Chicken Vodka Parm

I am SO excited to share this Chicken Vodka Parm recipe with you. It combines two of the best ever Italian American classics: Chicken Parmesan and Vodka Sauce. The two are great on their own, but there's something so special about putting them together. You have to try it to understand.

Now look, everyone any their mother has a chicken parm or vodka sauce recipe, and each one tries to be a little different. Honestly, I don't need my recipe to be different for the sake of being different.

I want this Chicken Vodka Parm recipe to take you back to your childhood. Eating a big old plate of Chicken Parm or Penne alla Vodka at your grandma's house. Or at an Italian BYOB restaurant with checkered table cloths.

What is Chicken Parm alla Vodka?

Let's start by talking about what it is and what it isn't.

For starters, classic chicken parmesan is made of well-seasoned fried chicken cutlets that then oven-braise in a delicious sauce along with some mozzarella until soft and tender. It then broils very quickly so the cheese can brown and bubble.

Chicken Vodka Parm is just traditional chicken parm that calls for vodka sauce instead of marinara.

But let's dive a little deeper... There really is more to it than that.

What every Chicken Parm recipe SHOULD have:

• Soft, tender chicken (more on that later)
• A full coating of flavorful sauce. No skimping!
• Good quality mozzarella. I prefer fresh mozzarella.

What Chicken Parm recipes should NOT have

• Panko breadcrumbs
• Crunch
• Tough chicken
• An overflow of mozzarella

How to make Chicken Vodka Parm

Making really good, old school style Chicken Parmesan (alla vodka) is a labor of love that takes time. You should make it when you have a couple hours to make a sauce, fry up some chicken, and bake the chicken in said sauce.

Ingredients

This recipe calls for Italian Chicken Cutlets. The ingredients are listed below, but you can also find the full recipe here.

• Chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded to tenderize
• Regular breadcrumbs.
• Fresh parsley
• Grated pecorino or parmesan cheese
• Dry oregano
• Flour
• Eggs
• Salt, pepper, and cayenne
• Olive oil for frying

For the Vodka Sauce

• Canned crushed tomatoes
• Olive Oil
• Yellow Onion
• Garlic
• Tomato Paste
• Calabrian Chili Peppers or red pepper flakes
• Vodka
• Sour Cream (I promise, it'll make the sauce so much tastier than heavy cream)
• Fresh mozzarella cheese
• Pasta (optional)

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the chicken breasts by butterflying them open and pounding them with a meat tenderizer. Ideally, the whole breast should have an even thinness for even cooking.

Step 2: Bread the chicken in the well-seasoned flour, egg, and breadcrumb mixtures. Then put them on a plate and refrigerate them while you make the sauce.

Step 3: Make the sauce. Sauté the onions, tomato paste, and Calabrian chilis, then deglaze with the vodka, the can of tomatoes, and a can-full of water. Simmer partially covered for 15 minutes, grate in a clove of garlic, and simmer for another 15 minutes. Finally, add the sour cream and salt to taste. (notice there's no heavy cream in this recipe)

Step 4: Fry the Chicken in about ¼ inch of olive oil just until golden on both sides. (about 2 mins per side) The chicken doesn't need to cook all the way through because it's going to cook more in the oven.

Step 5: Place the chicken in a baking dish and top it with half of the sauce and some hand-torn or cubed mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 275 degrees F for 1 hour. Then uncover and broil for 2 minutes until the top of the cheese is golden and bubbly.

Step 6: Boil a half pound of pasta, and toss it in 1 half of the remaining sauce. The rest of the sauce should be set aside for serving alongside the chicken parm. I find that a half pound is the perfect amount for everyone to have it as a side dish with their chicken breast.

Top tips:

• It's important that you bake the chicken parm in the sauce after frying it. Doing so allows the chicken to soak up the delicious vodka sauce and tenderize further.
• Use fine breadcrumbs for that traditional thin breading. Panko makes the chicken too crust-forward, and may even stay a little too crunchy after baking. Remember, chicken parm isn't crunchy! It's soft and luscious.
• Use sour cream or creme fraiche for a more flavorful vodka sauce. If you already have heavy cream and not sour cream, you can substitute, but it won't taste quite like mine.

Substitutions:

• Gluten free: Simply replace the wheat based breadcrumbs and flour with your favorite gluten free versions. Also use gluten free pasta.
• Dairy free: This recipe can be still be delicious without cheese or sour cream. Simply leave the grated parmesan out of the breaded chicken. You can replace it with a vegan cheese or nutritional yeast for a similar cheesy flavor. Leave the mozzarella off. Finally, leave out the sour cream. Technically, the vodka is what makes the sauce a vodka sauce!
• Vegetarian: Make eggplant vodka parm! Simply replace the chicken breasts with thinly sliced pieces of eggplant. Fry them using the same exact method.

Variations

• Less spicy: Leave out the Calabrian chili peppers.
• More Spicy: Double the Calabrian chili peppers or use both Calabrian chilis and red pepper flakes.
• Add peas: cause, why not?

What to serve it with

• A bright crunchy salad, like this arugula citrus salad, is one of the best accompaniments to hearty dishes like chicken vodka parm.

Chicken Vodka Parm FAQ

Can I freeze it? Yes! Let it cool, then you can freeze it in containers in individual servings or all together in a large disposable baking dish. If freezing the whole recipe together, make sure to tightly cover it in at least 2 layers of foil.

What's the best way to reheat chicken parm? The best way to reheat chicken parm that doesn't ruin the texture is to bake it, covered, on 400 for 15-20 minutes. Just until it's hot.

Recipe

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