Homemade Chicken Riggies

Pot of chicken riggies with sauce and herbs.

5 from 1 vote

Chicken Riggies is an Italian-American creation that features rigatoni pasta with tender chunks of chicken and hot or sweet peppers (or both!) in a creamy, spicy, and tangy tomato sauce. Comfort in a bowl!

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Total Time50

Course: Main Meal

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Calories: 428kcal

Author: Marie

Ingredients

For the Pasta

1 pound rigatoni pasta Reserve about 1 cup pasta water

For the Sauce

4 tablespoons olive oil divided
1.5 lb chicken thighs or chicken breast
1 large onion chopped
4 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cloves garlic smashed and minced
2 bell peppers chopped (or use mild sliced pepper rings in jar) (can also use 1 cup roasted peppers)
3/4 cup red or white wine
28 oz can crushed tomato sauce
2 cherry peppers jarred; chopped (see NOTE 1)
1 cup grated parmesan cheese plus more for serving
reserved pasta water if needed
salt and black pepper salt used sparingly (see NOTE 2)

Optional Ingredients for Sauce

3 cups fresh mushrooms chopped (optional)
1/4 cup olives chopped, (optional)
1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)

Instructions

For the Pasta

Bring salted water to boil in a large stockpot. Cook pasta according to package direction and set aside at least 1 cup of pasta water in case needed.
If pasta is done before the sauce, I like to add a tablespoon of olive oil to drained pasta and then set aside.

For the Sauce

Prepare the Chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the chicken pieces, season lightly with salt and pepper and cook until browned on both sides and cooked through. Remove from the skillet, set aside to cool for at least 10 or 15 minutes and then chop up into small bite sized pieces.
Saute the Vegetables: In the same skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Add the chopped onion and bell peppers. Sauté until they start to soften and the onions become a bit translucent. (optional can add mushrooms and olives here if you are using them)
Add Flavor and Tomatoes: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute or only until fragrant. Do not brown at all.
Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes to cook out the raw flavor of the paste.
Pour in the wine, whisk or combine well, and let it simmer for a couple of minutes, allowing the alcohol to evaporate.
Add Tomatoes and Chicken: Add the crushed tomato sauce, chopped hot/cherry peppers, and chopped chicken to the skillet. Stir to combine.
Season with pepper to taste. Remember that the cherry peppers can add some heat, so adjust according to your preference.
Simmer and Combine: Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer for at least 15-20 minutes with lid ajar or longer until it's reached your desired thickness. This allows the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly. Don't forget to stir intermittently.
Add Cheese and adjust taste: Once the sauce has thickened, stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and allow it to melt into the sauce, creating a creamy texture. OPTIONAL: Add heavy cream (suggested 1/4 cup or add enough until you get. a pink/blush sauce).
Final Touches: If the sauce seems too thick, you can add a bit of reserved pasta water to reach your desired consistency.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. You can also adjust the spiciness by adding more cherry peppers if desired and you can add a bit more brine from the hot peppers, slowly, if desired (1 tablespoon at a time).
Serve: Serve the Chicken Riggie sauce over cooked pasta and sprinkle with additional cheese if desired.

Notes

NOTE 1: Feel free to substitute with any jarred sliced hot peppers, which impart a briny spicy taste to your dish. I feel it's important to use jarred as you get that bit of brininess similar to when you make Utica Greens. Also, if your sauce is still not spicy enough, consider adding a few shakes of hot pepper flakes to the final sauce.

NOTE 2: I like to salt recipes as I cook, in layers - be careful here though as the salt content from the grated cheese (added at the end) and the pepper brine from jarred peppers will contribute a decent amount of salt. It is better to add more at the end than to add too much at the beginning,

Nutrition