Chicken Parmigiana with Rosé Sauce and Rigatoni

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Rich, creamy, and packed with Italian-inspired flavors, this Chicken Parmigiana with Rosé Sauce and Rigatoni combines crispy breaded chicken, tender rigatoni, and a velvety rosé sauce. It's a crowd-pleasing recipe that's perfect for family dinners or whenever you're craving a hearty pasta dish.

In collaboration with

Nate Todd
Nate Todd
Breasts Pasta and risotto Oven Air fryer Skillet To freeze In advance Internationally inspired
4 Portions
30 min Prepping
30 min Cooking
Recipe Easy

Ingredients

For the Chicken Parmigiana

  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 125 mL (½ cup) all-purpose flour
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 375 mL (1 ½ cups) seasoned Italian breadcrumbs
  • Vegetable oil, enough to coat the bottom of the skillet
  • 500 mL (2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 60 mL (¼ cup) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

For the rigatoni and the rosé sauce

  • 375 g rigatoni
  • 30 mL (2 tbsp) olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 15 to 30 mL (1 to 2 tbsp) chopped Calabrian peppers or hot pepper paste, to taste
  • 125 mL (½ cup) tomato paste
  • 75 mL (⅓ cup) vodka (optional)
  • 375 mL (1 ½ cups) 35% cooking cream
  • 125 to 180 mL (½ to ¾ cup) pasta cooking water
  • 180 mL (¾ cup) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Click the steps to erase them.

For the rigatoni and the rosé sauce

  1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni until slightly firmer than al dente. Before draining, reserve about 250 mL (1 cup) of the pasta cooking water.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened and lightly golden.
  3. Add the garlic and Calabrian peppers. Cook for about 1 minute.
  4. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until it darkens slightly and begins to caramelize.
  5. Deglaze with the vodka and let it reduce for 1 to 2 minutes, until almost completely evaporated.
  6. Add the 35% cooking cream, stir well, and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
  7. Reserve about 250 mL (1 cup) of the sauce for the Chicken Parmigiana.
  8. Add the rigatoni and Parmesan cheese to the remaining sauce. Gradually stir in the reserved pasta cooking water until the sauce is creamy and coats the pasta evenly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

For the Chicken Parmigiana

  1. Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally to create 4 cutlets. Place the cutlets between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound them to a thickness of about 6 mm (¼ inch).
  2. Generously season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.
  3. Prepare three shallow dishes: place the flour in the first, the beaten eggs in the second, and the seasoned Italian breadcrumbs in the third.
  4. Dredge each cutlet in the flour, shaking off any excess. Dip it into the beaten eggs, then press it firmly into the breadcrumbs, coating both sides evenly.
  5. Heat about 5 mm (¼ inch) of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the cutlets for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown, crispy, and cooked through to an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F).
  6. Transfer the cooked cutlets to a wire rack to help keep them crispy.


*Air Fryer Option
Lightly spray the breaded cutlets with oil and cook in the air fryer at 205°C (400°F) for 10 to 14 minutes, turning halfway through cooking, until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F).

For the Parmigiana Assembly

  1. Preheat the oven to broil.
  2. Divide the reserved cup of sauce among 4 small oven-safe dishes. Top with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Alternatively, use a single baking dish and divide the gratin into 4 portions before serving.
  3. Broil for 2 to 4 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and golden brown.
  4. Place one chicken cutlet on each plate. Add the gratin over the chicken just before serving to keep the breading crispy.
  5. Serve each cutlet with a generous portion of rigatoni in rosé sauce.

Make-Ahead Tip

The chicken cutlets can be breaded, separated with parchment paper, and frozen. When ready to cook, place them directly in the air fryer and cook at 205°C (400°F) for 15 to 18 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown and cooked through.