Chicken Riggies

"With a colloquial name like chicken riggies (short for rigatoni), this regionally famous pasta dish is the epitome of "if you know, you know." But in case you don't: It's as if a creamy tomato vodka sauce had a spunkier cousin, boosted by the zing of pickled hot cherry peppers. It's an Italian American hybrid dish with origins in the "Littler" Italys of central and upstate New York."

"In the early 20th century, small Rust Belt cities like Utica and Rome were home to a large wave of immigrants who created new-age renditions of familiar dishes such as chicken riggies, Utica greens, and tomato pie in their homes and restaurants. Today the pasta is a comforting regional favorite for serving at everything from festivals to funerals in the upper stretch of New York State."

Chicken riggies pairs rigatoni with a creamy, spicy tomato sauce enlivened by pickled hot cherry peppers. The dish originated as an Italian American hybrid in the "Littler" Italys of central and upstate New York, especially in small Rust Belt cities such as Utica and Rome. Immigrants in the early 20th century created new renditions of familiar dishes, including chicken riggies, Utica greens, and tomato pie. The pasta serves as a regional comfort food at festivals, family gatherings, and funerals across the upper stretch of New York State. Variations include adding sautéed mushrooms or olives and using fresh mini sweet peppers alongside jarred hot cherry peppers.

Read at Bon Appetit