Chicken Riggies
Chicken riggies are a spicy creamy pasta dish with roots in upstate New York. This recipe brings together tender chicken, bold peppers and a tomato cream sauce. It’s easy to make and loaded with comfort food flavor.
Servings: 4 to 6
Equipment
- Pot Large
- Skillet Large
- Metal Tongs or Slotted Spoon
Ingredients
- 1 Pound mezzi rigatoni
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Pound chicken breasts boneless and skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 Teaspoon salt
- ½ Teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Cloves garlic minced
- 4 to 6 hot cherry peppers sliced, or to taste
- 2 roasted red peppers large, sliced, or a 12-Ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
- ½ Cup dry sherry
- 1 Can crushed tomatoes 28-Ounce
- ½ Teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ Teaspoon dried basil
- ½ Cup heavy cream
- ½ Cup pecorino romano cheese grated
To Serve
- pecorino romano cheese grated
- fresh basil or fresh parsley, chopped, optional
Instructions
Cook the Pasta
- Cook the rigatoni in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente.
- Reserve a cup of pasta water, then drain the rest and set the rigatoni aside.
Cook the Chicken
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper, then cook until browned and fully cooked, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Make the Sauce
- In the same pan, add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
- Stir in the sliced cherry peppers and roasted red peppers, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes to release their flavors.
- Deglaze the pan with the sherry, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, and basil.
- Stir to combine and bring the sauce to a simmer.
- Cook for 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
- If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream.
- Add the cooked chicken back to the pan and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper, if needed.
Combine the Ingredients
- Toss the cooked rigatoni with the sauce, adding more reserved pasta water as needed to coat the pasta evenly.
- Stir in the grated cheese until melted and combined.
Garnish and Serve
- Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley and extra cheese if liked.
Notes
Reserve pasta water: It helps loosen and thicken the sauce at the end.
Brown the chicken well: It adds great flavor to the base of the sauce.
Adjust spice carefully: Start with fewer cherry peppers and add more to taste.
Stir in cheese off heat: This keeps the sauce smooth and prevents clumping.
Brown the chicken well: It adds great flavor to the base of the sauce.
Adjust spice carefully: Start with fewer cherry peppers and add more to taste.
Stir in cheese off heat: This keeps the sauce smooth and prevents clumping.
Nutrition
Calories: 833kcal | Carbohydrates: 97g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 1527mg | Potassium: 1074mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 843IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 234mg | Iron: 4mg
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