Description
The ultimate comfort meal for bold flavor lovers. This recipe pairs juicy, oven-roasted Peri Peri chicken thighs with a velvety, spice-infused pasta sauce. By utilizing a sheet-pan method and lighter ingredients like evaporated milk and light cream cheese, it delivers an indulgent experience that remains high in protein and lower in fat.
Ingredients
The Peri Peri Chicken
- 52.9 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 lemon (juiced) + 8 tsp olive oil
- 3.5 oz Nando’s Peri Peri Medium Sauce
- Herbs: Parsley, cilantro
- Spices: Chili flakes, oregano, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, salt
The Creamy Peri Peri Pasta
- 16.9 oz protein rigatoni
- 7–8.8 oz onions & bell peppers
- Sauce: 6.3 oz light cream cheese, 13.5 fl oz light evaporated milk, 5.3 oz Peri Peri sauce, 4.2–5.3 oz tomato paste
- Spices: Salt, garlic powder, oregano, smoked paprika
Instructions
Marinate: Toss chicken with spices, herbs, lemon juice, and oil. Let sit for 30 mins.
Roast & Boil: Bake chicken at 400°F for 22–25 mins. Meanwhile, cook rigatoni until tender.
Char Veggies: Remove chicken. Toss onions and peppers in pan juices. Roast at 370°F for 15 mins.
Build Sauce: Stir spices, tomato paste, cream cheese, and evaporated milk into the hot pan with vegetables to emulsify.
Assemble: Fold in pasta and parsley. Top with sliced chicken and serve.
Notes
Liquid Gold: The residual pan juices are the flavor foundation; don’t discard them!
Evaporated Milk Trick: Provides the silky mouthfeel of heavy cream with significantly less fat.
The Thigh Advantage: Thighs stay succulent at 400°F, whereas breasts may dry out during the roasting process.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course / Pasta
- Method: Sheet-Pan Roasting / Stovetop
- Cuisine: Portuguese-African Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Large Bowl
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 980
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Unsaturated Fat: 11
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 54
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 58
- Cholesterol: 145
Keywords: peri peri chicken pasta, nando's copycat pasta, creamy spicy chicken rigatoni, high protein pasta recipes, sheet pan chicken and pasta, light cream cheese pasta sauce