CHICKEN VOODOO RIGATONI

Chicken Voodoo Rigatoni

Main Course

Recipe excerpted from The Heaven on Seven cookbook 

Serves 8 - 10

Ingredients: 

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch cubes 2 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon Angel Dust Cajun Seasoning (or your favorite) 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/2 cup diced yellow onion 1/2 cup diced red onion 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onion, white and green parts 2 tablespoons Roasted Garlic Puree 1/3 cup diced celery 1/2 cup seeded, diced green bell pepper 1/2 cup seeded, diced red bell pepper 1/2 cup seeded, yellow bell pepper 1/3 cup seeded, diced poblano chile 1/4 cup seeded, diced cubanella pepper 1/4 cup seeded, diced banana pepper 1 tablespoon seeded, minced Fresno chile 1 1/2 teaspoons seeded, minced habanero chile 1 teaspoon seeded, minced jalapeno 1/2 teaspoon minced serrano chile 1/2 teaspoon seeded, minced fingerhot chile 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 1 tablespoon light brown sugar 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar 1/3 teaspoon Hungarian paprika 1/4 teaspoon Spanish paprika 1/4 teaspoon chile powder 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1/2 cup peeled and diced ripe banana 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce 1 cup water 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk 3/4 cup pineapple juice 1/2 mango juice 1/2 cup papaya juice 1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 1 tablespoon Key lime or regular lime juice 1 tablespoon Hot as a Mutha hot pepper sauce or habanero sauce 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces 2 pounds dried rigatoni pasta, cooked according to package directions, for serving

Chicken Voodoo Rigatoni   Click image to enlarge

Method: 

Season the chicken with 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning. In a 5-quart Dutch oven, preferably enameled cast iron, heat the oil over high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the chicken and brown for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the yellow, red, and green onions and the garlic puree; cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add the celery, peppers, and chiles; cook until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the honey, sugars, Hungarian and Spanish paprikas, chile powder, allspice, coriander, turmeric, salt, ground black and white peppers, red pepper flakes, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning; stir for 2 to 3 minutes to coat the meat and vegetables with the seasonings. Mix in the banana, tomato sauce, water, coconut milk, juices, and hot pepper sauce, until thoroughly combined. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for 1 hour.

When ready to serve, stir in the butter until blended; toss with rigatoni in a large bowl.

Chef's ​Note: don't let the long list of ingredients in this recipe frighten you away. This is an easy dish to prepare for company. Make the sauce ahead of time and reheat it while you boil the pasta. Get to know the vast assortment of peppers available in your market; the combination of peppers and the tropical flavors make this dish exciting. Hot as a Mutha hot pepper sauce can be ordered from Heaven on Seven's website or substitute Habanero which can be easily found.

Note: substitute your favorite hot and sweet chiles in place of the exotic ones you may not be able to find at your grocer