Chicken Riggies

A bad neighbor is a misfortune, as much as a good one is a blessing. ~ Hesiod

Chicken Riggies or Utica Riggies is an Italian-American pasta dish native to the Utica-Rome area of New York State. It's a dish usually consisting of chicken, rigatoni and hot or sweet peppers in a spicy cream and tomato sauce, although many variations exist.  And, talk about delicious!  My good friend and neighbor Carol introduced me to Chicken Riggies and let me tell you, the first time I had them I thought I'd died and gone to heaven.  I doubt that mine are as good as hers but, I had to try.  They're just too good NOT to make.

The recipe calls for certain types of peppers but feel free to use the peppers you like most.  For example. I couldn't find the hot cherry tomatoes tonight so I used the sweet.  The dish didn't have as much spice, but it was tasty just the same.  That's one of the things I love about cooking...there's all kinds of room to get creative.

Chicken Riggies

1 lb rigatoni (the riggies)
1 lb chicken tenders (1 package)
salt & pepper to taste
3 tbs olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
2 large or 3 small cubanelle peppers, seeded and chopped
3 roasted red peppers, chopped
6 hot cherry peppers pickled in jar (use the sweet cherry peppers if you don't like heat)
1 can crushed tomatoes (28 ounces)
1/3-1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup grated Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup basil (about 10 leaves), thinly sliced

Bring a pot of water to a boil for the "riggies." Salt water and cook the rigatoni to al dente. Heads up: you will need to reserve about 1 1/2 cups of cooking water just before you drain the pasta.  If you forget, like I usually do, use chicken stock or white wine, but reduce to about a cup.  Chop chicken into bite-size pieces and season with salt and pepper. Heat three tablespoons of olive oil in a large, high-sided skillet over medium-high to high heat. Add chicken to hot pan and brown all over, about 7-8 minutes, then remove.

Add onions, 3-4 cloves of garlic and cubanelle peppers to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper and cook 6-7 minutes to soften, then add the roasted red peppers.Cut the tops off the hot peppers and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon. Chop the hot peppers and add them to the skillet. Stir in tomatoes and add chicken back to the skillet. Bring the sauce to a bubble, then stir in some starchy cooking water from the pasta – about one cup. Add 1/3-1/2 cup cream. Reduce heat to lowest setting and simmer a couple of minutes.   Add pasta and 1/2 cup cheese and toss to combine.

This recipe will make a lot of riggies, so you should have plenty for lunch the next day.  Or, you can freeze some of what's leftover for another day.

Love Birds

When there is a start to be made, don't start over.  Start where you are. ~ Edgar Cayce

A few years ago, when I learned to cook, it was very much to the shock and awe of my friends and family. I grew up in the 70’s, a typical child being coaxed away from the TV just long enough to scarf down a meal before The Brady Bunch started. The food was there. How it got there was of no concern to me. When I got married, we ate in restaurants. If we cooked, it was on the grill; again, not my domain. Cooking did not appeal to me and it looked as though nothing was going to change that. And, then I saw an episode of ’30 Minute Meals” with Rachel Ray and I thought, I can do that. It literally changed my life; well, that and the constant guidance and support (and now friendly competition) from Brandon, one of my closest friends and a fantastic cook. He has, in fact, uncovered a couple of foodie diamonds-in-the-rough among his unsuspecting friends. Let him cook for you, watch how easy he makes it seem, you’ll be hooked.

Today, there’s nothing I won’t take on. If I can find it, I’ll cook it. And, one of my favorite things to work with is puff pastry. Yup, you heard correctly. It’s not nearly as difficult as you might imagine and, I’m telling you, wrap anything in puff pastry and you’ll look like a rockstar!  For first timers, take a few minutes to check out these video tips first.

Love Birds
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2-3 sprigs rosemary, fresh & finely chopped
1 tbs olive oil
salt & pepper (to taste)
1 sheet puff pastry 11x17 (thawed as per package instructions)
8 slices Italian Fontina cheese (1/4 - 1/2" thick)
1/2 cup fig preserves
1 egg mixed with 1 tbs water, for an egg wash

Preheat oven to 400

Cut each piece of chicken in half, across the breast, giving you 8 equal portions.  Season with salt, pepper and rosemary.  Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and lightly brown chicken on both sides, 5 or 6 minutes total.  Remove from heat.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  When I haven't had parchment on hand, I've sprayed the pan with non-stick cooking spray and it's worked fine.  Cut the pastry into 8 equal pieces.  Place a piece of cheese on each pastry square and top with a spoonful of fig preserves and a chicken piece.  Pinch and seal the dough up and over the meat and cheese, forming little packets.  Use the egg wash to help seal the edges.  Flip chicken packets seam side down onto baking sheet and brush the tops with remaining egg wash.  Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Note:  Don't be afraid to experiment with Brie or Gruyere if you find Fontina to be too mild.  And, to up the wow factor, use left over bits of dough to decorate the love birds before baking!