This recipe is comfort food at it’s finest. Tender chicken and pasta all slathered in a creamy, tomatoey sauce and topped with sharp parmesan cheese. I mean sign. me. up.
This recipe is all about simplicity and proves it only takes a few (yet somewhat indulgent) ingredients to create a flavorful and memorable dish. The sauce base is made up of crushed tomatoes, butter, onions, heavy cream and – you guessed it – vodka. The cream is what creates the light ‘pink’ coloring and gives the sauce that thick, creamy consistency. The vodka adds a touch of heat and a bit of a sharp bite that helps balance out the sweetness of the tomatoes and the cream.
Make sure to cook the vodka for 15 minutes to get rid of that raw alcohol flavor and allow it to mingle with other flavors in the dish. Once the sauce has simmered and the cream has been added, drop in the chicken and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Cooking right in the sauce keeps the chicken nice and tender, and creates less work for you! I’ve found this dish tastes even better the next day. Enjoy!
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 small shallots, minced (about ½ cup)
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 4 teaspoons)
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed peeled tomatoes packed in juice
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
- ½ cup vodka
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- 1 pound boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, sliced crosswise against the grain into ½-inch thick strips
- 1 pound dried pasta of your choosing
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. In large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add shallots and cook, stirring, until softened and just beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Then stir in the vodka, tomatoes and salt to taste. Bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and flavors are melded, about 15 minutes. If you would like a creamier sauce, use an emersion blender to thin out any lumps in the tomato sauce.
- Stir in cream and season to taste. Over medium high heat, stir in chicken and cook until just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Stir in the parmesan cheese. Keep warm while pasta cooks.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain cooked pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. Toss pasta with sauce, adding pasta water as necessary until sauce reaches desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper if necessary. Stir in basil.
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