Chicken Penne Alla Vodka
This creamy Chicken Penne Alla Vodka is an easy pasta dish in which penne pasta and chicken are cooked in a creamy tomato and vodka sauce. Follow my easy recipe to make chicken alla vodka at home.
- Prep time
- 5 min
- Cook time
- 30 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 8 oz uncooked penne pasta (225 g)
- 2 tbsp salt
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- salt and pepper (as per taste)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onions
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/4 cup vodka
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes (750 g)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened heavy cream
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper (as per taste)
Instructions
- 1
Heat 5 cups of water in a large pot over high heat.
- 2
Once the water comes to a boil add 2 tablespoons of salt and penne pasta to the pot and stir well.
- 3
Cook until the pasta is Al Dente (just cooked).
- 4
Drain the water (reserve 1 cup of pasta water) and toss the pasta with 1 tablespoon of oil. Set it aside.
- 5
Flatten chicken breasts to ½” thickness with a flat-sided meat tenderizer or a rolling pin.
- 6
Season with salt and pepper.
- 7
Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- 8
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.
- 9
Transfer the fried chicken breast to a chopping board and fry the other breast in the same manner.
- 10
Slice the cooked chicken breasts into ½ inch thick slices. Set them aside.
- 11
Add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil to the same skillet and heat over medium heat.
- 12
Once the oil is hot, add onions and garlic and saute until the onions are tender and slightly browned.
- 13
Add vodka and scrape the pan to release any browned bits to deglaze.
- 14
Stir in crushed tomatoes, heavy cream, dried basil, and red pepper flakes, and bring everything to a gentle boil.
- 15
Reduce the heat to low.
- 16
Cover the pan with a lid and simmer the sauce for 10 minutes to thicken the sauce, stirring a few times.
- 17
Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and mix well.
- 18
Add some reserved pasta water if the sauce looks thick.
- 19
Now add parmesan cheese to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring a few times.
- 20
Add the chicken slices to the pan and mix well.
- 21
Check for salt and pepper and add as required. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve hot.