This Spicy Calabrian Rigatoni with Burrata is a colorful and delicious crowd pleaser. I’ve made it 3 times in one week and neither my husband or I ever got sick of it.
This one-pot sauce is a spicy twist on the classic, Penne alla Vodka, with creamy burrata to perfectly balance out the kick. It's so easy to make and uses pantry staples, making it a weeknight favorite you'll make over and over again.
This recipe is slightly adapted from Lindsey Baruch of LindseyEatsLa who uses Calabrian Chili Oil in a lot of her Italian dishes. I was able to find some at Whole Foods and Trader Joes, but if you can’t source it, you can easily make a quick homemade chili oil to replace it without sacrificing much flavor. Simply heat 1 tablespoon of oil and then pour the hot oil over 1 tsp chili flakes. Let it sizzle and subside before tossing into the sauce. If you’re spice-averse, you can omit the chili flakes to calm down the piquant kick.
If you can find Calabrian Chili Oil, it really shines in this recipe. The peppers from Italy's Calabria region are spicy with a subtle fruitiness that brings a complex flavor profile to the sauce. The creamy, fresh burrata is the cherry on top. Burrata to pasta dishes has an effect comparable to that of breadcrumbs - once you top your pasta with it, you’ll always want to top your pasta with it.
Spicy Calabrian Rigatoni with Burrata
Ingredients
- 1 lb rigatoni, cooked according to package directions
- 2 tsp minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon Calabrian chili oil*
- 1 bunch basil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Burrata, for topping (optional)
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 1 lb chicken breast, cubed into 1-inch pieces
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp rosemary flakes
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Saute the shallots and garlic until softened and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Then, add in the tomato paste, heavy cream, chili flakes, chili oil, lemon juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir until fully combined.
- Toss the rigatoni and cooked chicken (if using) in the sauce until fully coated. Then, add in the grated parmesan, basil, and butter, and toss until cheese and butter are melted the ingredients are evenly combined.
- Top with burrata, chili flakes (to taste), and more parmesan. Serve!
- Toss the cubed chicken in the seasoning. Heat a skillet with oil on medium-high until hot but not smoking, then, add the chicken and cook for 5-7 minutes until browned and cooked through.