Maggiano’s Little Italy Favorites: Our Famous Rigatoni “D”® Recipe
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 ½ cups sliced mushrooms
3/8 cup Spanish, yellow or white onion, diced ½”
1 Tbsp fresh garlic, finely chopped
2 cups low sodium chicken broth, cold
1 ½ Tbsp corn starch
2 cups rigatoni pasta
¼ cup olive oil
1 lb chicken breast, boneless, skinless
4 Tbsp butter
½ cup white wine , Chardonnay
¾ cup sweet Marsala wine
2 cups heavy cream
1 Tbsp Kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
3/8 cup Parmesan cheese – 12 month, grated
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. On a 12 X 18 cookie sheet or tray, mix the diced onions, mushrooms, finely chopped garlic, and balsamic vinegar together ensuring all ingredients are evenly mixed and coated. Bake for 15 minutes until mushrooms are a deep brown color and almost all liquid and moisture has evaporated. Set aside mixture.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the corn starch with cold chicken broth with a whisk. Set aside mixture.
Prepare pasta as directed on the box to the al dente stage approximately 10 minutes before you plan on cooking the entire pasta dish. Do not shock in ice water and do not run under cold water.
Drain pasta in a colander, shake out excess water, then toss in an 8 quart bowl with half of your olive oil and reserve for the final dish.
4. Cut Chicken into pieces approximately 1” long x ¾” wide.
5. In a 12”-14” sauté pan or Dutch oven. heat the remaining olive oil and butter until melted and butter begins to lightly brown, add cut chicken and cook for approximately 3-4 minutes until a light golden brown color is achieved.
6. Immediately add the white wine to the sautéed chicken, reduce until dry, add the Marsala wine and reduce by half, then add the cold chicken broth/corn starch mixture, bring to a simmer.
7. Then add the heavy cream, kosher salt, black pepper, and the mushrooms, onions, and garlic from step 2. Bring to a simmer and allow the sauce to thicken.
8. Add the Rigatoni Pasta, and continue cooking for 2 minutes while simmering allowing the starch from the pasta to thicken the sauce and the corn starch to bloom and tighten the sauce.
9. Finish the pasta and sauce with fresh basil, fresh Italian parsley, and grated parmesan cheese.
10. Serve in a larger serving dish or in the Dutch oven casserole dish.
Recipe Notes
When cutting raw chicken use a separate cutting board
It is critical to prepare the first 3 steps as close as possible to service time, but may be done in advance up to an hour
The sauce step can be made separately in entirety without being part of this dish
Feel free to use other vegetables or protein in this dish. Veal, Duck, and Game Birds work well, as does Asparagus, Spinach, Sun Dried Tomatoes
Be careful not to overcook the pasta as it will continue to cook in the sauce – other pasta may be used such as Penne Rigate, Ziti, Spaghetti, or gluten free pastas.
