Chicken Rigatoni in Creamy Tomato Pepper Sauce

Introduction

You cook the onion, garlic, sweet peppers, and hot cherry peppers slowly in margarine, then simmer the sauce with chicken, tomato sauce, cream, olives, and hard cheese for about an hour. The result is a rich, slightly spicy pasta dinner that fits a weekend batch cook or a dinner that gives you leftovers.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
• Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 stick margarine (not butter), melted
• 1 onion, minced
• 2-5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jar (20 oz) sweet peppers, sliced and seeded
• 3 sliced hot cherry peppers (jarred ones with oil)
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 lb boneless chicken breast, cubed
• 1 can chicken broth
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
• ½ pint cream
• 1 small can sliced black olives
• 1-1½ lb rigatoni pasta, cooked

Instructions

1. Sauté onion, peppers, and garlic in the margarine slowly over low/medium heat until the onions are clear.
2. Add the Parmesan, chicken breast, chicken stock, tomato sauce, cream, and olives. Simmer for about an hour.
3. Serve over the cooked pasta.

Variations

• Change the hot cherry peppers from 3 down to 1 or 2 if you want a milder sauce with less heat in the finish.
• Use boneless chicken thighs instead of chicken breast for a richer sauce and slightly more forgiving texture after the hour-long simmer.
• Serve the sauce over penne or ziti instead of rigatoni if that is what you have; both catch the chunky pepper and olive pieces well.
• Swap sliced black olives for green olives if you want a sharper, saltier bite in the sauce.
• Use the lower end of the rigatoni pasta amount, 1 pound, for a saucier dish, or the full 1½ pounds if you want the sauce stretched further.

Tips for Success

• Keep the heat at low/medium in the first step so the onion turns clear without browning; browned onion will push the sauce in a sweeter, heavier direction.
• Cut the chicken breast into even cubes so it cooks at the same rate and stays tender through the simmer.
• After adding the cream, keep the sauce at a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil so it stays smooth.
• Taste the sauce before serving because the hot cherry peppers, olives, and hard cheese all add salt and intensity.
• If you are making it ahead, cook the rigatoni pasta separately and combine only at serving time so the pasta does not absorb too much sauce.

Storage and Reheating

Store the sauce and pasta in separate airtight containers when possible. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Freeze the sauce only, not the dressed pasta, in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. The cream-based sauce may separate slightly after thawing, but it comes back together with gentle reheating.

Reheat the sauce on the stovetop over low heat, stirring often, until hot. If it has thickened, loosen it with a small splash of chicken broth or cream. Reheat pasta separately in the microwave with a spoonful of water, covered, in short bursts.

FAQ

Can you make this less spicy?

Yes. Reduce the hot cherry peppers or leave them out entirely, and the sauce will stay rich and peppery without much heat.

Do you need the full 1½ pounds of rigatoni?

No. If you want a heavier coating of sauce on each piece of pasta, use 1 pound. If you need more portions, use the full amount.

Can you make it ahead?

Yes. The sauce holds well for a day or two and often tastes more blended after resting overnight in the fridge.

Can you use another cheese?

Yes. A grated vegetarian hard cheese works well here and gives you the same salty, savory effect in the sauce.