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This Italian-American comfort meal combines perfectly cooked pasta with juicy chicken and a creamy garlic butter sauce. The grooved rigatoni grabs onto the sauce wonderfully, while the Parmesan brings a savory flavor kick.
I've tried making this dish dozens of ways, and I can tell you that well-seasoned chicken and pasta with some bite are key for amazing texture and taste.
Key Ingredients
- Chicken breasts: Look for ones with similar thickness throughout
- Rigatoni: These big tubes work great for catching all that sauce
- Heavy cream: Don't swap for light versions if you want that silky texture
- Parmesan: Grab a block and grate it yourself
- Garlic: Skip the jarred stuff and use real cloves
- Butter: Go with unsalted so you can control the salt
- Olive oil: Extra virgin gives the best flavor
- Seasonings: An Italian mix brings everything together
Instructions
- Pasta Preparation
- Get a big pot of water boiling hard. Make it salty like ocean water. Cook your rigatoni for 2 minutes less than what the box says. Save a cup of that starchy water before you drain it.
- Chicken Seasoning
- Wipe chicken completely dry with paper towels. Load it up with salt, pepper, Italian herbs, and paprika. Let it sit for 5 minutes so flavors can stick.
- Chicken Cooking
- Get your pan really hot until the oil starts to shimmer. Put the chicken in and don't touch it for 4-5 minutes. Flip just once. Make sure it hits 165°F inside.
- Sauce Development
- Use the same pan to melt your butter. Throw in minced garlic and keep stirring so it doesn't burn. Cook just until you can smell it but before it browns.
- Sauce Building
- Pour in broth and scrape up all the tasty bits from the pan. Let it bubble for 2 minutes. Pour in the cream while stirring. Let it thicken a bit. Add Parmesan gradually, stirring until smooth.
- Final Assembly
- Put chicken back in the pan. Add the pasta and mix everything together. Splash in some of that pasta water if the sauce needs loosening.
- Temperature Check
- Make sure your sauce gets to 165°F for safety reasons. Turn the heat up or down as needed.
- Final Garnish
- Sprinkle fresh parsley on top with some extra Parmesan. Serve it right away while it's hot.
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I learned while making this dish that getting the timing right matters a lot - having everything chopped and ready makes cooking so much easier.
Keeping Leftovers
- Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days in sealed containers
- When reheating, add a little splash of cream
- If making ahead, keep the pasta and sauce separate
- This creamy sauce doesn't do well in the freezer
You can easily tweak this dish for different diets while still keeping all that comfort food goodness.
Health Perks
- The chicken gives you plenty of muscle-building protein
- Pasta provides energy that lasts for hours
- You'll get bone-strengthening calcium from the dairy
- The garlic helps boost your immune system
Family Experience
My mom, who's Italian, taught me her trick of slowly adding the pasta water bit by bit for that perfect sauce texture. The starch makes everything silky smooth.
Variations
- Spring: Toss in some green peas and fresh herbs
- Summer: Mix in a handful of juicy cherry tomatoes
- Fall: Stir in cubes of butternut squash
- Winter: Fold in some tasty roasted mushrooms
Nutritional Profile
- Has a good mix of proteins and carbs
- Gives you plenty of B vitamins
- Packed with calcium and vitamin D
- Contains garlic that's good for your heart
Serving Suggestions
- Add a simple green salad on the side
- Warm up some garlic bread to go with it
- Throw in some roasted veggies
- Sprinkle with fresh herbs before serving
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What makes this dish so great is how flexible it is. It works just as well for a quick Tuesday dinner as it does for weekend guests.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I pick a different pasta type?
- Totally, fettuccine or penne work nicely if you’re out of rigatoni.
- → What’s the trick for a richer sauce?
- Mix in more Parmesan or another splash of cream for extra thickness.
- → Can it be prepped in advance?
- It’s best right after cooking, but you can gently warm it later with a bit of cream to freshen the sauce.
- → How do I make this gluten-free?
- Just swap regular pasta for a gluten-free version, as the rest of the ingredients work perfectly.
- → What goes well on the side?
- A crisp salad or some buttery garlic bread pairs perfectly!