Chicken Penne Alla Vodka

About Chicken Penne Alla Vodka

Pasta has become popular worldwide due to its impeccable taste and easy preparation. You need 30 minutes to prepare a delicious pasta dish on the table, and this Creamy Chicken Penne Alla Vodka is one of them.

Penne Alla Vodka with chicken is a rich, creamy, and flavorful pasta dish upgraded with the flavor of vodka.

My recipe for chicken vodka pasta tastes just like your favorite Italian restaurant. It requires only a few basic ingredients to prepare and is a favorite among the whole family.

Serve it with dinner rolls, garlic bread, or bruschetta.

Ingredients

Pasta – As the name suggests, this recipe uses penne pasta, but you can use any pasta you choose, such as spaghetti, macaroni, farfalle, fusilli, orzo, linguine, rigatoni, etc.

Chicken – I used skinless, boneless chicken breasts, but you can use chicken thighs too.

If you have leftover rotisserie chicken, you can use it too.

Vodka – You can use any original vodka of your choice. The higher the quality, the richer the taste.

Cream – Unsweetened heavy cream adds richness to the sauce.

Cheese – Parmesan cheese adds a delicious flavor and cheesiness to this pasta recipe.

Tomatoes – Crushed tomatoes are used to make the pasta sauce base. They give a slight hint of tanginess and sweetness. Using the best quality Italian tomatoes makes all the difference.

Basil – It adds a lovely aroma and taste to the final dish.

Oil – Always use good quality extra virgin olive oil for the best taste.

Others – To make this penne alla vodka recipe, you will also need garlic, onions, salt, sugar, and black pepper powder. If you like the garlic flavor in your pasta, feel free to increase the quantity.

If you would like to make the sauce spicy, add some red pepper flakes or hot sauce to the recipe.

You can also add some Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, etc, to flavor the pasta.

How To Make Penne Alla Vodka With Chicken

Cook The Pasta

Heat 5 cups of water in a large pot over high heat.

Once the water comes to a boil, add 2 tablespoon salt and 8 oz (225 g) penne pasta to the pot and stir well.

Cook until the pasta is Al Dente (just cooked).

Drain the water (reserve 1 cup of pasta water) and toss the pasta with 1 tablespoon oil. Set it aside.

Cook The Chicken

Flatten 2 boneless chicken breasts to ½” thickness with a flat-sided meat tenderizer or a rolling pin. 

Season with salt and pepper.

Heat 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Once the oil is hot, add a chicken breast to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until the chicken is cooked.

Transfer the fried chicken breast to a chopping board and fry the other breast similarly.

Slice the cooked chicken breasts into ½-inch thick slices. Set them aside.

Make The Sauce

Add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil to the same skillet and heat over medium heat.

Once the oil is hot, add ½ cup chopped onions and 2 teaspoon minced garlic and saute until the onions are tender and slightly browned.

Add ¼ cup of vodka and scrape the pan to release any browned bits to deglaze.

Stir in the following ingredients and bring everything to a gentle boil.

• 28 oz (750 g) of crushed tomatoes
• ½ cup unsweetened heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Reduce the heat to low.

Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes to thicken the sauce, stirring a few times.

Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and mix well.

Add some reserved pasta water if the sauce looks thick.

Now add ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring a few times.

Add the chicken slices to the pan and mix well.

Check for salt and pepper and add as required. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and grated parmesan cheese, and serve hot.

Pro Tips By Neha

Let the sauce cook for a longer time, 15 to 20 minutes, so that the alcohol in the vodka boils off. Otherwise, it will leave a bad aftertaste.

Always use high-quality ingredients for the best taste.

Add vegetables and meat such as Italian sausage, meatballs, pancetta, bacon, grilled shrimp, zucchini, mushrooms, broccoli, or olives to make it wholesome.