Blackened Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

So, I've been on a bit of a copycat recipe kick lately with this being one of may favorites. Blackened chicken with creamy mushroom sauce is basically a copycat recipe for 'Rigatoni D' from Maggiano's. With fifty-four locations spanning twenty-four states, it's an extremely popular place for families and date nights alike.

I made the closest thing I could with a change in the chicken.

Either way, it turned out fantastic.

The creamy sauce has a heavy wine flavor with after notes of caramelized onions and sautéed mushrooms. I chose to use my own seasoning and made spicy blackened chicken which paired very well with the flavors in the sauce.

While the sauce originally seems thin, the trick here is to cook the rigatoni just prior to al dente, then add the pasta to the sauce allowing the remaining starch to be the thickener.

Not exactly a Maggiano's Copycat but certainly a dish that will impress yourself as well as friends and family.

How to make Blackened Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Start by heating a 8qt dutch oven over medium-low heat. Next, add balsamic vinegar, onions, and mushrooms and sauté for about 15 minutes or until the mushrooms have browned and shrunken in size.

Turn the heat down low.

Next, In a medium mixing bowl whisk the cornstarch and chicken broth together, setting aside for later.

Now, butterfly the chicken breasts and place them in gallon sized freezer bags or between to pieces of plastic wrap.

Using a kitchen mallet, pound out the chicken breasts thin and even. Not too hard though, you don't wanna hulk slam a hole in the middle, just tenderize and make them thin.

Setting the chicken aside for a moment, melt the butter by microwaving in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments. You don't want the butter to break so keep an eye on it. Add the blackened seasoning to the melted butter and stir to fully combine.

I always transfer the chicken to a separate plastic bag for this next step. Every Now and then a hole appears at the seam of the bag I used to pound it out in.

Pour the butter and seasoning mix over the chicken in a plastic freezer bag moving the chicken breasts around being sure they are fully covered.

Now preheat an outdoor griddle or cast Iron skillet on high heat and cook the chicken. This normally only takes about 3-5 minutes on each side because its so thin, but I always cook by temperature. Using a quick read thermometer be sure the chicken has cooked to 165°f internally. Each side of the chicken should have a nice blackened sear on them leaving the inside tender and juicy.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and slice into strips going against the grain.

Add the chicken strips and Chardonnay to the dutch oven allowing the wine to cook down until it's almost dry.

Next, pour the marsala cooking wine in and simmer until it's reduced by half.

Grab the chicken broth mixture from before, add it to the dutch oven, increase the heat, and bring to a simmer.

Lastly, add the cream, salt, and pepper, and continue the simmer while you boil the rigatoni.

Cook the pasta just before al dente, about ten minutes then drain and stir the pasta into the sauce. Cover the dutch oven and simmer on low until ready to serve.

There you have it...Blackened Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce!

I garnish mine with a bit of Italian Parsley for a pop of color and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Fresh basil is also fantastic sprinkled over the top.

Blackened Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce-(Copycat Recipe for 'Rigatoni D')

Jeremy

Rigatoni gets a rich blanket of spicy blackened chicken with creamy mushroom sauce flavored with chardonnay and marsala cooking wine.

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 1 hr

Total Time 1 hr 10 mins

Course Main

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 6 servings

Calories 927 kcal

Ingredients

  

Blackened Chicken

• 1 lb Chicken Breast
• 3 tablespoon Unsalted Butter
• 3 tablespoon Blackening Seasoning

Creamy Mushroom Sauce

• ¼ Cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 ½ Cups Baby Bella Mushrooms, sliced
• ½ Cup Yellow Onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon Minced Garlic
• 2 Cups Chicken Broth
• 1 ½ tablespoon Cornstarch
• ¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 tablespoon Salted Butter
• ½ Cup Chardonnay
• ¾ Cup Marsala Cooking Wine
• 2 Cups Heavy Cream
• 1 tablespoon Kosher Salt
• ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
• 2 tablespoon Fresh Basil, chopped
• Fresh Parmesan for garnish

Rigatoni

• 16 Oz Rigatoni Pasta

Instructions

 

• In a 7 qt Dutch Oven add balsamic vinegar, onion, and mushrooms cooking over medium low heat. Once onions begin to brown and mushrooms have become a dark brown color and shrunk down, about 15 minutes, add the minced garlic to combine. Turn heat to low.
• In a medium mixing bowl whisk the cornstarch and chicken broth until fully combined.
• Preheat an outdoor griddle or cast iron skillet on high heat.
• Butterfly the chicken breasts, place them in a plastic bag and pound them to an even thin layer.
• In a microwave safe dish melt the butter and then stir in the blackening seasoning.
• Pour the blackened butter mix into the bag of chicken and mix around until chicken is fully covered.
• Blacken the chicken breasts on one side about 5 minutes or until a nice blackened crust has formed then flip and cook to an internal temp of 165°f. Slice the chicken breasts against the grain.
• Add the chicken to the dutch oven.
• Immediately add the Chardonnay and reduce to almost dry.
• Add the Marsala, reducing by about half.
• Next, pour in the chicken broth mixture and bring to a simmer.
• Pour in the cream, salt, and pepper, bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer.
• About 15 minutes before serving, boil the pasta to just before al dente per the box instructions, about 10 minutes.
• Once the pasta has boiled, strain and gently mix the rigatoni into the sauce. Allow the noodles to thicken the sauce, simmering over low heat for about 10 minutes and serve.
• Garnish with fresh basil, Italian parsley, and fresh parmesan.

Video

In Conclusion

This may not be an exact copycat recipe for Rigatoni D but certainly hit the spot and knocked out a craving. I hope you'll give this recipe a shot and when you do, let me know your thoughts in the comments.

I'd like to hear of any changes you made, what you liked, didn't like, etc.

My family and I loved it and I hope you do as well.

Thank you for reading this recipe post and as usual,

Happy Cooking!

-Jeremy