Utica Chicken Riggies

Adria82's Note:

This local favorite is almost impossible to find anywhere outside a 20-mile vicinity of Utica, NY. It is a creamy, spicy chicken and pasta dish that is sure to please anyone's taste buds. Enjoy!

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 1/2 lbs chicken breasts (I usually use three to four chicken breasts)
• 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 -2 jarred hot pepper, chopped
• 1 onions or 2 -3 shallots, chopped
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon or 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1/2 pint heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• salt and black pepper
• crushed red pepper flakes (if you want it hot)
• 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
• 1 lb rigatoni pasta, cooked and drained

Directions:

1. In a large pot melt butter and then add chicken.
2. Cook chicken over medium heat just until they begin to turn white.
3. Add mushrooms to chicken and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add peppers and onions cook 5-7 minutes (I usually season the veggies and chicken with salt and pepper at this point).
5. Add water, bullion, tomato sauce, heavy cream, and spices.
6. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 20 min, stirring occasionally.
7. Add olives and simmer for 5 minutes.
8. In a small bowl mix corn starch with 2-3 tbsp cold water until dissolved.
9. Add corn starch to sauce, stirring continuously until it thickens.
10. If it is very runny just let stand to thicken.
11. Stir in cooked pasta and serve immediately, sprinkling each serving with grated or shredded Parmesan cheese.

Reviews

[girl_beast86]

I made this last night, mostly for my husband who grew up in Oneida County, and it was delicious! We own a house in Rome, NY and have had riggies on many occasions while we're up there. We are military though and can't just run out and get riggies in Kentucky! :)

This recipe tasted like the "real" riggies you get at Teddy's in Rome. So yummy! I think I put a little too much red pepper flakes in ours though because it was too spicy for the kids (I used 1 tsp).

GREAT RECIPE!

[catsoplenty]

Well supposedly "chicken riggies" originated in Utica......I don't think we'll ever know for sure which restaurant or which chef made it first. But the one thing I DO know for sure is that this recipe is absolutely delicious and ranks right up there with the ones I've had from the Utica....and, yes, Rome...area restaurants. Actually, IMO, it ranks higher than some! I made them along with the Utica Greens (Escarole) recipe. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal!! Thanks for a great recipe!!! Note: I did add a few (3-4) cloves of minced garlic but that's the only thing I did differently.

[Chef #1524648]

My husband and I just made this amazing recipe. We live very near to Utica, NY, and wanted to try it on our own instead of always getting them out. We couldn't stop oohing and ahhing while we were eating! We tweaked some of the amts of ingredients to our liking, but it was absolutely delicious!!