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Pasta in pan with creamy tomatoes sauce with dollops of mozzarella and basil topping.
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5 from 6 votes

Rigatoni Fiorentina (Creamy Chicken Rigatoni)

Melty cheese, bold tomato sauce, and chicken-packed pasta, oh my! Give this comforting rigatoni Fiorentina a try when you’re craving healthier pasta.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: mains, meal prep
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 6
Calories: 643kcal
Author: Mimi Harrison
Cost: £1.81

Ingredients

  • 600 g chicken breast, sliced in half widthways (£4.20)
  • 1 cauliflower, sliced into florets, stem finely chopped (£1.00)
  • 1 white onion, diced (£0.15)
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced (£0.39)
  • 500 g passata (£0.50)
  • 500 g rigatoni (£0.95)
  • 150 g spinach (£1.00)
  • 150 ml single cream (£1.20)
  • 125 g 1 ball mozzarella (£0.95)
  • Fresh basil (£0.55)

Cupboard Essentials

  • 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 3 tbsp tomato puree
  • 200 ml chicken stock
Metric - US Standard

Instructions

  • Add rapeseed oil into a large/deep pan. Increase the heat to medium/high and add the chicken into the pan. Season with salt and pepper and leave to fry for 4 minutes, or until you achieve a nice sear.
  • Rotate and continue to cook for another 3 minutes, reducing the heat slightly. Set aside and deglaze the pan with a splash of chicken stock.
  • Add the onion and chopped cauliflower stem into the pan. Season with salt and pepper and fry for around 4 minutes, then add the tomato puree and continue to fry for a further 4 minutes, adding the garlic in for the final minute.
  • Pour the passata, white wine vinegar and chicken stock into the pan. Stir to combine and reduce the heat to a simmer. During this time, add your rigatoni to salted boiling water and cook to the packet time minus 1 minute. Add the cauliflower florets half way through.
  • Add your chicken back into the sauce, along with the spinach to warm through/wilt, then add the cream and remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper and when ready, reserve a mug full of pasta water and drain.
  • Add the rigatoni & cauliflower into the sauce and stir until well combined. Loosen if necessary with the reserved pasta water and top with torn mozzarella.
  • You can optionally pop under the grill or serve immediately with fresh basil! Enjoy.

Notes

  • Cook the until pasta al dente and make sure you save some pasta water to loosen the sauce.
  • Use fond bits at bottom of pan for added flavor after frying chicken.
  • Grill the mozzarella topped pasta until golden brown.
  • Add fresh basil when serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 643kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 15g