Chicken riggies
 |
|
| Alternative names | Utica riggies |
|---|---|
| Type | Pasta |
| Place of origin | New York State |
| Main ingredients | chicken, peppers, rigatoni, tomato sauce |
 |
|
Chicken riggies or Utica riggies is an Italian-American pasta dish native to the Utica-Rome area of New York State. It is a pasta-based dish usually consisting of chicken, rigatoni and hot or sweet peppers in a spicy cream and tomato sauce, although many variations exist.
"Chicken Riggies" are simply Chicken Rigatone with red bell peppers. Despite Chicken Rigatone predating "Chicken Riggies", Utica residents continue to dispute the origins of the dish. Many of the chefs from the Utica area seem to have a claim to the dish, yet there seems to be no clear idea who was the originator.
The first annual Riggiefest was held in Utica, NY, in 2005 at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. It is a contest which determines what restaurant makes the best riggies in the area. The best riggies will win its creator the prestigious "Riggie Cup". All money made during the fest is donated directly to the YWCA. In 2008, the festival made over $300,000.
Recent Riggie Cup winners include:
Teddy's was inducted into the Chicken Riggies Hall of Fame in 2008 after winning the competition three years in a row. That year Teddy's stepped aside to allow other restaurants a chance at the title. Teddy's winning recipe was published in Mohawk Valley Living.
...
Wikipedia