This Creamy ChickenPenne Alla Vodka is an easy-to-make pasta dish where penne pasta and chicken are cooked in a creamy tomato and vodka sauce. Make chicken alla vodka at home using my easy recipe.
Heat 5 cups of water in a large pot over high heat.
Once the water comes to a boil add 2 tablespoons of salt and 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 of oil. Set it aside.
Cook The Chicken
Flatten chicken breasts to ½” thickness with a flat-sided meat tenderizer or a rolling pin.
Season with salt and pepper.
Heat 2 tablespoons 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 sauté for about 3-4 minutes on each side until the chicken is cooked through.
Transfer the fried chicken breast to a chopping board and fry the other breast in the same manner.
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 onions and garlic and saute until the onions are tender and slightly browned.
Add vodka and scrape the pan to release any browned bits to deglaze.
Stir in crushed tomatoes, heavy cream, dried basil, and red pepper flakes, and bring everything to a gentle boil.
Reduce the heat to low.
Cover the pan with a lid and simmer the sauce 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 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 serve hot.
Notes
This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled too.If you like to make the sauce spicy, then add some red pepper flakes or hot sauce to the recipe.Let the sauce cook for a longer time, that is 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.You can add vegetables and meat such as Italian sausage, meatballs, pancetta, bacon, grilled shrimps, zucchini, mushrooms, broccoli, or olives to make it wholesome.