Instant Pot Utica Chicken Riggies
I’m thrilled to share my take on Utica’s beloved Chicken Riggies with you through my Instant Pot Chicken Riggies recipe. In Utica, NY, locals proudly proclaim, ‘It’s a Utica Thing!’ Growing up surrounded by the vibrant culinary scene of my hometown, with its plethora of pizzerias, Italian restaurants, and annual Chicken Riggie contest, I’ve come to understand the deep love for this iconic dish.With the convenience of the Instant Pot, you can enjoy the rich flavors of this Utica classic right in your own home. Get ready to experience a taste of Utica with every savory bite!

For true Chicken Riggies aficionados, this recipe offers a unique twist on the beloved classic. While my traditional stove-top method boasts homemade marinara sauce and heavy cream enriched with fresh Romano cheese, this Instant Pot rendition brings a delightful deviation. Though nothing quite compares to the stovetop version’s unparalleled flavor, I’ve strived to capture its essence here. So, without further ado, allow me to present my take on Instant Pot Chicken Riggies—a departure from the norm yet equally satisfying in its own right. Here’s to embracing culinary exploration while cherishing the timeless flavors of a cherished hometown dish.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
- Effortless Preparation: With the Instant Pot’s convenience, you can enjoy the flavors of Chicken Riggies with minimal effort. Simply set it and forget it, allowing you to spend less time in the kitchen and more time savoring your meal.
- Speedy Cooking Time: The Instant Pot significantly reduces cooking time compared to traditional methods, meaning you can indulge in Chicken Riggies even on your busiest days without sacrificing flavor or quality.
- Tender and Flavorful Chicken: The pressure-cooking method of the Instant Pot ensures that the chicken in your Chicken Riggies turns out tender, juicy, and infused with all the delicious flavors of the sauce.
- One-Pot Wonder: Say goodbye to multiple pots and pans! With the Instant Pot, you can prepare your Chicken Riggies in a single pot, minimizing cleanup and making mealtime a breeze.
- Customizable Flavors: While staying true to the essence of Chicken Riggies, the Instant Pot allows for easy customization of flavors. Whether you prefer it spicy, creamy, or loaded with extra veggies, you have full control over the ingredients and seasonings.
- Perfect for Weeknight Dinners: Whip up a batch of Instant Pot Chicken Riggies on a busy weeknight for a comforting and satisfying meal that the whole family will love. It’s quick, easy, and guaranteed to please even the pickiest eaters.
- A Taste of Home: Even if you’re far from your hometown of Utica, NY, Instant Pot Chicken Riggies will transport you back with every bite, evoking memories of cozy family dinners and cherished culinary traditions.

Instant Pot Utica Chicken Riggies Ingredients
Instant Pot Utica Chicken Riggies
- Set your Instant Pot to Saute mode.
- Add olive oil, chicken, and spices to the pot.
- Saute for 2-3 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink.
- Add the pasta, water, marinara sauce, and veggies on top of the chicken.
- Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to High Pressure for 5 minutes.
- Once the cooking time is complete, perform a quick release of pressure.
- Stir in the Alfredo sauce and Romano cheese until well combined.
- Serve hot and enjoy your delicious Instant Pot Chicken Riggies!


Tips & Tricks
- Prep Ingredients in Advance: Chop vegetables, cube chicken, and measure out spices and sauces before you start cooking to streamline the process.
- Sauté Chicken for Flavor: Browning the chicken in olive oil with spices before pressure cooking adds depth of flavor to the dish.
- Layer Ingredients: Layering pasta, water, marinara sauce, and veggies on top of the chicken ensures even cooking and prevents pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Use High-Quality Sauces: Opt for high-quality marinara and Alfredo sauces or consider making your own for the best flavor.
- Don’t Overcook Pasta: Set the Instant Pot to cook pasta for the minimum recommended time to prevent it from becoming mushy.
- Quick Release Pressure: Once the cooking time is up, use the quick release function to prevent overcooking the pasta and veggies.
- Stir in Alfredo Sauce and Cheese: After cooking, stir in Alfredo sauce and Romano cheese while the pasta is still hot to ensure they melt evenly and create a creamy sauce.
- Adjust Seasonings to Taste: Taste the dish before serving and adjust seasoning as needed with salt, pepper, or additional spices to suit your preference.
- Add Fresh Herbs: Garnish with fresh parsley or basil for a burst of freshness and color before serving.
- Reheat with Care: If reheating leftovers, add a splash of water or broth to prevent the pasta from drying out and stir frequently while reheating to ensure even heat distribution.


FAQs about Instant Pot Utica Chicken Riggies


Instant Pot Utica Chicken Riggies
Chicken Riggies has Tender Chicken and a Creamy Cheese sauce, Sweet Peppers, and a Spicy Hot kick of Red Cherry Peppers.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 sweet peppers (1 red, 1 orange, 1 yellow)
- 3 red hot cherry peppers
- 1 pound chicken breast, cubed
- 16 ounces rigatoni pasta
- 28 ounces marinara sauce
- 28 ounces Alfredo sauce
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 4 ounces Romano cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cups water
Instructions
- Set your Instant Pot to Saute mode.
- Add olive oil, chicken, and spices to the pot.
- Saute for 2-3 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink.
- Add the pasta, water, marinara sauce, and veggies on top of the chicken.
- Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to High Pressure for 5 minutes.
- Once the cooking time is complete, perform a quick release of pressure.
- Stir in the Alfredo sauce and Romano cheese until well combined.
- Serve hot and enjoy your delicious Instant Pot Chicken Riggies!
Notes
Garnish with more Red Pepper flakes and Parsley
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 669Total Fat: 44gSaturated Fat: 25gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 156mgSodium: 1666mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 4gSugar: 9gProtein: 33g
This looks amazing! I think we figured out what is for dinner tonight. Two questions, when do you add the marinara? What kind of romano cheese do you use? Thanks!
I really want to try this but I’m wondering if a tbs of each seasoning is too much?
I did a tsp of each….wayy to much black pepper for me but the other spices were good
3086mg sodium? Wow!!
I’ve been searching for a good recipe since I moved to Sacramento from Syracuse (actually Liverpool). Thank you!
Two questions: What do you do differently on the stove? And do you have a recipe for Utica Greens? They go perfectly with some riggies.
I do need to put up a Utica Green’s recipe I think I can email you a link to Utica Greens recipes 🙂
For stovetop, I would cook pasta to aldenti, Saute the chicken in olive oil garlic, Add your veggies, Tomato sauce and you can use either heavy cream and Romano cheese or you can add a Alfredo sauce. I try to do slightly more alfredo then tomato sauce 🙂 Cook over a low heat until all the veggies are tender. Then add in your pasta 🙂 I hope this helps enjoy a taste of home 🙂
Thanks! Can’t wait to try these with some yummy Utica Greens.
I grew up in Utica. This looks tasty. I do remember all the great Italian food.
I’ve never used a red hot cherry pepper, would I get them in the fresh produce section? Also how spicy is this dish? My husband is a baby with heat.
We absolutely loved this dish. I didn’t add the cherry peppers and we thought it still had plenty of kick! It just took my IP forever to come to temp so I would definitely allow 15 minutes or heat your water and sauce in advance. Thanks!
I grew up on McGills riggies…. these taste very similar, in fact, they’re better! I dislike the riggies that some restaurants have that are more tomato based. This sauce comes out so creamy! This will be my go to recipe. Only thing I did differently was cooked the rigatoni separately on the stove, diced a onion and minced garlic instead of the powders. Absolute perfection!
Yay happy you liked it
I grew up near Utica. Transplanted to NC 20+ years ago. I haven’t had chicken riggies in years! Gonna be making some next week. Thanks for sharing!!
Fyi, My local supermarket sells “It’s A Utica Thing” sauces. One is Chicken Riggie Sauce in a 24 oz. jar. Nutrition Facts are reasonable re: carbs and sugars. Sodium is little high, 654mg for 1/2 Cups.
Yeah we don’t use that stuff here lol
I agree! I don’t really care for the Utica Thing sauce. But, it is better than nothing, I guess, if you can’t make it yourself. It is expensive, too. I’m sure bc it is a small business they have to pay top dollar for the manufacturing and distribution.
I don’t care for any sauce in the jar
Wonderful recipe that I have used many times now. Thank You! Most recently did this gluten free with just being cautious as to using all GF ingredients.
I am from Utica and live in South Carolina now. I missed Riggies and these are the best and so easy. I will say I did not add the water or cook the noodles in the Instant Pot.
I did this recipe from what they posted. It was delicious!! My husband thought it was delicious!!
Here’s what I will say…I LOVE fresh onion and garlic, instead of powdered. I do not poo poo the powder at all! If you’re in a hurry, this will ABSOLUTELY taste delicious!! If I have time; hop, I will add fresh onion and garlic! Pretty much, everything else was on point! Just my preference!! Five stars from us, no matter how you make it!
I am from Rome,NY but now live in Texas. We love riggies! We made the recipe last night in our Ninja Foodi. They turned out great! Thank you for sharing the recipe.
As an Italian girl living in upstate NY, I’m very discerning (read: picky) when it comes to riggies! So let me say with authority: this recipe is delicious! And it’s as easy and forgiving and it is yummy. The only changes I make are that i usually just cook frozen chicken thighs in my IP first, since I’m not a good planner, and use them instead of sauteing the fresh chicken. Makes no difference. Also, i don’t like canned alfredo so I just add some 1/2 and 1/2 at the end. Hands down, best riggies recipe I’ve found yet on the internet. For our family, who looks them spicy but not nuclear, we’ve found the perfect combination is 2 diced hot cherry peppers and 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper.
Thank you for posting this awesomeness!!!
LOL I don’t make them on the stove this way but this was the easiest way in the instant pot
Thank you! This recipe is the bomb! I grew p in Binghamton and visited Utica many times. Only had chicken riggies for the first time about 2 years ago and craved it ever since. Love, love, love your recipe. 💯
Wow. I usually make chicken riggiies using the “original chicken Riggies recipe” I found online . I was given a jar of the bottled riggies sauce and a lb of rigatoni as a gift at christmas, so being in a hurry tonight, I made them in my newly purchased
instant pot Duo, using your recipe. OMG, I’ll never go back to the old way and becasue it’s so easy/ And now, I can make it more frequently.. I had to cook another 2. Minutes becasue it was too al dente for me, but that’s the beauty of the instant pot. You can easily adjust cooking time to suit your taste.
Are the cherry peppers chopped or kept whole?