Spicy Rigatoni with Lemon-Zested Chicken

Ingredients

• 250 g rigatoni
• 0.75 jar Heinz Marry Me Pasta Sauce (The ingredient list says to use 3/4 jar; the method specifies 1/2 jar.)
• 3 boneless chicken thighs (Season with salt and pepper; recipe calls them skin-side down, though the ingredient list says boneless.)
• salt (To season the chicken and salt the pasta water; to taste / amount not specified.)
• black pepper (To season the chicken and finish the dish; amount not specified.)
• 1 tbsp butter (For basting the chicken.)
• thyme (For basting the chicken; amount not specified.)
• 2.5 shallots (Finely chopped; source gives a range of 2–3.)
• 4 cloves garlic (Finely chopped.)
• 1 lemon lemon juice (Juice of 1 lemon.)
• lemon zest (For the chicken and for garnish; amount not specified.)
• 1 cup pasta water (Save about 1 1/2 cups from the pasta pot; method later uses one ladleful and the ingredient list says a splash.)
• Parmesan (A handful is mixed into the pasta; additional Parmesan is used as garnish. Amount not specified.)
• mozzarella (Grated; amount not specified.)
• chives (Chopped for mixing in and for garnish; amount not specified.)

Steps

1. 1

   Season the boneless chicken thighs with salt and pepper, and add lemon zest as directed for the chicken.

2. 2

   Place the chicken skin-side down in a cold pan and cook until crisp. Flip the thighs, baste them with the butter and thyme, then set them aside.

3. 3

   In the same pan, add the chopped shallots and garlic. Sauté for 2–3 minutes, until softened.

4. 4

   Bring salted water to a boil in a pot. Add the rigatoni and cook for 12–14 minutes. Reserve about 1 1/2 cups of pasta water before draining.

5. 5

   Add 1/2 jar of Heinz Marry Me Pasta Sauce to the pan with the shallots and garlic. Cook for 2–3 minutes.

6. 6

   Pour in one ladleful of reserved pasta water and cook for 4–5 minutes, until the sauce thickens.

7. 7

   Add the cooked rigatoni to the sauce and cook, stirring, until the sauce turns silky and coats the pasta.

8. 8

   Add a handful of Parmesan, the lemon juice, grated mozzarella, and chopped chives. Mix to combine; the source's method ends mid-instruction after “mix to,” so the intended endpoint is unspecified.

9. 9

   Plate the pasta and arrange the sliced chicken thighs on top. Finish with fresh lemon zest, black pepper, additional Parmesan, and chives.

10. 10

    Blow a kiss to your partner in person or over FaceTime.

Notes

The ingredient list says to use 3/4 jar of sauce, while the method explicitly adds 1/2 jar; follow the method quantity for cooking and adjust only if desired. The method does not specify how much grated mozzarella, Parmesan, chives, thyme, zest, salt, or pepper to use, nor does it give a chicken cooking time or temperature. It also says to cook the chicken skin-side down despite describing the thighs as boneless.

Nutrition per serving

• pasta
• main
• date night
• chicken
• Italian-inspired
• one-pan sauce
• comfort food