– 4 tablespoons olive oil – 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts – ¼ teaspoon salt – ¼ teaspoon black pepper – 1 tablespoons butter – 4 cloves garlic – ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes – ¼ cup tomato paste – ¼ cup vodka – 1 cup heavy cream – 8 ounces penne or rigatoni pasta
In a large pot, cook the cubed chicken until cooked through and set aside.
Deglaze the pan and wipe it out. Add butter and oil.
Add garlic and lightly brown. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until paste darkens in color and begins to caramelize on the bottom of the pan.
Turn down the heat and add vodka. Whisk until the vodka is incorporated into the sauce.
Whisk in heavy cream, and heat over low heat until sauce is smooth, uniform in color, and heated through.
Stir in ¼ cup of pasta water, cooked pasta, and cooked chicken.
Top with Parmesan if desired, and enjoy!