Homemade Chicken Penne Alla Vodka is a total Italian restaurant quality comfort food. The sauce is blended so it is smooth and creamy. The chicken is lightly coated with bread crumbs and parmesan to make super crispy.
This chicken penne alla vodka recipe is one of my favorite hearty pastas with protein, like my Creamy Cajun Shrimp Sausage Pasta and Easy Healthy Beef Stroganoff.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Creamy - The heavy cream and parmigiano reggiano make the sauce super creamy and cheesy.
- Crispy chicken - The bread crumb and parmigiano reggiano coating on the chicken cutlets give the chicken a light crispy exterior without being too heavy.
- Herby - Dried oregano adds an extra level of flavor to the sauce.
- Hearty dinner idea - This recipe is total Italian comfort food. It will definitely impress a crowd.
- Crispy pancetta - This adds a salty and smoky flavor to the pasta.
- Kid friendly - This is a dinner your whole family will be excited about.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Pancetta: Substitute for diced prosciutto or bacon.
- Shallots: I absolutely love the flavor of shallots in this sauce, but if you can’t find any, use a yellow onion instead.
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
- Vodka: To make this sauce alcohol free, swap the vodka for chicken broth or water. Use it to deglaze instead.
- Chicken Cutlets: At Whole Foods, you can buy these already prepped. You can also take chicken breasts, cut them in half, and pound them so they are an even thickness. See an alternative option below to breaded chicken if you want to skip this part.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
How to Make Pasta Alla Vodka with Chicken
Quick Overview
- Make the vodka sauce.
- Shallow fry the chicken cutlets.
- Toss pasta with sauce.
- Serve sliced chicken on top of pasta.
Step by Step Instructions
Be sure to scrape all of those brown bits off the bottom after you add the vodka. This will lift them off the bottom and they will infuse the sauce. This adds so much flavor.
Step 1: In a large deep skillet, sauté the pancetta over medium low heat until brown and the fat has rendered. Remove from the skillet and set aside. Do not drain any grease.
Step 2: Increase the heat to medium. Add the butter to the same skillet and melt. Sauté the shallots in the butter for 6-7 minutes or until softened.
Step 3: Add the tomato paste, garlic, oregano, salt, and red pepper flakes. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.
Step 4: Deglaze the pan with the vodka, scraping any brown bits off the bottom. Reduce for 1-2 minutes.
Step 5: Add the tomatoes and cook for about 10 minutes, breaking them apart with your spoon and stirring occasionally.
Step 6: Turn off the heat and stir in the heavy cream.
Be sure to boil the pasta while you make the chicken so it is all ready at the same time and the chicken does not get cold.
Step 7: Transfer the sauce to a large blender. Blend until smooth.
Step 8: Transfer the blended sauce back in the skillet. Keep warm on low while you prepare the chicken. The sauce should not be boiling. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and prepare the pasta according to the package while you make the chicken. Be sure to reserve about 1 cup of pasta water to use as needed.
Step 9: In a shallow dish, combine the bread crumbs, parmesan, and salt.
Step 10: Dip the chicken into the bread crumb mixture and coat both sides, pressing the mixture into the chicken. Repeat with the other cutlet. Set aside on a plate.
Garnish with more parmesan! You can never have too much cheese. 🙂
Step 11: In a large frying pan, heat the avocado oil over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add one cutlet to the oil. Fry for about 4 minutes. The crust should be golden brown.
Step 12: Flip and fry another 4 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with the other cutlet.
Step 13: Turn the sauce heat up to medium. Add the pasta, parmesan, and fried pancetta into the sauce. Fold until combined. Add about ¼ cup of pasta water (or more) if needed to loosen the sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes and remove from the heat.
Step 14: Slice the chicken and serve over the pasta. Garnish with more grated parmesan on top.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
This dish is pretty hearty on its own, but if you are looking for a side dish, I highly recommend some bread for dipping in the sauce or a salad to incorporate some greens. Here are my go-tos:
Expert Tips & Variations
- Use parmigiano reggiano. This will cost more than other types of parmesan, but the flavor is unbeatable. It is normally in the unrefrigerated cheese section and says parmigiano reggiano on the rind. If you can’t find this, use a high quality parmesan wedge. Avoid pre-grated or shredded cheese. Use a microplane grater to grate it.
- Time all of the components. Make sure you boil the pasta while the chicken fries so it is all ready at the same time and the chicken does not get cold. If needed, keep the chicken warm in the oven at 250 degrees.
- Press the breading into the cutlets. This will ensure it is well coated and it sticks
- Salt the pasta water. I recommend about 1 Tablespoon of kosher salt.
- Do not over cook the pasta. The pasta will finish cooking in the sauce. I recommend boiling it for the shortest time recommended on the back of the box or about one minute less depending on how al dente you prefer your pasta.
- Use a meat thermometer. This will ensure you do not over or undercook the chicken.
- Add more vegetables. Wilt in a handful or two of spinach during Step 13.
How to Simplify the Recipe
- Skip the breaded chicken. Dice the raw chicken breasts into chunks. Sauté these until cooked through and serve tossed with the pasta. To reduce dishes, you can even cook it in the same skillet as the sauce after the pancetta is fried. Be sure to remove it if you plan to blend the sauce.
- Skip blending the sauce. While blending makes the sauce super smooth, it is not necessary. I recommend using crushed tomatoes instead of whole if you do not plan to blend the sauce.
- Make the sauce in advance. Follow the recipe as written through Step 7. Transfer the sauce to a large airtight container of jar. Store in the fridge for 1-2 days. Pick back up on Step 8 and warm the sauce over low heat. The sauce tastes just as good if not better when it is prepared ahead of time.
Recipe FAQs
No. It adds depth, but is not distinguishable in the sauce.
It is pasta alla vodka with chicken added.
Yes! Most of the alcohol will cook off though.
It adds some bitter and acidic notes which deepen the flavor of the sauce.
No. The alcohol content is extremely low. However, this dish can be made without any alcohol.
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Chicken Penne Alla Vodka
Equipment:
Ingredients:
Vodka Sauce
- 4 ounces diced pancetta*
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 shallots, diced finely*
- 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 6-7 cloves garlic, minced finely
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt*
- ⅓ cup vodka*
- 1 28 ounce can Italian peeled whole tomatoes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 ounces 1 cup finely grated parmigiano reggiano
- 1 pound 16 ounces penne pasta, plus about 1 cup pasta water
Chicken Cutlets
- ¼ cup avocado or vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup Italian style bread crumbs
- 1 ounce ⅓ cup finely grated parmigiano reggiano
- 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt*
- 1 pound 2 large chicken cutlets*
Instructions:
- In a large deep skillet, sauté the pancetta over medium low heat until brown and the fat has rendered. Remove from the skillet and set aside. Do not drain any grease.
- Increase the heat to medium. Add the butter to the same skillet and melt. Sauté the shallots in the butter for 6-7 minutes or until softened.
- Add the tomato paste, garlic, oregano, salt, and red pepper flakes. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.
- Deglaze the pan with the vodka, scraping any brown bits off the bottom. Reduce for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and cook for about 10 minutes, breaking them apart with your spoon and stirring occasionally.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the heavy cream.
- Transfer the sauce to a large blender. Blend until smooth.
- Transfer the blended sauce back in the skillet. Keep warm on low while you prepare the chicken. The sauce should not be boiling. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and prepare the pasta according to the package while you make the chicken. Be sure to reserve about 1 cup of pasta water to use as needed.
- In a shallow dish, combine the bread crumbs, parmesan, and salt.
- Dip the chicken into the bread crumb mixture and coat both sides, pressing the mixture into the chicken. Repeat with the other cutlet. Set aside on a plate.
- In a large frying pan, heat the avocado oil over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add one cutlet to the oil. Fry for about 4 minutes. The crust should be golden brown.
- Flip and fry another 4 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with the other cutlet.
- Turn the sauce heat up to medium. Add the pasta, parmesan, and fried pancetta into the sauce. Fold until combined. Add about ¼ cup of pasta water (or more) if needed to loosen the sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes and remove from the heat.
- Slice the chicken and serve over the pasta. Garnish with more grated parmesan on top.
Notes:
- Pancetta: Substitute for diced prosciutto or bacon.
- Shallots: I absolutely love the flavor of shallots in this sauce, but if you can’t find any, use a yellow onion instead.
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
- Vodka: To make this sauce alcohol free, swap the vodka for chicken broth or water. Use it to deglaze instead.
- Chicken Cutlets: At Whole Foods, you can buy these already prepped. You can also take chicken breasts, cut them in half, and pound them so they are an even thickness. See an alternative option below to breaded chicken if you want to skip this part.
- Use parmigiano reggiano. This will cost more than other types of parmesan, but the flavor is unbeatable. It is normally in the unrefrigerated cheese section and says parmigiano reggiano on the rind. If you can’t find this, use a high quality parmesan wedge. Avoid pre-grated or shredded cheese. Use a microplane grater to grate it.
- Time all of the components. Make sure you boil the pasta while the chicken fries so it is all ready at the same time and the chicken does not get cold. If needed, keep the chicken warm in the oven at 250 degrees.
- Press the breading into the cutlets. This will ensure it is well coated and it sticks
- Salt the pasta water. I recommend about 1 Tablespoon of kosher salt.
- Do not over cook the pasta. The pasta will finish cooking in the sauce. I recommend boiling it for the shortest time recommended on the back of the box or about one minute less depending on how al dente you prefer your pasta.
- Use a meat thermometer. This will ensure you do not over or undercook the chicken.
- Add more vegetables. Wilt in a handful or two of spinach during Step 13.
Oh my gosh, this dish is so delicious, and seeing this makes me so hungry!
This is right up my street!! I've pinned this recipe to try this week!
Katie xoxo
Enjoy!!!