Mark the calender because the day is almost here.  That special day when Uticans and out of towners sample and vote for their favorite Riggies.   The annual "Riggie Fest", Saturday April 24th from 12pm to 3pm at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. 

The Riggie Fest was first held in 2005 and has become a very popular annual event.  Restaurants and home cooks have the opportunity to submit their favorite "Riggie" recipe then face the judges as riggie "experts" taste the pasta, the sauce, the protein for the best experience their mouths have ever had. 

What is a Riggie Recipe?  It is a pasta dish that combines Rigatoni pasta with butter, cream and/or  tomato sauce.  Typically chicken is used as the protein however the cook can use shrimp or even make the sauce with vodka for "vodka riggies".  Most of the time it is made spicy by including hot cherry peppers. 

Here is a version of a chicken riggie recipe which has been modified to make it suitable for inclusion in this healthy examiners sites.  For original Utica recipes, see Apple Crumbles Taste of Utica Chicken Riggies.

Chicken Riggies

• 1/2 stick of Promise Healthy Choice Margarine
• 1/2 cup Olive oil
• 2 lb boneless chicken breast cut into small pieces (like stew size)
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 16 oz Low Sodium chicken broth
• 1 fresh sweet green pepper, chopped
• 1 fresh red sweet pepper, chopped
• 3 -4 fresh Hot Cherry Peppers, chopped.
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 15 oz can of tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup of cooking sherry
• 8 oz plain, Greek style yogurt
• 1 small can of black olives, chopped
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
• 1 lb of rigatoni, cooked according to package directions.

Melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 6 minutes. Add chicken pieces cook until done (about 8 – 10 minutes).  Add chicken broth, peppers, mushrooms,garlic, tomato sauce, sliced olives, cooking sherry and cook 20 minutes.  Mix well.  Add heavy cream and stir until slightly thickened.  Add cooked rigatoni.  Serve and enjoy.