Chicken Riggies from Utica, NY

Today, I’m eating an Upstate New York favorite  – Chicken Riggies!

Chances are if you live outside Utica, NY, you haven’t heard of the classic dish made famous in that region area of the Empire State. There, Chicken Riggies are as common at an Italian restaurant as spaghetti and meatballs.

Even having grown up near Utica myself, I didn’t discover this flavorful dish until college. At its most pure, chicken riggies is a simple combination of chicken breast, hot peppers and rigatoni pasta in a creamy, spicy tomato-based sauce.

If you want more history on this dish and other Upstate New York specialties, check out the book “A Taste of Upstate New York.”

My take on the classic Utica creation of course involves a grill and some alcohol.

The Cook

Get your grill set up for direct medium-high cooking at about 350-400 degrees. While the grill comes to temperature, pound your chicken to ¼ inch thickness and season liberally on both sides with Italian seasoning.

Grill chicken for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees.

Remove from grill and chop chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside while you make the sauce and pasta.

In the largest saucepan you have, heat oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, roasted red pepper, cherry peppers and mushrooms. Sauté until all vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.

Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Deglaze with red wine, then stir in crushed tomatoes, parmesan rind and basil. Continue cooking for 20 minutes until slightly reduced, stirring often.

While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook rigatoni to just short of al dente, about 10 minutes. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water. Drain.

Add the chopped chicken cooked rigatoni, ¼ cup reserved pasta water and grated parmesan to the sauce. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until the pasta has absorbed some of the sauce and all elements are coated with the creamy mixture.

Serve with a sprinkle of fresh chopped basil or parsley and extra freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Each bite will be smoky, cheesy, earthy and spicy. And hopefully, like me, you’ll be transported back to Utica, NY, home of Chicken Riggies.

If you liked this recipe, hit that like and subscribe button and be sure to check out “A Taste of Upstate New York.”

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