is completely smooth and silky with absolutely no lumps. It should look like a creamy, pourable sauce.
5. Cook the Sauce Pour the blended sauce into the same skillet over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Keep the heat at medium-low so the sauce doesn't scorch on the bottom.
6. Bring It All Together Add the cooked penne pasta, sliced jerk chicken, and sautéed bell peppers to the skillet with the sauce. Toss everything together using tongs until every piece of pasta is completely coated in that gorgeous creamy jerk sauce. If the sauce feels too thick, add the reserved pasta water 2-3 tablespoons at a time, tossing between each addition, until you reach your perfect consistency.
7. Garnish and Serve Divide the pasta among four bowls or plates. Top each serving with a generous sprinkle of fresh chopped cilantro. Serve with extra lime wedges on the side so everyone can squeeze fresh lime juice over their pasta right before eating. That squeeze of lime at the end really brightens everything up!