Description
A restaurant-quality Cheesy Chicken Rigatoni that’s surprisingly simple to make at home, perfect for weeknight dinners or impressing guests.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (or 1.5 teaspoons garlic powder)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced (optional)
- 2 cups heavy cream (or half-and-half for a lighter version)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh basil or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Your Ingredients: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Season your chicken pieces with salt and pepper and prep all ingredients.
- Cook the Pasta and Chicken: Cook the rigatoni until al dente. Heat olive oil and cook the chicken until golden brown.
- Create the Flavor Base: Remove the chicken, add onion, cook until translucent, then add garlic and bell pepper.
- Make the Cheesy Sauce: Add chicken broth, heavy cream, Italian herbs, and red pepper flakes. Stir in mozzarella and Parmesan until smooth.
- Combine and Finish: Drain the pasta, add to the sauce with chicken, toss, then top with remaining cheese and let sit to melt.
Notes
For a lighter option, substitute with evaporated milk instead of heavy cream and add more vegetables like spinach or zucchini.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 720
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 22g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 56g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 42g
- Cholesterol: 125mg
Keywords: cheesy pasta, chicken rigatoni, comfort food, easy dinner, Italian recipe