Zucchini Pasta alla Vodka with Grilled Chicken
Try this Zucchini Pasta alla Vodka with Grilled Chicken recipe.
Try this Zucchini Pasta alla Vodka with Grilled Chicken recipe.
- salt and pepper
- olive oil
- 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 medium red onion chopped
- 1.5 zucchinis, blade a
- 1.5 garlic cloves minced
- (1) 14oz can of diced tomatoes
- 1-2 boneless chicken breasts grilled
- 1/4 cup of vodka (i used tito's)
- 3 tbsp 2% greek yogurt (i used fage brand)
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese and more for topping*
- 1/3 cup chopped italian flat leaf parsley
- 2 tsp dried oregano flakes
- Carbohydrate 4.05221312519388 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.311018124834127 g
- Fiber 0.988650004718444 g
- Protein 0.575866875041118 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0650712499800932 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (31g)
- Sodium 38.5262239584316 mg
- Sugar 3.06356312047544 g
- Trans Fat 0.0366825000038014 g
- Calories 19 calories
Step-by-step
- Place a large skillet over medium heat and add in two glugs of olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper.
- Once oil heats, add in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Then, add in red pepper flakes and red onion.
- Cook by stirring frequently until onions are translucent and softened.
- Add in Earth Balance butter and stir to melt.
- Crush your can of diced tomatoes by placing them in a food processor and pulsing a few times until crushed.
- Add to the skillet and season with salt, pepper and the oregano flakes.
- Stir to combine, remove from heat and then add in vodka.
- Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the liquid is almost all absorbed.
- Add in Greek yogurt, Parmesan cheese and stir to combine and cook for 1 minute.
- The sauce should turn a more pinkish color.
- Add the zucchini pasta to the sauce, stir to combine and then add in the chicken, continuing to stir to combine.
- Let cook for about 1-2 minutes or until zucchini pasta starts to absorb sauce and softens.
- Stir in a few pinches of chopped parsley.
- Plate onto two dishes and top with Parmesan cheese (optional) and more chopped parsley!
Vibrant pink vodka sauce clings to tender strands of spiralized zucchini, topped with smoky slices of charred chicken and fresh parsley. Cooking requires balancing the bright, crisp qualities of raw produce with pantry preserves that offer concentrated depth. Recognizing how these distinct components interact transforms a standard weeknight meal into an exercise in ingredient behavior. Fresh garden squash contains high water content that releases rapidly under heat, whereas canned tomatoes provide consistent acidity and body without seasonal volatility. Managing moisture levels effectively prevents the sauce from becoming watery as the vegetables soften.
Fresh Produce versus Canned Staples
Raw zucchini requires careful timing to avoid releasing excessive liquid into the skillet. Pulsing canned tomatoes in a food processor breaks down their cellular walls while retaining enough texture to build body, substituting for fresh summer tomatoes that might otherwise lack uniform ripeness. Incorporating high-fat elements like Greek yogurt and parmesan cheese helps stabilize the emulsion when mixed with the acidic tomato base and alcohol. Garlic needs only one minute in moderately heated olive oil to release aromatic compounds without turning bitter or acrid.The Emulsion Technique
Controlling heat during the deglazing and reduction stage dictates whether the sauce binds correctly or separates into an oily pool. Pouring vodka into the skillet after removing the pan from direct heat prevents dangerous flare-ups while allowing the alcohol to cook off gradually over a 10-minute simmer until absorption is nearly complete. Stirring continuously after adding dairy prevents curdling and ensures the cheese melts smoothly into a uniform pink coating.
