Jerk Chicken Lasagna
Spicy jerk chicken layered up with sheets of lasagna, mozzarella, and a creamy sauce. It’s rasta pasta, but in lasagna form, and it all works together so well! The mozzarella adds such a perfect fatty balance to the sharp flavors in jerk marinade. I used the marinade in the chicken itself and in the sauce so the jerk flavors run deep in this lasagna!
The inspiration for this recipe
The season finale of Workaholics had me not only cracking up as always, but also craving the mysterious dish jerk chicken lasagna. In the show, Adam, Ders, and Blake were heading down to Jamaica for Thanksgiving break, and Blake couldn’t stop talking about an Italian-Jamaican fusion restaurant called Pastafari that he made reservations at.
I originally wrote this recipe in 2012 when the episode first aired. At that time, I had less knowledge of jerk chicken, and rasta pasta. I decided to revisit this recipe in 2024 now that I am better at making jerk chicken, and rasta pasta is one of my all time favorite foods! I didn’t make a ton of changes, just tweaked things here and there, and it came out better than I could ever imagine!
Make the jerk chicken
This chicken is marinated in a homemade just paste with lots of scotch bonnet peppers, scallions, allspice, and thyme. I broiled it in the oven, but you could throw it on the grill too.
Make the rasta pasta sauce
Reserve a little of the jerk paste and add it to the peppers and onions in the pan. I added some flour, butter, and garlic and well. Then the chicken stock and heavy cream go in. Bring to a simmer and it with thicken up just enough.
Build the jerk chicken lasagna
Chop up the chicken, shred the cheeses, boil the noodles, and get ready to build it up!
Some sauce first, then noodles, then mozzarella, then parmesan, then chicken. Repeat until you get to the top layer of pasta, and finish it off with a thin sauce layer and more cheese.
Baking the jerk chicken lasagna
Preheat the oven to 350 and bake the jerk chicken lasagna for about 30 -40 minutes depending on if everything is warm or cold when it goes into the oven.
Serve the jerk chicken lasagna
The only thing this jerk chicken lasagna needs on top is a sprinkle of fresh parsley. The flavors are SO GOOD! I was worried it would be a bit spicy with all that jerk paste in there. Thankfully the cream really balances it out. I also leave the seeds out of my jerk paste. This way you can add more scotch bonnet flavor without as much heat.
I am so glad I revisited this recipe! My obsession with rasta pasta has gone on for a while now. I was overdue to give this jerk chicken lasagna a bit of an upgrade. It deserved more than just being a punchline from Workaholics.
Twists on this recipe
You could add some diced tomatoes to the jerk chicken lasagna. You could also add shrimp! I would personally put them in raw so that they don’t overcook in the lasagna. Switch up the cheeses too if you want, cheddar could be nice in here.
For my jerk paste, I usually use these two recipes as a guide when I am making it. Check out the jerk sauce at Jessica in the Kitchen, and the jerk seasoning at Jehan Can Cook for more info and tips!
For more uses for jerk paste, check out my rasta jajangmyeon, ribeye steak sandwiches with jerk mayo, or these jerk meatball and plantain melts!
Jerk Chicken Lasagna
Equipment
Ingredients
Jerk Paste
- 6 habaneros or scotch bonnet peppers seeds removed
- 8 cloves garlic
- 6 scallions
- 1 inch fresh ginger
- 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 2 shallots
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 lime juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
Lasagna
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1.5 cups heavy cream or half and half
- 1 pound lasagna noodles cooked to package instructions
- 8 ounces mozarella cheese
- 1 cup grated parmesan
- parsley for garnish
Instructions
Jerk Paste
- Make the jerk paste by putting everything into a blender or food processor and blending it smooth. Make sure to slice the ginger against the grain, or grate it before doing this so that it is not stringy. Everything else you can just toss right in.
- Reserve 3 tablespoons of the jerk paste and store covered in the fridge.
Chicken
- If you are grilling the chicken, leave it whole, if you are broiling it, cut it into 1 inch chunks. Season with salt, but there is salt in the jerk paste, so go light. Add the jerk paste to the chicken and toss to coat. Marinate for 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the broiler or grill to high heat. Put the chicken on the grill, or add it to a pan and put it under the broiler. Cook to brown on both sides, flipping as needed. Allow to cool fully, then chop it up into small pieces and set aside in the fridge until ready to use.
Sauce
- Preheat a frying pan to medium heat and add in the oil and onions and peppers. Cook 5 minutes to soften, stirring often.
- Add in the garlic, jerk paste, and butter. Season with a pinch of salt but again, go light because there is salt in the jerk paste. Cook and stir for 3 minues
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir and cook for 3 minutes, making sure the flour evenly spreads out in the butter and oil and does not clump up.
- Stir in the stock and cream and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 2 minutes as it thickens up. Remove from heat.
Lasagna
- Preheat oven to 350
- Cook the noodles to package instructions and toss lightly with oil to prevent sticking. Get the cheese, chicken, and sauce all out and ready.
- Layer the lasagna, starting with a little sauce, then noodles, then sauce, then meat, then both cheeses. Repeat until you are 4 or 5 layers deep. The top layer should be pasta, sauce, and cheese, but no meat.
- Cook about 35 minutes until browning on top.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Top with chopped fresh parsley.
I’ve been following your site for a year, but never commented. I love your creativity! I get as Crazy as you with new recipes, but never thought this one up! Awesome, Dude! Keep it up and Have a good week!
I went to a restaurant 4 years ago in Breckenridge, CO, called Rasta Pasta, a sort of Jamaican Pasta place.
It was awesome. I don’t think they had this on the menu, though. Awesome recipe. Funny post.
There actually is a Pastafari at Hedo III. (Presumably II as well?) I assure that it isn’t a Jamaican/Italian fusion, however.
You never cease to intrigue. This is too interesting not to try.
I am drooling over here!
I’ve got to ask. Would you make it again?
I meant the photos make it look pretty delicious, but there’s something about jerk and tomatoes and pasta that just doesn’t seem right.
I got around to trying this. It seemed a hit, 4/5 went back for seconds. The flavours did meld pretty well together. I think I will make it again, however I might use a bit less vinegar. Would you recommend a different liquid for the marinade to substitute for the vinegar?
I just made this the other night, exactly as the recipe calls for.. It was f-ing BOMB! everyone loved it from roommates to coworkers they couldnt believe the fusion of flavors!
Awesome! Glad you guys liked it!
I may try to make this tonight, but substitute tomatoes with cooked pineapple
Do you think adding a bechamel sauce in-between the noodles would taste good?
yes!
More specifically, Blake said, “It’s f-ing gross, Mike.” Haha, thank you so much for this recipe. After rewatching that episode, I immediately searched for a recipe. Thank you so much!
I would love to try this, but wanted to make the 1st version. Is it still available? My son loved it and I wanted to make it for his birthday.
Here is the original recipe as it was written, but I promise you this new one is much better!
Jerk Chicken Lasagna
Jerk Marinade
12 Green Onions
1 Red Onion
1 Inch Ginger
4 Habaneros (no seeds)
2 Tablespoons Thyme
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
1 Tablespoon Allspice
1 Tablespoon Nutmeg
2 Dark Rum
2 Tablespoons Molasses
1 Cup Red Vinegar
Salt and Sugar
The Rest
1.5 Pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
28 Ounces Canned Diced Tomato
1 Pound Lasagna Noodles
1 Cup Grated Cheddar
1.5 Cups Grated Mozzarella
1.5 Cups Ricotta
Instructions
Put jerk ingredients into a food processor. Done.
Take one cup of this (a little less than half) and pour it over a pound and a half of boneless skinless chicken thighs. Squeeze a lime on there and let it marinade for a few hours. Pour into a baking dish and roast at 400 until cooked and easily shreddable (about 40 minutes). Shred the chicken with forks adding just enough of the cooking liquid to keep it moist and set aside.
Take the remaining jerk marinade and add it to a hot pan with oil and cook on high for about 5 minute stirring often. Add a 28oz can of diced tomatoes and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Blanch some lasagna in boiling water about 5 -7 minutes. should be very undercooked. Layer it up with the sauce, chicken, cheddar, mozzarella, and ricotta. Bake for about an hour at 350 until top is crispy and everything is bubbling and delicious.
Thank you very much! Going to try the new one as well. Love Rasta Pasta.
If adding tomatoes to new version, how much?
Oh my!!!! You were right Dan! The 1st recipe is good, but this one is amazing! Everyone loved it. I added shrimp. Now my daughter wants me to make some for her. 🤦🏾♀️
I don’t mind.
Can I use a pre-made jerk sauce for the chicken?
YES!