Chicken Riggies

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Are you looking for a tasty and easy dinner recipe? Chicken riggies might be just what you need! This yummy pasta dish is perfect for busy weeknights. It takes only 45 minutes to make and serves 4 people. The creamy sauce, tender chicken, and spicy peppers blend together for a meal your whole family will love.

Chicken riggies come from upstate New York. The dish mixes rigatoni pasta with chicken and a spicy cream sauce. You can adjust the heat level to suit your taste. With simple ingredients and clear steps, you’ll have no trouble whipping up this comforting meal. Get ready to add a new favorite to your dinner rotation!

Exact Ingredients List

Here’s what you’ll need to make delicious chicken riggies:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 1/2 lbs chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 8 ounces Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1-2 jarred hot peppers (adjust for heat)
• 1 onion, chopped
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon (2 cubes)
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup heavy cream

You’ll also need:

• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/2 cup black olives
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2-3 tablespoons cold water
• 1 lb rigatoni pasta

Make sure you have all these ingredients ready before you start cooking. It’ll make the process much smoother!

Remember, you can adjust the amount of hot peppers and red pepper flakes to suit your taste. If you like it spicy, add more. If not, you can use less or skip them altogether.

Instructions

Melt butter in a big pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces when the butter bubbles. Cook until they start turning white.

Toss in mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Add peppers and onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes.

Pour in water, bouillon, tomato sauce, and cream. Add paprika, parsley, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir now and then.

While it simmers, cook your pasta following the box directions.

After 20 minutes, add olives. Simmer uncovered for 5 more minutes.

Mix cornstarch with cold water in a small bowl. Make a thick but pourable slurry.

Pour slurry into the sauce. Stir until no white streaks remain. The sauce will thicken.

Add cooked pasta to the pot. Mix well and serve hot. Enjoy your tasty chicken riggies!

Possible Substitutes List

You can easily swap out some ingredients in chicken riggies to suit your tastes or what’s in your pantry. Here are some ideas:

• Pasta: Try penne or ziti instead of rigatoni
• Chicken: Use boneless thighs or turkey breast chunks
• Mushrooms: Swap white button mushrooms for Baby Bellas
• Peppers: Red or yellow bell peppers work great too

For a veggie version, replace the chicken with:

• Cauliflower florets
• Zucchini chunks
• Firm tofu cubes

Can’t find jarred hot peppers? Use:

• Fresh jalapeños
• A dash of hot sauce

No heavy cream? Try:

• Half-and-half
• Milk mixed with a bit of melted butter

Out of black olives? Skip them or use:

• Green olives
• Capers

Want to change up the herbs? Replace parsley with:

• Basil
• Oregano
• Italian seasoning blend

These swaps let you make the dish your own. Feel free to get creative with what you have on hand!

How To Make It Diabetes-Friendly

You can make some easy swaps to make chicken riggies more diabetes-friendly. Use whole wheat rigatoni instead of regular pasta. This adds fiber and helps control blood sugar.

Cut the heavy cream in half and replace it with unsweetened almond milk. This lowers the fat and calories.

Skip the butter and use olive oil to cook the chicken and veggies. Olive oil is heart-healthy.

Reduce the amount of chicken to 1 1/2 pounds. Add more veggies like zucchini or yellow squash to bulk up the dish.

Leave out the cornstarch and let the sauce simmer longer to thicken naturally. This cuts carbs.

Use low-sodium chicken broth instead of bouillon cubes to lower the salt.

Try these portion sizes:

• 1 cup pasta
• 3/4 cup sauce
• 3 oz chicken

This brings down the calories and carbs while keeping the yummy flavors you love. Enjoy your diabetic-friendly chicken riggies!

Tips, Tricks & Storing

Save time by using pre-cooked chicken. Rotisserie chicken or leftovers work great. Just add them to the sauce near the end of cooking.

For extra creaminess, try using half-and-half instead of heavy cream. It’s a bit lighter but still gives a rich texture.

Don’t have rigatoni? No problem! You can use penne or ziti as tasty substitutes.

Adjust the spice level to your liking. Add more hot peppers for extra kick, or leave them out if you prefer milder flavors.

To store leftovers, let the dish cool completely. Put it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

When reheating, add a splash of water or milk to keep the sauce from drying out. Warm it gently on the stove or in the microwave.

For a make-ahead meal, prepare the sauce and store it separately from the pasta. When ready to eat, reheat the sauce and cook fresh pasta.

Try freezing portions for quick future dinners. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.