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Chef John’s Utica-Style Chicken Riggies

Chef John’s Utica-Style Chicken Riggies layers tender chicken and bits of spicy Italian sausage in a creamy tomato sauce brightened with Marsala, peppers, and briny olives. The rigatoni catches every silky, pepper-flecked bite, finished with a shower of Parmigiano or Romano. It’s a bold, comforting dinner perfect for weeknights or casual gatherings when you want pasta with a little heat.

  • Prep20 mins
  • Cook1 hr 15 mins
  • Serves4
  • DifficultyMedium
Chef John’s Utica-Style Chicken Riggies
  1. 1

    Warm olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, mushrooms, sausage, salt, and black pepper; cook and stir until the vegetables soften and the sausage is browned, 6 to 7 minutes.

  2. 2

    Stir the chopped chicken into the sausage mixture; cook and stir over medium-high heat until browned, about 5 minutes.

  3. 3

    Pour in the Marsala wine; cook while scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon until the wine is mostly evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes.

  4. 4

    Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, cream, and water; simmer for 30 minutes. Add more water if the sauce becomes too thick.

  5. 5

    Stir in the peppers, olives, and garlic; simmer until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.

  6. 6

    Season with salt and black pepper; stir in the parsley.

  7. 7

    Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.

  8. 8

    Cook the rigatoni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet slightly firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain.

  9. 9

    Combine the sauce and rigatoni, stir in the cheese, cover, and let sit until the rigatoni absorbs the sauce, 1 to 2 minutes.

About This Recipe

Chef John's Utica Style Chicken Riggies is an Italian dinner recipe made with 17 ingredients. It takes about 1 hr 35 mins, serves 4, and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Boneless Chicken Thigh, Chicken Broth, Crushed Tomatoes, and Fresh Parsley. Each serving provides about 1195.62 kcal, and is a good source of protein.

Recipe Questions

What is Chef John’s Utica-Style Chicken Riggies?
It is an Italian recipe made with 17 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch.
What is Chef John’s Utica-Style Chicken Riggies made of?
The main ingredients are Boneless Chicken Thigh, Chicken Broth, Crushed Tomatoes, Fresh Parsley, Grated Parmesan Romano Cheese. The full list of 17 is above.
What goes well with Chef John’s Utica-Style Chicken Riggies?
Explore these Italian side-dish recipes.
How long does it take to make Chef John’s Utica-Style Chicken Riggies?
About 1 hr 35 mins in total: 20 mins to prepare and 1 hr 15 mins to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 1195.62 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is Chef John’s Utica-Style Chicken Riggies easy to make?
This recipe is rated medium, with 17 ingredients and 9 steps.

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