Creamy Peri Peri Chicken Pasta

Creamy peri peri chicken pasta is the stuff pasta dreams are truly made of. Golden bits of chicken and a creamy, decadent Portuguese-inspired sauce make this peri peri pasta so delicious everyone will be asking for seconds.

I haven't met a bowl of pasta I didn't love, but this creamy peri peri chicken pasta is really something else.

Peri peri (or Piri piri) is a Portuguese-inspired seasoning mix that has become incredibly popular thanks to Nando's, a restaurant chain that specializes in Portuguese-style chicken.

You can find peri peri seasoning at most supermarkets — I used the one from Schwartz.

Peri-peri seasoning is quite easy to make at home too, as it's generally a mix of sweet and smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, salt, onion powder and ground cardamom.

This chicken peri peri pasta is super creamy and utterly delicious thanks to the mix of spicy chicken and cream and tomato sauce.

It's also topped with fresh basil and grated Parmesan for an incredible weeknight meal it's impossible not to love.

What do you need to make peri peri chicken pasta?

Boneless chicken breast — I like to use lean boneless chicken breast in this type of pasta recipe, but you can also use boneless thighs. They are typically more flavourful, but also fattier.

Olive oil + butter — Stir-frying the chicken in a mix of olive oil and butter will infuse it with an unmistakable flavour.

Peri peri seasoning — I use two tablespoons of peri peri seasoning for 400 grams (1 lb) chciken, and the result is medium hot. If you'd like your chicken/pasta sauce to be hotter, add an extra tablespoon.

Red bell pepper — You can use any colour pepper you want, but I find that red bell peppers or pointed red peppers have the best flavour for this recipe.

Red onion — Any type of onion would work well in this pasta, but I like how the flavour of red onion complements the pepper and peri peri seasoning.

Pasta — I used fussili to make this creamy peri peri chicken pasta. Use any kind of short pasta you want, with rigatoni or penne both being excellent choices.

How to make creamy peri peri pasta?

Place the chicken cubes in a bowl and add the peri peri seasoning. Toss well to combine and set aside. If you have time, place the bowl in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, deep pan and melt the butter in it. When the butter is foaming, add the chicken and fry it over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until golden. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook it al dente according to the instructions on the package. Reserve some pasta water before draining.

Next, add the remaining olive oil to the same pan you cooked the chicken in and stir fry the red pepper for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened. Add the onion and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes.

Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and chicken stock and bring it to a simmer.

Next, stir in the double cream.

When the sauce is bubbling again, add the cooked chicken, then stir in the basil and Parmesan.

Transfer the cooked pasta to the pan and toss well to combine. Add a dash of pasta water if the sauce looks too thick.

Season to taste and serve immediately, topped with some extra fresh basil or parsley.

Make it vegan

This peri peri recipe doesn't sound like something that could be made vegan, but it is, in fact, quite easy to veganize.

Simply use your favourite plant-based chicken bits and substitute the butter, double cream and Parmesan with plant-based alternatives.

Since the plant-based chicken is often already cooked, skip the first step and add the peri peri seasoning with the peppers and onions.

Make the sauce as instructed, then tip the plant-based chicken in at the end.

Recipe notes and tips

• You can also make peri peri pasta with shrimp instead of chicken.
• This peri peri chicken pasta is best served immediately. Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container, but the texture won't be quite the same when reheated.
• You can add some other veggies to the pasta, including cherry tomatoes or courgettes (zucchini).

If you liked this creamy peri peri chicken pasta recipe, you might also like some of my other creamy pasta recipes:

• Creamy Rasta Pasta Recipe
• Creamy Whisky Pasta with Smoked Salmon
• Easy Creamy Spicy Chicken Pasta
• Creamy Mushroom Pasta with Parmesan and Kale
• Creamy Lemon Gruyere Pasta

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