Cheesy Garlic Chicken Rigatoni (Printable version)
Tender chicken and rigatoni in a rich, garlicky three-cheese sauce, baked until bubbly and golden.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 14 oz rigatoni pasta
→ Chicken
02 - 1.1 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
03 - 1 tsp salt
04 - ½ tsp black pepper
05 - 1 tbsp olive oil
→ Sauce
06 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
07 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
09 - 2 cups whole milk
10 - 1 cup chicken broth
11 - 1 tsp Italian seasoning
12 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
13 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
14 - 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
15 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Topping
16 - ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
17 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
# How to Prepare:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook rigatoni until al dente according to package directions. Drain well and set aside.
03 - Season diced chicken with 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 5-7 minutes until fully cooked and lightly golden. Transfer to a plate.
04 - In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in flour and cook 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly to eliminate raw flour taste.
05 - Gradually whisk in milk and chicken broth, stirring continuously until smooth. Add Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Simmer 3-5 minutes until sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
06 - Remove skillet from heat. Stir in mozzarella, cheddar, and Parmesan cheeses until completely melted and smooth.
07 - Add cooked chicken and rigatoni to the cheese sauce. Mix thoroughly until pasta and chicken are evenly coated.
08 - Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Spread evenly and top with remaining ½ cup mozzarella cheese.
09 - Bake 20-25 minutes until casserole is bubbly around edges and cheese topping is golden brown.
10 - Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- Everything cooks in one pan before baking, so cleanup is surprisingly manageable
- The sauce comes out velvety smooth every single time if you follow the whisking technique
- Leftovers reheat beautifully for lunch the next day, if there are any
02 -
- Whisking the flour constantly while adding liquids prevents any lumps from forming in your sauce
- Letting the casserole rest for those 5 minutes seems impossible but helps the sauce set slightly so servings hold their shape
03 -
- Grating your own cheese makes a huge difference in how smoothly it melts into the sauce
- Room temperature milk incorporates better than cold milk straight from the fridge