If you need an easy but impressive pasta dish in under 30 minutes then Vodka Pasta with Chicken is the one! Tender chicken and pasta in a silky tomato cream sauce with a hint of spice and plenty of Parmesan, this is a dish to make on repeat!
It has been a couple years now since Gigi Hadid broke the internet with her spicy vodka pasta recipe. It went viral for good reason – penne alla vodka is one of the best pasta dishes out there! It is one of my all time favourites and I have a few different versions on this site already – Vodka Pasta with Sausage and Gochujang Vodka Rigatoni.
Chicken Penne alla Vodka
If you have never tried vodka sauce before, you might be wondering what all the fuss is about? The combo of tomato puree, cream and vodka sounds like it really should not work, but these ingredients come together to form a deliciously silky smooth and creamy sauce. The vodka helps enhance the flavour of the tomatoes while also aids the emulsifying of the sauce. The result is a smooth tomato cream sauce with a hint of peppery bite.
You can absolutely leave out the vodka if you do not consume alcohol – the sauce will still taste amazing, it just will not be quite the same. Or try my Creamy Gochujang Pasta – it is very similar but does not contain any alcohol.
You can also use a different spirit – I have made this recipe using a high quality Blanco Tequila and had great results. You could also use white wine or Prosecco.
Heavy or double cream works best in this pasta dish. You can use single cream or half and half for a lighter dish or swap for a non dairy cream. My favourite is oat cream, I have not done extensive testing with other types of non dairy cream but please leave a comment with tips/feedback if you do!
Ingredients
- Chicken – I am using chicken breast but you can also use chicken thigh.
- Pasta – my favourite pasta shape for vodka sauce is Mezzi Rigatoni which is a short version of rigatoni. Most small shapes work well – try penne or shells.
- Vodka – use the best quality vodka you can reasonably afford. Whatever you would typically drink is usually fine, but avoid flavoured vodka.
- Shallot
- Garlic
- Tomato Puree – Tomato paste for my US readers.
- Double/Heavy Cream
- Parmesan Cheese – or a similar hard cheese like Pecorino.
Full ingredients list with quantities is included in the recipe card below.
Serving and Storing
Penne alla Vodka con Pollo goes perfectly with a nice green salad. You could also add some steamed broccoli or green beans on the side.
For a more decadent meal, serve with some garlic bread to mop up any excess sauce.
Swap out the chicken for another protein – juicy king prawns work really well or try tofu.
For a spicier vodka sauce, add a diced chilli with the garlic, or swap a tablespoon of tomato paste for some gochujang – or try my gochujang vodka pasta with added chicken.
Vodka pasta is really best served freshly cooked, but you can store leftovers in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove until the chicken is piping hot – but the sauce may split when reheating so add a splash of water to help and stir regularly.
More Chicken Pasta Dishes:
- Tomato Basil Chicken Pasta
- Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta
- Cajun Chicken Orzo
- Chicken and Chorizo Pasta Bake
- Lemon Chicken Pasta
I hope you like this recipe as much as I do!
Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment if you make it.
Your feedback is really important and helps me keep making recipes you love!
Vodka Pasta with Chicken
Equipment
- Pasta Pot
- Spatula or wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts
- 200 grams (7 oz) pasta - ½ lbs
- 2 banana shallots - diced
- 3 cloves garlic - diced
- 3 tbsp tomato puree/paste
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp vodka
- ⅓ cup double/heavy cream - 80 ml
- ¼ cup Parmesan - plus extra to garnish if desired
- Salt
- Pepper
- Red pepper flakes - optional garnish
Instructions
- Dice the chicken into bite sized pieces and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook, flipping occasionally for about 5-6 minutes until cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add the butter to the hot pan then add the shallot with a generous pinch of salt. Cook for 3-4 minutes then add the garlic and tomato paste. Cook for about 5 minutes more, stirring well to toast the paste. Stir in the vodka and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in half the cream, stir well and allow the sauce to come to a low simmer before stirring in the remaining cream.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to packet instructions then drain, reserving about a cup of cooking water.
- Return the chicken to the pan with the cooked pasta plus a splash of pasta water (about 3 tbsp).
- Stir in the cheese and keep stirring over medium heat until the sauce is thick and glossy and coats the pasta. Add more pasta water as required.
- Add extra parmesan and red pepper flakes to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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