Chicken Riggies

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Chicken Riggies, also known as Chicken Rigatoni, is a popular Italian-American pasta dish that originated in Utica, New York. It’s known for its flavorful combination of tender chicken, spicy and tangy tomato sauce, and hearty rigatoni pasta.

Chicken Riggies

 

You can use either canned or homemade roasted peppers for this recipe.

How to Roast Red Peppers

Roasting red peppers is simple and brings out their natural sweetness.

Oven/Broiler

1. Heat the broiler to high and place a rack near the top of the oven.

2. Prepare the peppers

  • Wash and dry whole red bell peppers.

  • Place them on a baking sheet lined with foil.

3. Roast

  • Broil for 15 to 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes until the skin is blackened and blistered all over.

4. Steam

  • Transfer the hot peppers to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a plate for 10 to 15 minutes. This loosens the skin.

5. Peel

  • Once cool, peel off the charred skin, remove the stem, seeds, and membranes.

Gas Stovetop

1. Turn on a gas burner to medium-high.

2. Using tongs, place the whole pepper directly over the flame.

3. Rotate occasionally until all sides are charred and blackened (8 to 10 minutes).

4. Steam and peel as described above.

Grill

1. Heat the grill to medium-high.

2. Place whole peppers on the grill.

3. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until blackened on all sides.

4. Steam and peel.

Tips

Don’t worry about burning the skin — you want it black so it peels off easily.

Roasted peppers can be stored in the refrigerator (in oil or their juices) for up to a week, or frozen.

 

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Chicken Riggies

Chicken Riggies
Print Recipe

This is known for its flavorful combination of tender chicken, spicy and tangy tomato sauce, and hearty rigatoni pasta.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Pasta
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: New York

Ingredients

Units Scale
1 pound rigatoni pasta 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil 1 (8 ounce) package mushrooms, sliced 1 medium onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup roasted red peppers, sliced 1/2 cup hot cherry peppers, sliced (or adjust to taste) 1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional for more heat) Salt and pepper, to taste 1/2 cup black olives Fresh parsley or basil, chopped (for garnish) Grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, melt butter (or use olive oil) and add chicken. Cook over medium heat until tender. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes.
  2. Add peppers and onions and continue cooking until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  3. Add wine or chicken broth, tomato sauce, heavy cream and spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Add olives and simmer 5 minutes more.
  5. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water until it dissolves. Add to the sauce, stirring continuously until it thickens. When thickened, mix sauce with rigatoni in a deep bowl and serve immediately.
  6. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Notes

Photo credit: 150075255@N03 / CC BY

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