Chicken and Vodka Pasta

This chicken and vodka pasta is my version of the viral ‘vodka pasta’ or ‘penne alla vodka’. It is super simple, yet packed full of flavour AND texture. Imagine rigatoni pasta with crispy chicken sausage meat swirled through a rich, spiced tomato sauce. A drizzle of cheesy, garlicky pesto, some creamy burrata, fresh basil and a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan make this a deliciously elevated dinner even if it's just a causal weeknight meal.

One of the (many) things I love about this chicken and vodka pasta is the fact that it is one of those dishes that looks complicated but is actually very easy. That’s all down to being clever with the textures and toppings. If you have tried my pistachio pesto pasta, you will know just how easy it is to blitz up homemade pesto in a blender. It literally takes seconds, yet instantly makes you look like a whizz in the kitchen. Equally, if you have tried my creamy sausage pasta, you will know that using sausage meat is such a good hack for packing in flavour and texture (I mean, those crispy bits are just so good).  

Aside from the homemade pesto (which is entirely optional - feel free to use shop bought fresh pesto instead) and crispy chicken sausage meat, all the other stages are similar to other weeknight pasta recipes. Although I have included some handy tips to help make your chicken and vodka pasta even more delicious. Small things like reserving some pasta water to help make a super silky sauce make such a difference.

Don’t be afraid to get creative with this chicken and vodka pasta. The flavours are quite similar to my spicy sausage pasta bake with 'nduja, but the chicken sausage meat makes it feel a bit lighter. Plus the lemon-y pistachio pesto adds a refreshing zing at the end. Of course, you can use pork sausages if you prefer - or other proteins (see my ‘substitutions and variations’ for ideas). Equally, burrata is a wonderfully luxurious way to finish any pasta dish (just try my burrata with pasta!), but you can swap for mozzarella or provolone. Or scroll down to find out how to make your own cheat’s version. You can then add some texture with a pangrattato or some toasted nuts. I also like to sprinkle with chilli flakes for an extra fiery kick!

Why you will love this recipe:

• It is quick and easy. The perfect weekday pasta that is ready in under 40 minutes.
• It is super comforting and full of flavour. Imagine rigatoni pasta with crispy chicken sausage meat in a rich and spicy tomato sauce, topped with garlicky pesto, creamy burrata, fresh basil and umami-rich cheesy Parmesan.
• It is so versatile. You can switch up the pasta, add extra vegetables to the sauce and/or use different cheeses.
• It can easily be adapted for vegetarians and vegans.

Ingredients:

Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!

Chicken sausages - opt for the best quality chicken sausages you can find. It will make all the difference in terms of flavour. They have a milder flavour than pork sausages. 

Butter - opt for unsalted so you can control the salt level in this vodka pasta. It helps add flavour to the base of the dish.

Red onion - this adds flavour to the pasta sauce. Red onion has a milder flavour than white onion, but you can use whatever you have.

Vodka - the key ingredient in this chicken and vodka pasta. It helps enhance the flavour and emulsify the sauce.

Tomato purée - this intensifies the tomato flavour in the chicken and vodka pasta. You can swap for sundried tomato paste if you prefer.

Chilli paste - this adds heat to this chicken and vodka pasta. You can swap for fresh chilli and deseed if you don’t want it to be too spicy. You can also sprinkle in dried chilli flakes and use them as a garnish.

Balsamic vinegar - this adds a subtle tang. You only need a small splash but you can leave it out if you aren’t keen.

Chopped tomatoes - I always have a tin in my larder as they are so versatile. Mutti are my favourite. However, they are expensive so you can use whatever you normally buy.

Rigatoni - a bit like a larger, rounder version of penne and is famous for its ridges (which are perfect for clinging to sauces). Use whatever you like.

Double cream - this adds richness to the chicken and vodka pasta and makes a beautifully smooth and creamy pasta sauce.

Substitutions and Variations:

Nuts - pistachios add a vibrant colour and delicious flavour to the pesto. However, they are expensive so you can swap for all sorts of nuts. Almonds, hazelnuts, cashews and walnuts all work well. Pine nuts are the most traditional option, but these are expensive too. Whichever nuts you choose, don’t skip on the toasting. It adds so much flavour. 

Chilli paste - you can swap the chilli paste for ‘Nduja, an Italian cured sausage that has a delicious spicy, smoky flavour. Chipotle paste also works well, but has a more Mexican flavour profile. I also love gochujang for a sweet, salty and smoky flavour. You can also sprinkle with dried chilli flakes at the end. That means everyone can adjust the heat of the pasta to suit their tastes.

Vodka - you can swap the vodka with another spirit like gin, vermouth, or sherry. If you want to make a non-alcoholic chicken and tomato pasta, just leave the vodka out and add a little more pasta water to loosen at the end.

Garlic: if you don’t have fresh garlic, you can use garlic granules or a dollop of garlic paste in the pasta sauce. You can also use roasted garlic cloves and squeeze them into both the pesto and tomato sauce. They have the most wonderful flavour. You can either roast your own or use a jar like Belazu's Flavour Hacks Roasted Garlic. 

Vegetables: Sometimes I throw in a handful of fresh spinach and wilt off towards the end. You can also add some peas a couple of minutes before the end of the pasta cooking time. Alternatively, stir through some roasted peppers and/or sun dried tomatoes with the pasta. Or you can sauté off some diced red peppers with the onion and the beginning. 

Parmesan: you can swap for other strong hard cheeses like pecorino, Gruyère or Comté. If you are making a vegetarian version (with veggie sausages), Gran Moravia is perfect. A strong Cheddar is fine too.

Pasta: you can use pretty much any type of pasta in this chicken and vodka pasta. Shapes like giant fusilli, conchiglie and rigatoni all work well. I use dried pasta in the recipe, but you can use fresh. Just remember to adjust the weight and cooking time.

Burrata: if you can’t get hold of burrata, feel free to swap for mozzarella, mozzarella pearls or provolone. Alternatively, scroll down for my tips on how to make your own cheat’s burrata.

Pesto: I really recommend making your own pesto at least once - it is super quick and easy. However, if you are pushed for time, you can use a pot of shop bought fresh pesto. Just make sure it is from the chilled section (often by the pasta) and not in jars. It's so much better for topping dishes.

Sausages: I use chicken sausages as this is a chicken and vodka pasta. Heck has some good options. However, feel free to use pork sausages - they are just as delicious. Just make sure you go for the best quality you can find. 

Protein: you can omit the sausages completely or swap for other proteins. Pan-fried thinly sliced chicken, prawns or halloumi all work well instead.

Texture: add extra texture to your chicken and vodka pasta with a crispy garnish. I sometimes sprinkle it with toasted nuts (opt for whichever nut you use in your pesto). Alternatively, make a pangrattato (fried herby breadcrumbs). I love adding different herbs or lemon zest to the breadcrumbs to add extra flavour.

Here's how to make Chicken and Vodka Pasta:

Here's a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe at the bottom of the page for detailed instructions.

ONE: Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan with fairly deep sides. Remove the sausages from their skins and add to the pan, using the back of a wooden spoon to crumble them up (you want the texture to be a bit like mince). Cook over a high heat for about 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until crispy and golden on all sides. Tip into a bowl and set aside.

TWO: In the same pan, over low heat, add the butter and swirl until melted. Add the onion and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sauté over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5-7 minutes - or until the onions are lovely and soft. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute or so, stirring to ensure it doesn’t catch and burn (or it will become bitter). Pour in the vodka and mix well.

THREE:  Allow almost all of it to bubble off before adding the tomato purée and chilli paste. Stir well to coat the onions.

FOUR: Pour in the chopped tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. Rinse out the can of tomatoes with about 100 ml of water, then bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 5-10 minutes, or until slightly thickened and reduced.

FIVE: Meanwhile, cook the rigatoni in a pan of boiling salted water according to packet instructions - or until al dente. Reserve a little of the pasta water and drain well. Remove from the sauce from the heat and blend until smooth - you can use a handheld stick blender or tip into a food processor.

SIX: Stir in the double cream and bring back to a simmer.

SEVEN: Return the crispy sausages to the pan.

EIGHT: Add the drained pasta and grated Parmesan. Mix well to coat everything in the deliciously creamy vodka tomato sauce. Season to taste. Stir in a splash of the reserved pasta water if it is a little too thick.

Cooking Tips:

Pesto: if you don’t have time to make your own pistachio pesto, you can use a shop bought classic pesto. Just make sure you buy it from the chilled section (normally next to the fresh pasta). It's a lot better for this purpose.

Removing sausages from their skins: start with fridge-cold sausages to make this easier. Then make a run a sharp knife down the length and peel away the sides, almost like unwrapping a present.

Crispy sausages: you want the sausage meat to caramelise and go gorgeously crispy and golden. Don’t be afraid to give it a couple of extra minutes to achieve this. Brown bits on the bottom of the pan are good flavour too that will get deglazed with the sauce.

Al dente: cook the pasta until it is ‘al dente’ (meaning ‘to the bite’). It should still be firm when you bite into a piece, but not chalky. Remember it will be cooked for a minute or so as it is tossed through the vodka pasta sauce.

Pasta water: get into the habit of saving the pasta water when you drain your pasta. A few splashes will transform your sauces and take your pasta dishes to the next level.

The lowdown on burrata

What is burrata?

Burrata is a speciality Puglian cow's (sometimes buffalo) milk cheese made with mozzarella and cream. It is delicious in simple summer salad recipes (you could use it in my peach caprese), on pizza (like my margherita pizza flatbread) or pasta (gnocchi alla norma). Bear in mind that it has a relatively short shelf life and can go sour quickly.

What can I use instead of burrata?

Your best option is to use mozzarella as they can often be used interchangeably. Both are made from cow’s or buffalo milk. You can also make a ‘cheat’s burrata’ using one of two hacks:

• Tear 250g mozzarella into small pieces in a medium bowl, pour over 100ml double cream and add ¼ teaspoon salt. Stir well to combine, then cover and chill for a couple of hours - or until ready to serve.
• Tear 250g mozzarella into small pieces in a medium bowl, add 200g crème fraîche and a generous pinch of salt. Stir well to combine, then cover and chill for a couple of hours - or until ready to serve.

How to remove sausages from their skins

This can seem a bit of a faff at first, but it gets easier once you have the hang of it. To remove the casings, slice the skin down the length of the sausage with a sharp knife, then pull away the sides and unwrap the filling. This works best if the sausages are fridge-cold to start with.

Frequently Asked Questions

Other recipes you might enjoy:

If you like the sound of this chicken and vodka pasta, try my spicy 'nduja pasta. Also don’t miss my marry me chicken pasta or chicken parmesan garlic pasta. 

Made this recipe and loved it?

I would love love LOVE if you could leave a review in the comments…  I love hearing what you thought, any changes you made, the stories behind what made you try my recipes. Also, if you share a photo on Instagram, please tag me @desertislanddishes, it makes my day to see you making my creations!

Chicken and Vodka Pasta

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This chicken and vodka pasta is about to become your new go-to pasta recipe. Imagine crispy chicken sausage meat and rigatoni pasta in a rich and creamy tomato and vodka pasta sauce. All topped off with a spoonful of garlicky, cheesy pistachio pesto and luscious burrata. Delicious. 

• Author: Margie Nomura
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4
• Category: Pasta
• Method: Stove Top
• Cuisine: Italian American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the chicken and vodka pasta:

• Drizzle of olive oil
• 6 chicken sausages
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 80 ml vodka
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tbsp chilli paste or ½ red chilli, finely chopped (deseeded, if desired)
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes 
• 500g dried rigatoni 
• 250ml double cream
• 15g Parmesan, grated 

For the pistachio pesto: (optional)

• 100g shelled pistachios, toasted
• 100g fresh basil
• 200ml olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 70g Parmesan, grated
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To serve:

• Pistachio pesto (see recipe) - or any fresh pesto
• Burrata 
• Freshly grated Parmesan
• Fresh basil

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Instructions

1. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan with fairly deep sides. Remove the sausages from their skins and add to the pan, using the back of a wooden spoon to crumble them up (you want the texture to be a bit like mince). Cook over a high heat for about 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until crispy and golden on all sides. Tip into a bowl and set aside.
2. In the same pan, over a low heat, add the butter and swirl until melted. Add the onion and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sauté over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5-7 minutes - or until the onions are lovely and soft.. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute or so, stirring to ensure it doesn’t catch and burn (or it will become bitter).
3. Pour in the vodka and mix well. Allow almost all of it to bubble off before adding the tomato purée and chilli paste. Stir well to coat the onions before pouring in the chopped tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. Rinse out the can of tomatoes with about 100 ml of water, then bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 5-10 minutes, or until slightly thickened and reduced.
4. Meanwhile, cook the rigatoni in a pan of boiling salted water according to packet instructions - or until al dente. Reserve a little of the pasta water and drain well. 
5. At this point, make the pistachio pesto (if using): add the pistachios, basil, olive oil, garlic and Parmesan to a blender and blitz until smooth. Season to taste with lemon zest and juice and salt and freshly ground black pepper. I suggest doing this gradually - you can always add more lemon and seasoning, but you can’t take it away. Also bear in mind that Parmesan is quite salty. Spoon into a bowl, cover and set aside. Alternatively, spoon into an airtight container and chill for up to 7 days. 
6. Remove from the sauce from the heat and blend until smooth - you can use a handheld stick blender or tip into a food processor. Take care as it will be hot (you might like to let it cool for about 5 minutes or so). If using a food processor, return to the pan.
7. Stir in the double cream and bring back to a simmer. Return the crispy sausages to the pan and add the drained pasta and grated Parmesan. Mix well to coat everything in the deliciously creamy vodka tomato sauce. Season to taste. Stir in a splash of the reserved pasta water if it is a little too thick.
8. To serve: spoon onto plates and drizzle generously with the pistachio pesto (or any other fresh pesto). Top with torn burrata and a little more freshly grated Parmesan. Season with freshly ground black pepper and serve. 

Notes

Scroll up for a helpful step by step guide with images on how to make this pasta.

To store: Any leftovers can be left to cool completely before covering or transferring to an airtight container. Chill for up to 3 days.

To reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until hot. Or I like to reheat on the hob over medium heat, adding in a splash more cream or a knob of butter to really get it saucy and luscious again. 

To freeze: I wouldn't recommend freezing this dish as I find the texture can change once it's been frozen and defrosted. 

Make ahead: The chicken and vodka pasta sauce can also be made in advance. Make the sauce right up until adding drained pasta so you make it, blend, add cream, add the crispy sausages then cool. Transfer to an airtight container and chill in the fridge for up to 3 days. When ready to use, transfer back to a pan and heat gently. Boil your pasta and add good amounts of pasta water to loosen it up again. Add the drained cooked pasta and continue on as normal. You can make the pistachio pesto in advance and keep it covered and chilled in the fridge for up to 7 days. Add a layer of oil to the surface to help preserve its green colour. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. I find it handy to decant into ice cube trays so I have individual portions, then cover with cling film and pop it in the freezer. You can then pop them into little containers and defrost in the fridge before using. 

Make it plant-based: if making for vegetarians, use veggie sausages (or leave them out) and make sure your cheese is vegetarian-friendly. Parmesan isn’t, but Gran Moravia is a good alternative. It is also super easy to make a vegan vodka pasta. Simply use vegan sausages (or leave them out), cheese and cream alternatives.

Sausages: I like using chicken sausages in this recipe as they have a lighter flavour. You can easily switch for pork sausages, if you prefer. 

Pasta water: it is good to get into the habit of reserving a little pasta water before draining your cooked pasta. Just adding a splash to whatever sauce your making helps make it gloriously glossy and creamy.

Burrata: if you can’t find burrata, you can swap for mozzarella. Alternatively, follow my directions in the post on how to make a cheat’s version.

Pistachios: Feel free to swap for almonds, cashews or hazelnuts, if you prefer. You can use pine nuts, which is the most traditional option, but they are rather pricey too!