Penne alla Vodka with Chicken Recipe

Creamy Penne alla Vodka with Chicken is a simple and delicious recipe for classic penne alla vodka made with chicken breasts. This creamy and comforting dish is perfect for any occasion!

If you love the creamy texture and flavor of penne alla vodka you’re going to love this recipe! The creamy vodka sauce is made in one pot and comes together quick with just a few ingredients. 

This version features a chunkier style sauce made with crushed tomatoes rather than tomato paste. The result is a hearty and texture-filled sauce with so much flavor that the whole family will love. 

For more delicious and creamy pastas, be sure to try this Chicken Broccoli Tortellini or Ground Turkey Baked Spaghetti. For more authentic Italian pastas, give this Pasta e Ceci or Pasta alla Norma a try. If you extra chicken, use it to make this delicious Italian Chicken Cutlets recipe.

You’ll Love this Chicken Penne alla Vodka

Penne alla Vodka with Chicken is a creamy and delicious pasta dish that’s made with just a few classic ingredients. This is a great weeknight dinner or perfect for entertaining. 

Classic penne alla vodka is made with a bit of tomato paste and lots of heavy cream. Here, I use crushed tomatoes instead and a bit less heavy cream to give it a light and luscious sauce. 

What makes this dish so unique is that it is deglazed use vodka rather than the traditional red wine. The vodka cooks off and you’re left with a delicious depth of flavor without the alcohol. 

You’ll love that you can made with recipe with just a few ingredients and the chicken cooks in the same pan as the sauce. You could even used precooked chicken breast or any other protein you like. 

So, if you love the classic flavors of creamy tomato vodka sauce, be sure to give this Chicken Penne alla Vodka a try. You’re going to love it! 

Ingredients

• Pasta: penne pasta is the classic ingredient in this recipe. You could substitute another tube-shaped pasta like rigatoni or ziti. 
• Chicken: you’ll need about two large chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces. Cooked rotisserie chicken is a good substitute. You could even made this with another protein like shrimp or Italian sausage. 
• Tomatoes: I recommend using crushed San Marzano tomatoes for this recipe. Tomato sauce or tomato puree works but will give you a thinner texture. 
• Vodka: use your favorite vodka to make the sauce. I like Titos’ vodka. 
• Heavy Cream: you’ll need a little less than a cup of heavy cream to add richness to the sauce. You can lighten up the recipe by using half and half or even cream cheese instead. 

• Onion: use about a small diced onion, yellow onion or white onion works. 
• Garlic: I like to use 3-4 cloves of minced garlic depending on their size. 
• Oil: olive oil is the best for this recipe. You could use another oil like avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil. 
• Seasonings: use a combination of seasonings to flavor the sauce like Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper. You could also use garlic powder or dried oregano in this. 
• Cheese: parmesan cheese is used to flavor the sauce and can be sprinkled over the pasta before serving. 

How to Make Penne alla Vodka with Chicken

This recipe for Chicken Penne alla Vodka comes together fast and is made with simple ingredients. Start by cooking the penne pasta in a large pot of salted water until it is very al dente. Save about a cup of pasta water; drain and set aside. 

Step 1: cook the chicken

In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat the half of the oil over medium-high heat. Add in the diced chicken breast and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to remove the juicy chicken from the pan and set aside in a bowl. 

Step 2: cook onion and deglaze

Add in the remaining oil. Pour in the diced onion and garlic and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. 

Then, pour in the vodka, stirring to scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Cook until most of the vodka has been absorbed, about two minutes. 

Step 3: finish off the sauce

Pour in the crushed tomatoes, heavy cream, and seasonings. Simmer the sauce over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. 

Stir in the parmesan cheese and cooked chicken. Stir until the cheese is melted and the chicken is warmed through. 

Step 4: add in the penne

Add in the cooked pasta and stir until everything is warmed through. If needed, add in a bit of pasta water to thin out the sauce. 

You can finish off the pasta wit another drizzle of heavy cream and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Serve immediately. 

Recipe Tips

Be careful not to overcook the penne pasta. Cook it about a minute shy of al dente according to package instructions. 

You can make this with cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken, just add it to the sauce at the end of cooking to warm through. 

Store leftover Chicken Penne alla Vodka in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Warm leftovers in the microwave or in a large saucepan over medium heat. 

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