Spicy Vodka Chicken Pasta (Printable Version)

Creamy pasta with tender chicken, smoky chili crisp, and a smooth vodka-infused sauce delivering bold flavors.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 12 oz), cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - ½ teaspoon kosher salt
03 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Pasta

05 - 12 oz rigatoni or penne pasta
06 - Salt for pasta water

→ Sauce

07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
08 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
09 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
11 - 1 teaspoon chili crisp, plus more for serving
12 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
13 - ¼ cup vodka
14 - 1 cup heavy cream
15 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
16 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
17 - Salt and black pepper to taste
18 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain.
02 - Season chicken pieces with salt and black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken until golden and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove and keep warm.
03 - In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, approximately 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in tomato paste, chili crisp, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes until tomato paste darkens slightly.
05 - Pour in vodka, scraping browned bits from the pan. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to reduce and cook off alcohol.
06 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream and smoked paprika if using. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes smooth.
07 - Return cooked chicken to the skillet. Stir in Parmesan cheese and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
08 - Add drained pasta to the sauce, mixing well. Incorporate reserved pasta water as needed to attain a silky sauce consistency.
09 - Plate immediately, garnishing with extra Parmesan, additional chili crisp, and fresh basil leaves.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like something you'd order at a trendy spot but you made it in your own kitchen wearing sweatpants.
  • The chili crisp adds a layer of smoky heat that regular red pepper flakes just can't match.
  • Tender chicken makes it a real meal, not just a side dish pretending to be dinner.
  • It's creamy and rich without feeling heavy, and the vodka does something magic to the tomatoes.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, it's the only thing that will bring the sauce back to life if it tightens up.
  • Let the vodka simmer long enough to cook off the harsh alcohol taste, or the sauce will taste sharp and unpleasant.
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan, the pre-shredded stuff has anti-caking agents that make the sauce grainy instead of smooth.
03 -
  • Sear the chicken in batches if your pan isn't big enough, overcrowding kills the golden crust.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the Parmesan, it's salty and you don't want to overshoot.
  • Use the best chili crisp you can find, it's doing a lot of heavy lifting here and cheap stuff tastes flat.
  • If the sauce breaks, whisk in a tablespoon of cold butter off the heat to bring it back together.
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