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This spicy chicken riggies (rigatoni) is true comfort food – warm, hearty and brings the whole family around the dinner table. Ready in 30 minutes with minimal prep, it’s a delicious gluten-free pasta dish perfect for a weeknight meal.
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Spicy Chicken Riggies or Spicy chicken rigatoni is a hearty pasta dish made with sauteed chicken, peppers, and rigatoni pasta, all tossed in a delicious creamy ragu sauce. It’s an Italian – American dish that is very popular in the state of New York.
This dish reminds me of my childhood – the flavors and the smell of the pasta sauce cooking on the stove bring memories of my childhood. Home cooked meals are so special and I hope to be able to continue and pass on the tradition of making delicious meals at home for my family.
How To Make Chicken Riggies
- Boil the gluten-free rigatoni pasta according to package instructions.
- Season chicken with salt, black pepper, garlic, and paprika. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook chicken until cooked through, about 6-7 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.
- Heat remaining 1 Tbsp olive in the same skillet, and add sliced bell peppers, cherry peppers, onion, and garlic. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes until vegetables have softened.
- Add cooked chicken, cooked pasta, pasta sauce, heavy whipping cream to the skillet and toss to combine. Add some red pepper flakes if you want to make it spicier.
- Serve topped with chopped fresh basil and parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
TIPS FROM NELI’S KITCHEN
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Cook the pasta al dente. It will continue to cook after you have drained it and when it is added back into the sauce.
- To save on even more time, you can use pre-cooked chicken. Chicken thighs will also work if that’s what you have.
- If you are sensitive to heat, you can omit the pickled hot cherry peppers and red pepper flakes from this chicken riggies recipe.
A Quick and Easy Weeknight Meal
These spicy chicken riggies (chicken rigatoni) are not only easy but also fairly quick to make. It only takes about 25 minutes to make this dish from start to finish.
While the pasta is boiling, you can cook the chicken, and then mix the pasta, veggies, chicken & sauce.
Love it when dinner can be served on the table within 30 minutes. Can’t beat that! And leftovers make an easy lunch for next day. Win, win! You can also easily double the recipe to serve a crowd.
Recipe FAQs
I use gluten-free rigatoni for this recipe, if you don’t have a sensitivity to gluten you can use regular. Rigatoni has ridges in it that helps the sauce to stick, but if you are in a pinch other pasta such a penne or shells will also work well.
This recipe makes enough for 6 hearty servings and the leftovers will keep well for three or four days in the fridge. Let them cool to room temperature and transfer them to a air tight container.
Reheat the chicken riggies on the stovetop to serve. Take care to only reheat the dish once as it contains chicken.
More Pasta Recipes
- Italian Sausage and Pepper Skillet Pasta
- Chicken Penne In A Mushroom White Wine Sauce
- Italian Chicken Prosciutto Skillet Pasta
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Spicy Chicken Riggies
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Ingredients
- 16 oz gluten free rigatoni
- 1.5 lbs chicken boneless, skinless breasts, cut into 1″ pieces
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 2 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 pickled hot cherry peppers, sliced
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 24 oz pasta sauce
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- 2 Tablespoon fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Boil rigatoni pasta according to package instructions.
- Season chicken with salt, black pepper, garlic, and paprika. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook chicken until cooked through, about 6-7 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.
- Heat remaining 1 Tbsp olive in the same skillet, and add sliced bell peppers, cherry peppers, onion, and garlic. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes until vegetables have softened.
- Add cooked chicken, cooked pasta, pasta sauce, heavy whipping cream to the skillet and toss to combine. Add some red pepper flakes if you want to make it more spicy.
- Serve topped with chopped fresh basil and parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Cook the pasta al dente. It will continue to cook after you have drained it and when it is added back into the sauce.
- To save on even more time, you can use pre-cooked chicken. Chicken thighs will also work if that’s what you have.
- If you are sensitive to heat, you can omit the pickled hot cherry peppers and red pepper flakes.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer: Nutritional values are estimates and may vary with ingredients, brands, and portion sizes. For accuracy, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this recipe is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical or nutritional advice. I am not a doctor or a dietitian. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalized guidance regarding your diet or health. For more details, please read my full disclosure page.
Looks so delicious and perfect for a quick healthy dinner!
love a good pasta meal here! hadn’t heard the term “riggies” for rigatoni before.
This is s meal that my family requests again and again! We love it!
Love how easy this pasta is to put together! That ragu sounds so good.
That looks like the perfect comfort food for this cold weather! I love a little kick in my pasta dishes! Thanks for sharing!
I love a spicy red sauce on my pasta and this looks like the perfect recipe. I’ll be adding this to our monthly rotation of recipes!
Wow, a plate of colorful, flavorful and delicious dinner!
We are so busy with shopping, wrapping and baking right now that I hardly have time to even think about dinner. This is perfect for those hectic times — looks delish too!
So yummy! Perfect for this season 🙂
My family loved this meal! They ask for it almost every week!
Yay! Awesome! SO glad they loved it!