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1
Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir the pancetta until it begins to turn dark brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the pancetta pieces from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside.
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2
Mix the flour, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes in a shallow bowl.
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3
Press the chicken thighs into the flour mixture, tapping off any loose flour.
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4
Brown the chicken thighs in the skillet with the oil and pancetta drippings, 8 to 10 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken thighs to a platter and keep warm.
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5
Cook and stir the green bell pepper, sweet onion, and portobello mushrooms in the same skillet until the onion turns translucent, about 8 minutes.
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6
Stir the basil, garlic, tomato paste, diced tomatoes with their juice, and red wine into the sauce.
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7
Bring the sauce to a boil, and return the chicken and pancetta to the sauce. If sauce does not almost cover the chicken pieces, mix in more dry red wine.
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8
Reduce heat to low, and simmer the chicken and sauce until the chicken thighs are tender and no longer pink inside, 35 to 50 minutes.
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9
If you prefer a thicker sauce, whisk cornstarch with water and 1 tablespoon of the sauce, and stir the mixture into the skillet until thickened.
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10
About 15 minutes before serving time, bring a large pot of lightly salted water and bring to a boil.
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11
Stir in the rigatoni and return to a boil. Cook uncovered over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through but is still slightly firm, about 13 minutes; drain.
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12
To serve, transfer the cooked rigatoni to a large platter and top with the chicken thighs.
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13
Generously ladle sauce over the chicken and pasta, and sprinkle the dish with Parmesan cheese, salt, and black pepper. Serve any extra sauce on the side.
