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penne alla vodka

Healthy Penne alla Vodka

4.91 from 31 votes
Elevate dinner with this mouth-watering penne alla vodka recipe. Made with penne pasta, sliced chicken breasts, this pasta dish is topped off with a homemade vodka sauce and 2 different kinds of cheese! It's as easy as spaghetti but looks and tastes like a chef-made meal.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: dinner, gluten-free, lunch, Main Course, meal-prep
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 433

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb penne pasta
  • 2 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1.5 lb chicken breasts diced into small cubes
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 2/3 cup vodka
  • 2 tsp italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 block Neufchâtel cream cheese or regular - warmed (I do in microwave).
  • 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Method
 

  1. Cook pasta according to directions, drain, and set aside.
  2. In a large pan or dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp avocado oil over medium-high heat.
  3. Add onions and cook for 2 minutes. Then add chopped chicken. Let cook four minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Add garlic and cook for one more minute.
  5. Add in tomatoes, vodka, and seasonings. Stir and let simmer over medium for 5 minutes.
  6. Stir in cream cheese, parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese and use a whisk to break it up. Let simmer another five minutes.
  7. Stir in pasta until completely coated. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 433kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 29gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 511mgPotassium: 489mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 119IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 103mgIron: 1mg

Notes

  • Don't add oil to your pasta water to prevent sticking. It doesn't work! Instead, use a large enough pot — about 4 quarts of water for 1 pound of pasta — and stir the pasta immediately when you add it, then occasionally while it cooks.
  • Warm the cream cheese before adding it to the sauce. Pop it in the microwave for a bit so it melts smoothly into the sauce without clumping. This step makes the sauce beautifully creamy!
  • This pasta tastes even better the next day. As it sits in the fridge, all the flavors soak into the noodles. It stores well for up to 5 days, making it a fantastic meal prep option.

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