This Penne Alla Vodka with Chicken Recipe is a delicious, creamy, hearty pasta dinner that the whole family will love! This is one restaurant classic that is easy to make at home.
This is a great pasta dish for special occasions or for a dinner party with guests. Serve with a big family-style pot luck salad and some oven baked garlic bread for a fantastic and delicious meal.
When I want something a little extra fancy for dinner – penne alla vodka with chicken gets top billing! It’s tasty, satisfying, and SO yummy served with garlic bread.
You can make your own crispy chicken using the recipe below, or use pre-made cutlets that you fry up and enjoy. Either way, this is one majorly tempting dish that is great for a busy weeknight (takes just over 30 minutes!) or for having friends or family over on the weekend.
This Penne Alle Vodka with Chicken Recipe Is:
- Bright
- Comforting
- Saucy
- Creamy
- Satisfying
- Loaded with Flavor
- Can be made gluten free (see recipe card below) or vegetarian by using a plant-based chicken alternative.
Comfort Food Pasta Recipes for the Win
This Penne & Chicken Alla Vodka is the tastiest, coziest dinner meal. It’s perfect for a hearty meal for the family, and also great to make for company if you are having guests for dinner. It makes a great holiday meal as well. The stove does most of the work, so you can enjoy hands-off time while you prep sides or a salad!
What’s In This Vodka Sauce Pasta with Chicken Recipe?
- Boneless chicken breasts
- Penne – use gluten free if needed.
- Sunflower Oil: our go-to oil for roasting or frying! Sunflower is a high oleic oil, so it’s best to use for high temperatures.
- Breadcrumbs – again, use gluten free if needed.
- Onion Powder: adds a delicious and savory flavor to this dish as well, and the onion powder pairs nicely with the onion.
- Garlic Powder: Also a major pantry staple ingredient that gets used in our house daily! I love this garlic powder and add it to a lot of recipes that I would use fresh garlic in too.
- Italian Seasoning Blend: usually has thyme, basil, rosemary, parsley, etc. I love this bright and flavorful Italian season mix which brings this amazing dish to life.
- Olive Oil
- Onion & Garlic
- Diced Tomatoes: I only use no salt added diced tomatoes, these boxed tomatoes are really great to stock up on! I like boxed tomatoes better because they are BPA free and more eco-friendly than aluminum cans. If you haven’t read about the dangers of consuming foods stored in BPA cans, head over to Nutrition Facts to read more.
- Half & Half or Light Cream – I find that using either half & half, or light cream has just enough fat content to make this totally decadent – no need to use heavy cream in this.
- Chili Flakes
- Basil
Save Money on Organic Groceries!
I get all the fresh produce for my recipes from my garden and from Misfits Market – they sell all organic produce (and they even have meats) at a super discounted price, and it’s purchased direct from the farmers. We get Misfit Market boxes every month and love picking out our favorite seasonal produce for delivery. You can get $10 off your first $30 box by clicking here!
If you think organic produce is too expensive… think again, and give Misfits Market a look!
How Do I Make Penne Alla Vodka with Breaded Chicken Cutlets?
For the Chicken
- In a bowl, mix the flour, breadcrumbs, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and Italian seasonings.
- Drudge the chicken breasts in the mixture, making sure to coat as much of the chicken as possible.
- Heat up the oil in a frying pan, and add the chicken to the hot oil. Cook for 6-8 minutes per side until golden brown and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove chicken from the pan until pasta is finished. Save pan for next step.
For the Pasta
- Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside.
- In a large pan (you can use the same one you cooked the chicken in), heat the olive oil over low heat and sauté the onions and garlic for 5-6 minutes until shimmering. Add in the vodka and reduce down for 5 minutes.
- Over low heat, add the tomatoes and the heavy cream and stir with a wooden spoon. Gently bring to a simmer. Add the salt and pepper, and sauce the sauce with the cooked pasta.
- Serve with sliced chicken breast, and top with extra chili flakes and plenty of fresh basil. Mangia!
More Healthy Italian Recipes You’ll Love!
Easy Garlic Knots Recipe (Egg Free, Dairy Free)
Stuffed Shells Without Eggs Recipe (Vegetarian & Egg Free)
Pesto Ricotta Pasta Recipe (Vegetarian, Gluten Free)
Zesty Italian Pasta Salad Recipe (Vegetarian, Gluten Free)
Tortellini Soup with Beans Recipe (Vegetarian, High Protein)
Get the Same Ingredients for This Penne Alle Vodka with Chicken Breast
As always, if you make this easy chicken and penne alla vodka recipe be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe, and tag me @theherbeevore on Instagram so I can feature you. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
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Penne Alla Vodka with Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 4 small boneless chicken breasts pounded thin
- 2 tablespoons sunflower oil or other high oliec oil for frying
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
For the Pasta
- 16 ounces penne pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/2 sweet onion thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup good vodka
- 14 ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes drained
- 1 cup half and half or light cream
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes plus extra for garnish
- 1/2 cup fresh basil chopped, for garnish
Instructions
For the Chicken
- In a bowl, mix the flour, breadcrumbs, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and Italian seasonings.
- Drudge the chicken breasts in the mixture, making sure to coat as much of the chicken as possible.
- Heat up the oil in a frying pan, and add the chicken to the hot oil. Cook for 6-8 minutes per side until golden brown and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove chicken from the pan until pasta is finished. Save pan for next step.
For the Pasta
- Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside.
- In a large pan (you can use the same one you cooked the chicken in), heat the olive oil over low heat and sauté the onions and garlic for 5-6 minutes until shimmering. Add in the vodka and reduce down for 5 minutes.
- Over low heat, add the tomatoes and the heavy cream and stir with a wooden spoon. Gently bring to a simmer. Add the salt and pepper, and sauce the sauce with the cooked pasta.
- Serve with sliced chicken breast, and top with extra chili flakes and plenty of fresh basil. Mangia!
Notes
Save Money on Organic Groceries!
I get all the fresh produce for my recipes from my garden and from Misfits Market - they sell all organic produce at a super discounted price, and it’s purchased direct from the farmers. We get Misfit Market boxes every month and love picking out our favorite seasonal produce for delivery. You can get $10 off your first $30 box by clicking here! If you think organic produce is too expensive... think again, and give Misfits Market a look!Nutrition
Or tag me @theherbeevore in your photo on Instagram!
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I crave any pasta recipe and this one is great