Chicken Riggies Recipe

5 from 2 votes

This Chicken Riggies recipe is a New York favorite for a flavorful, quick, and satisfying meal of succulent chicken and comforting rigatoni pasta in a creamy tomato sauce filled with sweet and spicy flavors, with Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs to finish!

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 566kcal

Author: Amy Nash

Ingredients

1 pound rigatoni
1½ to 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1½-inch pieces
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 red bell peppers diced
½ cup sliced, drained hot cherry peppers or sweet pickled peppers (about 6 peppers)
½ large yellow onion chopped
6 cloves garlic minced
½ cup white wine or water
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, but worth it) + more for garnish
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese + more for garnish
Chopped fresh basil or fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Instructions

Cook rigatoni in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions until al dente (usually about 5 to 7 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta. Set aside pasta and reserved pasta water.
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken, stirring occasionally until lightly browned on all sides, about 5 to 6 minutes. It's okay if it's not cook all the way through yet. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add bell peppers and hot or sweet pickled peppers. Saute for another 5 to 6 minutes until the peppers have softened. Add garlic during the last minute.
Deglaze the pan with ½ cup white wine or water for 2-3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. That's where the flavor is!
Stir in crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes, if using. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 to 7 minutes while stirring to allow the flavors to blend.
Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through. Stir in the parmesan cheese.
Add the cooked pasta and ½ cup of the reserved pasta water, stirring until coated. Add a splash or two of additional pasta water as needed to get a consistency you like. Simmer 1 to 2 minutes until done. Garnish with more cheese, fresh basil or parsley, and additional red pepper flakes, if desired.

Notes

Adding cream: Some versions of this dish add ½ to 1 cup heavy cream or a combination of cream and/or cream cheese along with the cooked chicken and pasta water toward the end of the recipe, which makes it more like a vodka sauce. However, it seems that authentic chicken riggies from Utica, New York, rely only on melted parmesan cheese and additional pasta water to achieve their unique creaminess, which is the approach we ended up liking best.
Adding mushrooms and olives: Another popular approach is to add mushrooms and olives. You can also add 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms along with the bell peppers. Add ½ cup of sliced black olives when you return the chicken to the pan.
Protein: You can substitute sliced or crumbled Italian sausage for the chicken.
Baked chicken riggies: You can also dump cooked pasta and sauce into a baking dish, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese or provolone, and bake until the cheese is melted for another variation that is a lot like baked ziti. Cover with foil and bake at 400°F for 20–25 minutes until bubbling. Uncover during the last 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and starting to brown slightly. This is also a great way to freeze and reheat, although if the dish is being baked cold, it can take closer to 45 minutes to 1 hour to heat all the way through.

Adapted from Delish and Food Network.

Storage

Store: Transfer the cooled dish to an airtight container. It will keep well in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. When you're ready to enjoy your leftovers, heat them in a skillet over medium heat until hot. Add a splash of water or broth to help rejuvenate the sauce. Alternatively, you can microwave in short bursts, stirring between each one to ensure it heats evenly.
Freeze: If you've made a large batch, you can freeze Chicken Riggies for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

Nutrition