Chicken Riggies

Name: Chicken Riggies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: italian_american
Ingredients: 340 g rigatoni pasta; 500 g chicken breast (boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch cubes); 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 pcs onion (medium, chopped); 1 pcs bell pepper (medium red, chopped); 4 pcs garlic (cloves, minced); 3 pcs cherry pepper (pickled hot, stemmed, seeded, and chopped); 4 pcs tomato (medium, diced); 2 tbsp tomato paste; 0.5 cup heavy cream; 0.25 cup water (for sauce, adjust consistency as needed); 0.25 cup parmesan cheese (grated, for garnish); 2 tbsp basil (fresh, chopped, for garnish); 0.25 tsp salt (for seasoning chicken and sauce); 1 pinch black pepper (freshly ground); 1 pinch red chili powder

RATING

4.4/5(63)

TASTE SCORE

8/10

A beloved Central New York comfort dish featuring tender chicken and rigatoni pasta tossed in a creamy, spicy tomato sauce with bell peppers and onions. This hearty, one-skillet meal delivers a perfect balance of heat from cherry peppers and richness from heavy cream.

PREP

15m

COOK

35m

SERVES

1 CUP

772 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 6 STEPS

boil · ~11 min
Cook the rigatoni.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the rigatoni until just al dente, about 1 minute less than the package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain and set aside.
fry · ~7 min
Sear the chicken.
1.Season the chicken cubes with half the salt and the black pepper.
2.Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
3.Add chicken in a single layer and sear until golden on all sides, about 5 minutes.
4.Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
TIPDon't crowd the pan — cook in two batches if needed to get a proper sear.
saute · ~6 min
Sauté the vegetables.
1.Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same skillet.
2.Add the chopped onion and bell pepper, cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
3.Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
saute · ~12 min
Build the spicy tomato sauce.
1.Stir in the chopped cherry peppers and red chili powder.
2.Add the diced tomatoes and tomato paste, stirring to combine.
3.Pour in the water and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
4.Cook until the tomatoes break down and the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes.
TIPSimmer slowly — rushing this step leaves the sauce thin and acidic.
simmer · ~10 min
Finish the dish.
1.Return the seared chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet.
2.Stir in the heavy cream and the remaining salt.
3.Simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes.
4.Add the cooked rigatoni and toss everything together. Add splashes of the reserved pasta water if the sauce needs thinning.
serve
Garnish and serve immediately.
1.Divide the Chicken Riggies among four warmed bowls.
2.Garnish generously with grated parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Reserve pasta water before draining — its starch helps the sauce cling to each rigatoni.
2
Sear chicken in batches to ensure golden browning, not steaming.
3
Adjust heat by seeding fewer or more cherry peppers; leave some seeds for extra fire.
4
Simmer the sauce slowly to let the cherry pepper flavor meld without becoming bitter.
5
Add the cream off the heat or on lowest flame to prevent curdling.
6
Cool leftovers completely before refrigerating; reheat gently with a splash of milk or water.
7
For make-ahead, undercook pasta slightly and finish reheating in the sauce.

RECIPE VARIATIONS

Adapt it for your goals.

low dairy

Low-dairy

Replace heavy cream with cashew cream (soaked cashews blended with water) and use nutritional yeast instead of parmesan for a creamy sauce with less dairy.

vegetarian