Vodka Pasta With Chicken

Ah, pasta, how I love thee! Sometimes, nothing else will do; you just need a plate of yummy pasta.

Even better? Having a rich and satisfying sauce on that pasta. That’s where this recipe comes in: penne pasta, a rich vodka sauce, with chicken to give this one-dish meal a protein boost.

You wouldn’t think a little vodka would make much difference, but it does. Simple pureed  tomatoes are transformed with the addition of heavy cream and vodka.

It’s a must try!

Why I love this Chicken Penne alla Vodka

Get ready for delicious! This chicken penne alla vodka feels so indulgent, with its rich flavors and textures. It’s the kind of taste you think would require simmering all day, but its ready in less than 45 minutes.

The ingredients are easy, I almost always have them all on hand. Yes, including vodka. I consider it part of my Scandinavian heritage. 😁

Chicken Vodka Pasta Ingredients

How to Make Penne alla Vodka With Chicken

1. To prep. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. I like to cut the chicken breast in half lengthwise first, then across to make about ½-inch sized pieces.

2. Get a large pot of salted water ready to boil. You can either start heating the water right away or wait until the sauce is simmering.
3. In a very large skillet, heat the oil and add minced shallots. Cook a few minutes until they are beginning to brown. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
4. Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Heat and stir until the paste is fully incorporated. Now, add in the vodka, plus salt and crushed red pepper. Bring this mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes to fully develop the flavors. The sauce will thicken slightly.

5. Stir in the cream and a little more salt and pepper, if needed.

6. Add the chicken and heat the sauce until the chicken is cooked through. This can take anywhere from 2 to 10 minutes, depending upon the size of your chicken pieces.
7. Turn the heat to low to keep warm while the pasta cooks.
8. Cook pasta according to the package instructions for “al dente”. When done, reserve 1 cup of pasta water, and then drain the pasta.

9. Add the pasta to the skillet with sauce and toss to coat well. Then add about ½ cup of pasta water, or more as needed to achieve a smooth consistency.
10. Add chopped fresh basil and toss, then serve.

Tips For Making The Best Chicken alla Vodka

Add pasta water to the final mixture

If you haven’t done this before, start now. Always add a little pasta water to your sauce. The water is salty and a little bit starchy from cooking the pasta. Adding this to your sauce adds flavor and helps the sauce adhere to the pasta.

Dump Your Pasta Into The Sauce

Did your mom serve them separately? Mine too. But it’s much better to mix pasta with sauce right away, while they are both hot. The pasta will absorb some of the sauce while it starts to cool down, and every piece of pasta is guaranteed to be coated with sauce.

Here’s a rule I live by, which I heard a long time ago: always have the sauce waiting for the pasta. It’s better to have the sauce ready and simmering, so that you can add the hot pasta to the pan right away, as soon as it is drained.

Chicken alla Vodka Variations

•   For a lighter sauce, use half and half or even whole milk in place of the cream.
• Use pre-cooked chicken to really reduce your prep time (hello, rotisserie chicken!)
• Sneak in some veggies for extra nutrition. Sliced mushrooms and chopped spinach are wonderful additions.
• Splash a little balsamic vinegar in the sauce for a little extra depth of flavor.
• You can of course use any shape of pasta you happen to have on hand – they’ll all be delicious with this vodka sauce!

How to Serve Penne Vodka With Chicken

I love to serve this pasta dish with a simple green salad, but a Caeser salad would be amazing as well. The salad will help balance out the richness of the dish.

I also sometimes add a green vegetable, like steamed broccoli. It provides a contrast in texture and flavor.

Garlic bread or breadsticks are an always-welcome side, perfect for soaking up the delicious and creamy sauce.

Storing Vodka Pasta with Chicken

Allow the dish to cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for about 3 days. Since pasta keeps absorbing sauce, you might need to add a splash of broth or milk before reheating.

If you want to store it long-term, I recommend you save just the sauce in and airtight container and freeze it for up to 3 months. When you want to thaw it for use, cook fresh pasta at that time.

FAQs

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Penne Vodka With Chicken

This vodka sauce is so rich and satisfying, it will become your favorite go-to pasta meal!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time35 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: 6

Calories: 631kcal

Author: Sula

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil cooking
• 4 small shallots minced (about ⅓-1/2 cup)
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
• 3 ounces tomato paste ½ a can
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ⅓ cup vodka unflavored
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 1 ¼ pounds chicken breasts boneless skinless
• 16 ounces pasta penne or similar
• ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves chopped

Instructions

• To prep: place a large pot of salted water over medium-high heat. Slice the chicken breasts lengthwise first, then crosswise against the grain to make ½ -inch thick pieces.
  1 ¼ pounds chicken breasts
• In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil and add the shallots. Cook the shallots, stirring frequently, until just beginning to brown, about 3-5 minutes for very finely minced shallots.
  4 small shallots, 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• Add the garlic and cook about 30 seconds.
  4 garlic cloves
• Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir until the tomato paste is evenly incorporated.
  28 ounces crushed tomatoes, 3 ounces tomato paste
• Stir in the crushed red pepper, vodka, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 15 minutes to develop the flavors and slightly thicken the sauce.
  ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, ⅓ cup vodka, 1 teaspoon salt
• Stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper if needed.
  ¾ cup heavy cream
• Add the chicken and heat the sauce until the chicken is just cooked through. This will take anywhere from 2 to 10 minutes, depending upon how big your pieces of chicken are.
• Turn the heat to low and keep the sauce warm while the pasta cooks.
• Cook pasta to “al dente”, according to the package directions. When done, reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
  16 ounces pasta
• Add the pasta to the skillet with the sauce and toss well. Add in a little pasta water as needed to reach a smooth consistency. (I typically add about a half cup)
• Stir in the fresh basil and serve immediately.
  ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves

Nutrition

Calories: 631kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 799mg | Potassium: 1146mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1037IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 103mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.