Chicken and Pasta with a Creamy Vodka Sauce
By
Andy Anderson !
@ThePretentiousChef
8
This is a recipe that we made at a restaurant I worked at on the south side of the windy city (Chicago). It’s quick and easy to make and is packed with a lot of good flavor.
The ingredients are simple, and the preparation is a breeze. Serve it with a good side salad and some crusty French bread to soak up all that yummy sauce.
As a matter of fact, if you can’t find mascarpone, you can substitute cream cheese, which might not taste all that bad.
So, you ready… Let’s get into the kitchen.
The ingredients are simple, and the preparation is a breeze. Serve it with a good side salad and some crusty French bread to soak up all that yummy sauce.
As a matter of fact, if you can’t find mascarpone, you can substitute cream cheese, which might not taste all that bad.
So, you ready… Let’s get into the kitchen.
Ingredients
-
6 ozdry penne pasta
-
2 mediumchicken breasts, cut into 1/2 cubes, about 1 pound
-
1 Tbspolive oil, extra virgin
-
1 Tbspsweet butter, unsalted
-
4 mediumgreen onions, chopped, just the white parts
-
1/2 mediumgreen bell pepper, small dice
-
2 clovegarlic, minced
-
2 ozvodka
-
20 oztomato sauce, homemade, if possible
-
1 tspsalt, kosher variety
-
1 tspblack pepper, freshly ground
-
4 ozmascarpone cheese
-
1/4 cwhipping cream
-
·chopped fresh parsley, for topping
-
·parmesan cheese, for topping
How to Make Chicken and Pasta with a Creamy Vodka Sauce
- Gather your ingredients.
- Add 3 quarts of water to a large pot, add a bit of oil, and bring to the boil.
- Cook your pasta according to the package directions.
- Drain the pasta, and reserve.
- Place a sauté pan over medium heat, and add the oil and butter.
- After the foaming subsides, add the chicken.
- Sauté the chicken, stirring constantly, for about 2 to 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic, onions, and green bell pepper, and continue to stir and sauté for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
- Deglaze the pan with the vodka, and allow the liquid to reduce slightly, about 2 minutes.
- Chef’s Note: Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan (called fonds).
- Add the tomato sauce to the pan, and cook for an additional 10 to 12 minutes.
- Chef’s Note: I have never made this recipe with canned tomato sauce. I always use homemade. I recently posted a tomato sauce recipe: Basic Italian Starter Sauce. However, use whatever sauce you have.
- As the sauce is simmering, season with salt and pepper… a bit at a time. Season and taste, season and taste; that’s the way to go.
- Add the mascarpone and the cream.
- Stir until they are incorporated into the sauce.
- Simmer for an additional 15 to 20 minutes.
- Chef’s Tip: Do not allow the mixture to come to a boil.
- Add some of the pasta to a plate.
- Add the chicken with the vodka sauce to the top, and top with Parmesan and parsley. Enjoy.
- Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
