Peri Peri Pasta

Creamy peri peri pasta with chicken is a delicious pasta dish easy to make for lunch or dinner. The creamy peri peri sauce coats the pasta and chicken and adds a nice spice.

I've fallen in love. With peri-peri sauce. This is a love that has been slowly building over time.

I've been working peri-peri sauce into a lot of recipes over the last couple of years, and even had peri peri chicken in Lisbon!

But this peri-peri pasta. So good. It's creamy, with just the right amount of heat. It's slightly spicy and I just love it. I make it at least once a week.

I usually add chicken, but you could also do shrimp (I've done that at least 5 times with great success!) or salmon. Or just leave those out and add peas. Or zucchini. Or tomatoes. It's so customizable.

The peri-peri sauce really shines through without overpowering the dish.

I love it. Did I mention I make it at least once a week? I do. It's easy and delicious.

Ingredients

• Pasta - can be your favorite shape. Even spaghetti or fettuccine works! Just don't use small pasta like orzo.
• Chicken breast
• Peri peri sauce - This recipe uses bottled peri peri sauce.
• Olive oil
• Heavy cream
• Garlic powder
• Smoked paprika
• Salt
• Pepper
• Fresh herbs - Can be basil or parsley, and tarragon actually pairs really wonderfully with the peri-peri. If you don't have fresh herbs, dried are good too.

How to make peri peri pasta

First, start a large pot of pasta to boil. Once boiling, add a sprinkle of salt and add the pasta. Cook pasta according to package directions.

While pasta cooks, cut the chicken into 1 inch cubes. Heat oil over a large skillet over medium-high heat and then add the chicken in a single layer.

Cook for 3-4 minutes, then flip and cook an additional 2-3 minutes until cooked through.

Lower the heat to medium-low. Drain any excess oil, if needed.

Add the heavy cream, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and peri-peri sauce.

Stir together, scraping the bottom of the pan if needed.

Add the pasta to the pan and stir to combine. Increase the heat slightly if needed and cook for 1 minute.

Plate and top with fresh or dried herbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Yum! One of my favorite pasta dishes. Peri-peri pasta with chicken. So delicious.

Recipe notes

• Chicken cook times may depend on your particular stove. Always make sure chicken is cooked through before eating.
• The spice level of this pasta will depend on what peri-peri sauce you use. Remember, you can always add, but you can't take away! Start with the recommended amount, and then add more if needed.
• If you accidentally add too much peri-peri sauce, add a splash more cream to mellow it out. Remember, this pasta is slightly spicy though!

What is peri-peri?

Peri peri is a spicy sauce made from chilis, garlic, citrus, vinegar and garlic. It's spicy, citrusy, and so delicious.

Peri-Peri sauce originates in Africa (with a Portuguese influence) and is traditionally a blend of African bird's eye chilis. I've eaten peri-peri chicken in Portugal, and it is delicious, and definitely is spicy! In a good way.

You can also get peri-peri spice blends or make your own peri-peri spice blend. However, this recipe for peri-peri pasta with chicken uses peri peri sauce.

How to customize

The peri-peri pasta can be customized in a lot of ways. You can swap out the protein and instead of chicken use salmon, shrimp, or something else, or you can leave it out altogether.

You can also add vegetables to the pasta like tomatoes, peas, or wilt some spinach into the sauce.

Want it spicier and with more flavor? Add more peri-peri sauce!

What to serve with the pasta

Side dishes - arugula salad, Tuscan kale salad, air fryer zucchini

Desserts - air fryer apples, raspberry clafoutis, affogato

Recipes featuring peri-peri

• Peri-peri salmon
• Peri-peri rice
• Air fryer peri-peri chicken
• Peri-peri French fries
• Peri-peri seasoning
• Peri peri mayo