Spicy Vodka Pasta with Chicken
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Spicy Vodka Pasta with Chicken tastes like one of your favorite fancy dishes at an Italian restaurant, but is easily made at home for a delicious, comforting meal.
I love this pasta recipe because it has everything you love about classic vodka sauce but takes it up a notch by adding a spicy kick and seared chicken to make it a complete meal. Of course, you can easily skip the chicken if you’re looking for vegetarian pasta (like my Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta or Pasta Primavera with Roasted Veggies) or swap the chicken for shrimp (like in my Shrimp Scampi Pasta).
And if you’re really looking for a delicious Italian meal at home, serve this pasta with a side of my Cheesy Pull Apart Garlic Bread and Dipping Oil for the ultimate Italian meal!
Love the combination of chicken and pasta? Check out my Chicken Fajita Pasta, Marry Me Chicken Pasta, or One-Pot Creamy Chicken Marsala Pasta.
Table Talk with Tawnie
The first time I had spicy vodka pasta on a date night years ago, I remember thinking, “This is pure comfort in a bowl”. It was creamy, had just the right amount of kick, and was impossible to stop eating. I knew I wanted to recreate something similar at home, and I think this recipe nails it. I also love the option of adding the seared chicken to make it a complete meal, but it’s totally up to you if you just want to make a more traditional pasta version.
- Chicken: I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. You could also use chicken tenderloins or chicken thighs, or omit the chicken to make this a vegetarian dish.
- Mezzi rigatoni pasta: Mezzi Rigatoni is a smaller version of classic rigatoni. It’s a short, tubular pasta shape with ridges that make it ideal for holding onto sauces. I recommend using a penne or rigatoni pasta.
- Passata: Passata is a tomato sauce made from pureed and strained tomatoes. It’s smooth in texture and typically uncooked, which makes it different from jarred pasta sauces that are normally already seasoned and simmered. This allows us to add our own blend of spices and easily achieve that homemade taste with less work!
- Chopped Calabrian peppers: Adds a touch of heat and smokiness to the sauce. Feel free to adjust based on your spice preference.
- Vodka: The vodka helps to enhance the tomato flavor and emulsify the sauce so it’s nice and smooth. And don’t worry, the alcohol will cook off (so it’s still a family-friendly dish), it just helps to add depth to the flavor.
Step by Step Directions
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
Cook the chicken & pasta
In a bowl, toss thinly sliced chicken with oil and seasonings. Cook the chicken in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then set aside. Next, cook the pasta accordingly to package directions, reserving ~1/4 cup of the pasta water before draining.
Make the spicy vodka sauce
To the same pan you cooked the chicken, add the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté. Add the tomato paste and stir until mixed. Then add the passata, Calabrian chili peppers, and vodka. Cook the sauce down for ~5 minutes.
Add seasonings & cream
Next, add the salt, sugar, and Italian seasoning. Stir to combine. Then stir in the heavy cream, and simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly. Optional: You can blend the sauce in this step to get it perfectly smooth and creamy.
Finish the sauce
Finally, add the drained pasta to the sauce. Then add the pasta water, butter, and parmesan cheese and stir until combined and creamy.
Plate and enjoy!!
Slice chicken and add to pasta. Garnish with fresh basil, more Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil, etc., and ENJOY!!
Cooking Tip!
Be sure to not overcook the pasta! I normally cook my pasta to al dente (or one minute shy of the box instructions). The pasta will continue to cook some when it’s added back into the sauce, so overcooking it in the beginning can cause the pasta to become mushy when serving.
You can also rinse the pasta with cool water while draining to stop it from overcooking while you prepare the other ingredients.
Variations / Substitutions
- Meatless: Omit the chicken to make this pasta dish vegetarian.
- Adjust spice level: Feel free to adjust the spice level by reducing or omitting the chili paste.
- Seafood: Swap the chicken for shrimp for a fun seafood-inspired pasta.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free pasta to make gluten-free.
Storage / Freezing
- Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days.
- Reheat: Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add a splash of water or cream to help loosen the sauce and stir occasionally until warmed through.
- Freeze: Let pasta cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Freeze for up to 2 months.
FAQs
What type of pasta is best to use for this recipe?
Pastas like rigatoni or penne are ideal for this recipe because their ridges and tube shape hold onto to the creamy vodka sauce really well. However, any short pasta will work.
Can I feed this pasta to my family if it has vodka in it?
Yes, it is totally safe to serve this recipe even though it has vodka in it. The alcohol in the vodka cooks off during the cooking process, so it just leaves behind the flavor (and none of the alcohol). However, feel free to omit if you feel safer.
Can I make this dish without vodka?
Yes. While vodka enhances the flavor and helps emulsify the sauce, you can substitute it with water, chicken broth, or even a splash of lemon juice for acidity. The flavor will be slightly different, but still delicious.
shop this post
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → More Pasta Recipes You’ll Love
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Spicy Vodka Pasta with Chicken
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- ~2 lb. chicken breasts (thinly sliced (cutlet-style))
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. fine salt
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- For cooking: olive oil
For the pasta:
- 1 lb Mezzi rigatoni pasta
- 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. butter (unsalted)
- 1 shallot (minced)
- 3-4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 24.5 oz passata
- 2 Tbsp. chopped Calabrian peppers (adjust to spice preference, using less if needed)
- 2 Tbsp. vodka
- 1 tsp. salt (adjust to taste)
- 1-2 tsp sugar (to balance acidity)
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
- 3 Tbsp. butter (unsalted (for finishing))
- 1/2-1 cup grated Parmesan (plus more for garnish)
- Garnish: basil and more Parmesan
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Season the chicken: In a bowl, toss thinly sliced chicken with oil and seasonings. Toss to coat. Add more seasonings as desired, I usually never measure and just eyeball it until it looks nice and coated!~2 lb. chicken breasts, 2 tbsp. olive oil, 1 Tbsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. fine salt, 1 tsp. smoked paprika, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- Cook the chicken: Add the oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden and cooked through (165°F internal temperature). Set aside on a plate.For cooking: olive oil
- Pasta: Cook the pasta (penne or rigatoni recommended) in boiling salted water. Reserve ~¼ cup pasta water before draining.1 lb Mezzi rigatoni pasta
- Make the spicy vodka sauce: To the same pan, add the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté until soft and fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Careful not to let the garlic burn,.1-2 Tbsp. olive oil, 2 Tbsp. butter, 1 shallot, 3-4 cloves garlic
- Add tomato products: Add the tomato paste and stir until mixed. Then add the passata, Calabrian chili peppers, and vodka.1/4 cup tomato paste, 24.5 oz passata, 2 Tbsp. chopped Calabrian peppers, 2 Tbsp. vodka
- Cook: Cook down for ~5 minutes. When you run a spoon through the sauce in the pan, it should leave an empty spot in the middle for a few seconds.
- Season: Add the salt, sugar, and Italian seasoning. Stir, taste, and adjust as desired.1 tsp. salt, 1-2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- Add cream: Stir in the heavy cream, and simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly.1 cup heavy cream
- Immersion blender: Optional to blend the sauce in this step to get it perfectly smooth and creamy.
- Finish the sauce: Add the drained pasta to the sauce. Add the pasta water, butter, and parmesan cheese. Stir until combined and creamy.1/4 cup reserved pasta water, 3 Tbsp. butter, 1/2-1 cup grated Parmesan
- Plate: Slice chicken and plate on top of pasta or serve on the side. Garnish with fresh basil, more Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil, or cracked pepper. ENJOY!!Garnish: basil and more Parmesan
Notes
- Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days.
- Reheat: Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add a splash of water or cream to help loosen the sauce and stir occasionally until warmed through.
- Freeze: Let pasta cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
📸 Photography by Creating Kaitlin
