Drunken Chicken Penne Rosa

Girlies Gone Holiday. Or something like that. That’s what Abbey and her friends call their annual holiday get together. This year they thought that would save money and eat in. Meaning that T-Dawg fixes dinner, and they don’t have to pay a check at the end of the meal. Even better (for them), no waiter to tip.

No check for them means that I get stuck paying the grocery bill. Normally I would say “no big deal,” but I made pizza for 5 of them before they went to the Jay Z/Kanye concert, and that set me back about $40. I would rather have paid for a ticket and saw the concert.

For the eight of them, I could easily spend $75+. Fortunately Abbey asked for a pasta dinner. That shouldn’t break the bank, right? Knowing that she likes my vodka sauce, and her vegetarian friend Molly will now occasionally eat meat, I opted for a chicken version of Penne Rosa with a vodka sauce. Since they are under 21, I made sure to reduce the vodka before I add the cream and marinara. Lastly, I doubled the recipe and fed 10 people + leftovers for the oily beau hunk (that would be Abbey’s boyfriend for those unfamiliar with the movie “16 Candles”). In the end the cost was minimal, and was more than offset by the clean plates I took off the table. In the end, isn't that really why we do it?

Chefs Note: The hardest part of fixing this for a large group is getting the heat (spice) right. I like mine spicier than normal, and I like to cook the red pepper flakes a while in order to balance the heat throughout the dish. This is all comes down to meal management, and must be handled with care.

Chicken Penne with Vodka Sauce

(Serves 6)

 

1 to 1 ½ lbs cooked chicken breast, diced

1 lb penne rigata (cooked al dente in salt water)

1 teaspoon (or ¼ to ½ teaspoon for sensitive palates) crushed red pepper flakes

Marinara Sauce (makes ~1 quart)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 yellow onion (medium), finely chopped

1 ½ teaspoon minced garlic

½ cup red wine

1 large can (25 to 28 oz) crushed tomatoes

( or sub 14 oz can of tomato puree  + 14 oz can of petite diced tomatoes)

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend

2 teaspoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Vodka Sauce

1 tablespoon butter

1 small (or ~2 tablespoons finely chopped) shallots

1 quart marinara sauce

1 cup vodka

1 cup heavy cream (or lighten with ½ cup cream and ½ cup 2% milk) at room temperature

½ cup grated parmesan

To prepare the marinara – heat the olive oil over medium heat, and add the onion until translucent or about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for additional 1 or 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook on medium-high heat until the liquid is almost gone, or about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, and add the tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat for approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

To prepare the Vodka Sauce – heat the butter until melted over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until tender. Add the vodka and cook until reduced by about ½, or about 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and add the cream at ¼ intervals every 3 minutes until heated through, or about 15 minutes.

Add the marinara and red pepper flakes to the vodka sauce until heated through, and it just starts to bubble. Add the parmesan cheese and stir until well combined. Add the diced chicken and pasta, and when heated through, serve with warm Italian bread, Sicilian butter (olive oil and seasonings), California red wine, and Kansas City love. Mangia!