Chicken Riggies

If you're not from central New York, you probably have no idea what this recipe is!

Where I grew up, variations of this dish are a local specialty.  Everyone has a favorite recipe from a favorite restaurant.  It is essentially chicken, peppers, onions, and some kind of red sauce (usually vodka sauce) with rigatoni (hence the name "riggies").

I found this recipe online about ten years ago.  It was supposedly from a restaurant in Rome, NY.  Unfortunately, I just printed it and didn't write down the website or the name of the restaurant.  I made a few tweaks to the original recipe anyway.

Heat up leftovers in the oven with shredded mozzarella sprinkled on top!

I don't like my riggies hot.  If you do, kick it up with some red pepper flakes!

Chicken Riggies

1 pound chicken breast
1 red pepper, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
1 mediun onion, sliced
8 oz container fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup flour
1 Tbsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp rosemary
pinch salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
olive oil (for sauteeing)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cups marinara or vodka sauce (I like Spicy Tomato Vodka Sauce, but I skip the pepperoni in it for this dish - I also like Bertoli's vodka sauces in a jar)
8 oz rigatoni

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan.  Season flour with oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper.  Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and coat with seasoned flour.  Brown chicken in hot oil.  Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Add more oil to pan.  Saute peppers, onions, and mushrooms with garlic until wilted.  Return chicken to pan.  Add chicken broth and scrape down any browned bits.  Simmer briefly.  Add vodka sauce.  Simmer for 30 minutes. 

Cook rigatoni according to package directions.  Add to sauce mixture and serve immediately.