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–+ servings
penne alla vodka with chicken in white skillet
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4.98 from 161 votes

Chicken Penne Alla Vodka

Chicken Penne alla Vodka is a 30 minute, restaurant quality pasta entree with lean chicken breast and penne pasta in a creamy tomato vodka sauce. Make chicken alla vodka for date night OR any weeknight and win hearts.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Dinner, entree, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 8 cups
Calories: 261kcal
Author: Traci

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces Penne Pasta Noodles or other pasta
  • ½ teaspoon Salt for the pasta water
  • 2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts about 1 pound
  • pinch Salt and Black Pepper to season chicken
  • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil or preferred cooking oil
  • 1 medium Onion diced
  • 3 cloves Garlic minced
  • ¼ cup Vodka
  • 1 (28 ounce can) Crushed Tomatoes
  • ½ cup Heavy Cream
  • ¼ cup Fresh Oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
  • ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese plus more for serving
  • Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta:
    Cook the PENNE PASTA in a 4-quart stockpot of salted water.
    Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, drain, rinse briefly to stop the pasta cooking, and set aside.
  • Cook the chicken:
    Pound the CHICKEN BREAST to ½" thickness and season with SALT and PEPPER.
    Preheat a 3-quart saute pan or skillet over medium heat until it's ripping hot. Add OLIVE OIL and heat until shimmering. *See recipe footnote about cookware.
    Cook the chicken 3–4 minutes per side until it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F.
    Transfer to a board, cover, and let it rest.
  • Make the vodka sauce:
    In the same skillet, add a splash of OLIVE OIL.
    Sauté the ONION and GARLIC until soft and lightly browned.
    Add VODKA and scrape the pan to deglaze.
    Stir in the CRUSHED TOMATOES, HEAVY CREAM, OREGANO, and CRUSHED RED PEPPER.
    Bring to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and simmer about 10 minutes.
  • Finishing steps:
    Add the COOKED PENNE and a splash of pasta water if the sauce feels thick.
    Stir in PARMESAN CHEESE until melted. Slice the chicken and add it to the sauce.
    Season with SALT and PEPPER.
  • Serve and store:
    Serve warm with fresh OREGANO or parsley.
    Cool leftovers completely, then refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Video

Notes

Cookware Note. A 12-inch casserole skillet, 3-quart sauté pan, or 3-quart Dutch oven all work because they give you plenty of room to brown the chicken, build the sauce, and toss in the cooked penne. The pasta cooks in a separate stockpot, so this pan just needs to hold the sauce and final mix-in.
Any sturdy pasta shape works. Use whatever you have: penne, rigatoni, or rotini.
Crushed tomato substitutes. Canned diced tomatoes or tomato sauce work fine; mash whole canned tomatoes to keep the sauce smooth.
Swap the vodka. Use broth, water, wine, or sherry. Any will loosen the browned bits and build flavor.
A longer simmer builds flavor. Letting the sauce cook a little longer gives it a deeper, richer taste.
Adjust the sauce texture as needed. Add pasta water, broth, or cream if it gets too thick; simmer longer if it’s too thin.
Reheat gently with extra liquid. Add a splash of cream, milk, or broth because the pasta absorbs the sauce as it cools.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 255mg | Potassium: 280mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 301IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 1mg