Chicken Madeira Rigatoni Recipe

Prepare chicken

Pat chicken breasts dry and slice each breast horizontally to make 2 thinner cutlets (about 4 pieces total). Season both sides with 1 tsp kosher salt and 0.5 tsp black pepper. Lightly dredge each cutlet in the flour, shaking off excess.

Cook pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni and cook until al dente according to package directions (usually 10–12 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain and set pasta aside.

Pan-roast chicken

In a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs butter until shimmering. Add dredged chicken cutlets (work in batches if needed) and cook 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through (internal temperature 160–165°F / 71–74°C). Transfer chicken to a plate and tent with foil to rest. Add any accumulated juices from plate back into the skillet.

Sauté mushrooms & aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tbs butter to the skillet. Add sliced mushrooms and cook without stirring for 2 minutes to allow browning, then stir and cook another 3–4 minutes until nicely browned. Add chopped shallot and cook 1–2 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and minced rosemary and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Deglaze with Madeira

Pour in 3/4 cup Madeira wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the pan. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer until the wine is reduced by about half, about 3–5 minutes.

Finish sauce

Add 1 cup chicken stock and bring to a simmer, then stir in 3/4 cup heavy cream and 1 tsp Dijon mustard. Simmer gently until sauce thickens slightly, about 4–6 minutes. Stir in 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice and 1 tbsp butter to enrich the sauce. Season to taste with remaining 0.5 tsp kosher salt and remaining 0.5 tsp black pepper.

Assemble pasta and chicken

Slice rested chicken into strips. Add drained rigatoni to the skillet with the sauce and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water 1–2 tbs at a time if needed to loosen the sauce. Stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan until melted and sauce is glossy. Return sliced chicken to the pan to warm through for 1–2 minutes.

Garnish and serve

Turn off heat and stir in chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve pasta topped with remaining Parmesan and extra parsley if desired.

Prepare garlic butter

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). In a small bowl, combine 3 tbs softened butter, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 tsp lemon zest, 1 tsp chopped rosemary and 1/4 tsp sea salt. Mix until smooth.

Assemble and bake

Slice ciabatta baguette lengthwise or into thick slices. Spread garlic-rosemary butter evenly over cut sides. Place on a baking sheet and bake 8–10 minutes until butter has melted and edges are golden. For a crisp top, broil 1–2 minutes more watching carefully.

Finish

Remove from oven, let cool 1 minute, then slice and serve alongside the Chicken Madeira Rigatoni.