This dinner is a good one. Hearty, filling and a delicious vodka sauce. I love noodles – especially thick ones like pappardelle! If you need a good date night meal or just a simple winter recipe, this Pappardelle alla vodka is the right choice for you!
I feel like I should make a disclaimer as some people aren’t familiar with vodka sauce – no, it doesn’t taste like alcohol! And no…you will not get buzzed from it. But it DOES make a delicious pasta sauce when mixed with garlic, tomato and cream! And don’t forget to top it with mascarpone cheese. If you haven’t had this before, it’s like cream cheese but more luxurious. It reminds me of a pasta I got at the Cheesecake Factory when i was younger that was covered in it (highly caloric ;))
Slow cooker chicken
I put the chicken breasts straight in a slow cooker. I hate shredding tough chicken, it’s the bane of my kitchen existence. If you do too, put the chicken in a crockpot all day and then – no effort needed!
I kept it simple because the vodka cream sauce is the main part of the show. Just toss in some olive oil, salt, pepper, onion powder and thyme and crank up the heat as you get your work done all afternoon!
How to make vodka sauce
This part is easy, but you need a fry pan. Heat up some olive oil and throw in white or yellow onion and plenty of garlic. The key is to make sure that your garlic doesn’t burn, so keep the heat on medium as the onions turn slightly brown! Stir frequently with a spoon!
Then you can add the vodka, but BE SURE TO REMOVE the pan from the heat. This part can be dangerous as vodka is (obviously) quite flammable. I made this mistake on my gas stove once and definitely incinerated my garlic. You can use whatever brand you want. Sometimes I use Tito’s, sometimes I use the cheap Trader Joe’s brand. It tastes the same to me!
Once the vodka is added, you can add the pan back to the heat. Wait for the vodka to reduce by half, and then add in the crushed tomato! Then you just need to let is simmer and thicken before stirring in some cream.
Make the pappardelle noodles
These noodles are SO good and they heat up in six minutes. I love penne but I feel like I’m always standing over the pot asking it to hurry up. Just make sure to dump the package of noodles in carefully, as they could get stuck on each other which is really annoying (I did that with lasagna noodles once and I basically ruined the whole dish).
And that’s it! Put all the ingredients together in a pot, add parsley and red pepper flakes, and get that mascarpone on top!
If you want more pasta ideas, try my Slow Cooker Red Wine and Beef Rigatoni or my White Cheddar and Gruyere Mac and Cheese.
Pappardelle alla Vodka with Slow Cooker Chicken
Equipment
- slow cooker
- medium fry pan
- strainer
- large pot
- sharp knife
- cutting board
Ingredients
Slow Cooker Chicken
- 1 ½ lbs chicken breast
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme chopped
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- large pinch of salt
Pasta Sauce
- 8 oz pappardelle noodles
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup vodka
- ½ yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 3 tbsp parsley roughly chopped
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup mascarpone cheese for topping
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a slow cooker, place the chicken breasts in the bowl and sprinkle on the olive oil, onion powder, thyme and salt evenly onto the chicken. Cover the cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or until the chicken is juicy and easy to shred. Shred the chicken with two forks.
- Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. throw in the pappardelle noodles, making sure that they are separated in the pot. Boil according to package directions, around 6-7 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain.
- To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a medium fry pan over medium-low heat until the oil shimmers. Toss in the garlic and onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until the onions appear translucent and slightly brown.
- Remove the pan from the heat and then add the vodka. Return to the heat and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Add the cream and stir the sauce over medium high heat until well combined, 1-2 minutes.
- Add the pappardelle and shredded chicken back into the pot. Pour in the vodka cream sauce onto the noodles and chicken and toss well. Sprinkle on the parsley and top with mascarpone cheese when serving. Enjoy hot and save leftovers in the fridge for 2-4 days.
