Penne Alla Vodka with Chicken by aarona

Ingredients

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp unsalted butter 1 medium onion, finely diced 2 medium cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1 28 oz can whole tomatoes packed in juice, crushed by hand into 1/2 inch chunks 1/2 C heavy cream 1/4 C vodka Kosher salt 1 lb penne 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch slivers Grated Parmesan-Reggiano

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil and butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat until butter has melted and foaming subsides.
2. Add onion and stir frequently until softened but not browned (about 3 minutes).
3. Add garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes and stir until fragrant (about 1 minute).
4. Add tomatoes (with their juice) and basil (if using). Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer. Stir occasionally, until sauce has thickened and reduced to about 4 cups (about 30 minutes).
5. (If using non-immersion blender, add the sauce to jar of blender). Add cream and vodka. Start on low speed and gradually increase to high, blending until completely smooth.
6. (If using non-immersion blender, transfer back to saucepan). Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce to a bare simmer and allow to reduce further while cooking pasta.
7. Place pasta in a large pot and cover with hot water.
8. Add large pinch of salt to pasta and boil over high heat, stirring occasionally to keep from sticking.
9. Continue to cook until pasta is al dente. About two minutes before pasta is done, add chicken to sauce and stir to combine.
10. Drain pasta, reserving 1-1/2 cups of the cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot.
11. Add sauce to pasta, stir to combine and cook over medium heat. Stir frequently until chicken is cooked through and the sauce has achieved the desired consistency (about 1 minute). Add some of reserved pasta water as necessary to make sauce adhere to the pasta better.
12. Serve immediately, topped with cheese.