Mrs. Clay’s Roasted Pepper Parmesan Rigatoni
with Seared Chicken
Silky roasted bell peppers, freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and a touch of cream create a rich, velvety sauce for rigatoni, topped with beautifully seasoned, golden seared chicken.
This pasta was originally part of a complete dinner I put together with a bright Lemon-Parmesan Salad and Brown-Butter Cinnamon Peaches for dessert. The roasted peppers become sweet and smoky instead of tasting like raw bell pepper, and blending them until completely smooth gives the sauce an almost velvety texture.
Originally served as part of Mrs. Clay’s:
Roasted Pepper Parmesan Rigatoni Dinner
with Lemon-Parmesan Salad & Brown-Butter Peaches
Yield: About 6 generous servings
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 to 2½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
For the Roasted Pepper Parmesan Sauce
- 3 bell peppers, preferably one each red, yellow and orange
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, very finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup chicken broth
- About ¼ cup additional chicken broth for deglazing the chicken skillet
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 to 1¼ cups very finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Tiny splash fresh lemon juice, optional
For the Pasta
- 1 pound rigatoni
- Salt for pasta water
- 1 to 2 cups reserved pasta water
For Serving
- Additional Parmigiano-Reggiano
- Chopped fresh parsley or basil, optional
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Good olive oil, optional
Instructions
1. Roast the Peppers
Preheat oven to 475°F.
Cut the bell peppers in half from stem to bottom. Remove the stems, seeds and white ribs.
Place the peppers cut-side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Do not oil them.
Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, until the skins are deeply blistered and blackened in places.
Immediately transfer the peppers to a bowl and cover tightly. Allow them to steam for 15 minutes.
Peel away the loosened skins. Do not rinse the peppers.
Set aside.
2. Prepare the Chicken
If the chicken breasts are very thick, slice them horizontally into cutlets approximately ½ to ¾ inch thick.
Pat the chicken thoroughly dry.
Combine the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, oregano and black pepper.
Season both sides of the chicken generously.
Allow the chicken to rest for 15 to 20 minutes while beginning the sauce.
3. Start the Roasted Pepper Sauce
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-low heat.
Add the finely chopped onion with a small pinch of salt.
Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very soft, translucent and sweet.
Add the tomato paste and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until it darkens to a rusty brick color.
Add the garlic, sweet paprika, smoked paprika and red pepper flakes.
Cook for 30 to 45 seconds, just until fragrant.
Add the roasted peppers and 1 cup chicken broth.
Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any flavorful browned bits.
Blend the mixture with an immersion blender or carefully transfer it to a countertop blender. Puree until exceptionally smooth, approximately 45 to 60 seconds.
Return the sauce to the skillet if necessary and gently simmer for 8 to 10 minutes to concentrate the flavor.
4. Sear the Chicken
Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Once the oil is shimmering, add the chicken without crowding the pan. Work in batches if necessary.
Cook undisturbed for approximately 3 to 4 minutes, until deeply golden.
Flip the chicken.
Add 1 tablespoon butter and spoon the melted butter over the chicken.
Continue cooking for another 2 to 4 minutes, depending on thickness, until the chicken reaches approximately 160 to 162°F internally.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and allow it to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Deglaze the Chicken Pan
Do not clean the skillet.
Pour approximately ¼ cup chicken broth into the hot skillet.
Scrape up all the browned chicken bits and allow the liquid to bubble for about 1 minute.
Pour the flavorful liquid into the roasted pepper sauce.
6. Add the Cream
Reduce the heat beneath the sauce to low.
Stir in the heavy cream and gently heat for 3 to 5 minutes.
Do not allow the sauce to boil aggressively.
7. Cook the Rigatoni
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
Cook the rigatoni until approximately 1 to 2 minutes shy of completely done.
Before draining, reserve at least 2 cups of pasta water.
Drain the pasta without rinsing.
8. Finish the Parmesan Sauce
Reduce the roasted pepper sauce to very low heat or remove it from the heat completely.
Gradually stir in 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Add 2 tablespoons butter and stir until melted and glossy.
If necessary, add reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce reaches a silky consistency.
Taste and adjust with salt, black pepper, additional red pepper flakes or smoked paprika if desired.
If the sauce tastes properly salted but needs a little brightness, add a tiny splash of fresh lemon juice.
9. Finish the Pasta
Add the drained rigatoni directly to the sauce.
Toss over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, adding splashes of reserved pasta water as necessary.
The finished sauce should cling to every ridge of the pasta rather than pool underneath it.
Slice the rested chicken across the grain.
Pour any accumulated chicken juices from the cutting board into the pasta.
Divide the rigatoni among bowls or plates and top with the sliced chicken.
Finish with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, black pepper and chopped parsley or basil if desired.
Serve immediately.
A Couple of Helpful Tools
Sharing the meals we make and the things that work in my kitchen is one of my favorite parts of Mrs. Clay. If you happen to need one of the items I’ve mentioned below, please consider using my link. It never costs you anything extra, but I may earn a small commission, and those little bits truly help me keep this little corner of the internet going. I’m so grateful you’re here.
Microplane Premium Classic Series Zester/Grater — Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano melts so much more smoothly into this sauce than pre-shredded cheese. This Microplane is my favorite for finely grating hard cheeses, and it also does a beautiful job zesting citrus. It’s one of those simple little kitchen tools I reach for over and over again.
KitchenAid Variable Speed Corded Hand Blender — Getting the roasted pepper sauce beautifully smooth is much easier with an immersion blender. A countertop blender works too, but I love being able to blend sauces right in the pan. This is the one I use, and I especially like the removable 8-inch blending arm and variable speed control for soups, sauces and recipes like this one.
