Chicken and Penne in Vodka Cream Sauce

Ingredients

• For the garlic parmesan toast:
• 1 baguette, cut in half then halved lengthwise
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 14 cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press
• Kosher salt
• 3 ounces parmesan, grated
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• For the pasta:
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 small shallots, minced
• 4 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can whole peeled tomatoes packed in juice
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 6 tablespoons vodka
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 pound boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, sliced crosswise against the grain into 1/2-inch thick strips
• 1 pound dried penne pasta
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions

1. Make the garlic bread: Move an oven rack to the upper-middle spot and heat the oven to 400°F. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil, then arrange the bread on it with the cut surfaces facing up. In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine the butter and garlic and let the butter melt. Continue cooking until the garlic softens a bit and smells fragrant, about 4 minutes. Drizzle the garlicky butter onto the bread, add salt, and scatter the Parmesan over the top. Put it aside for now.
2. Start the pasta: Set a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring it to a boil. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring often, until they have softened and are just starting to take on color, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook just until aromatic, about 30 seconds.
3. Scrape the shallot mixture into a blender. Add the tomatoes with their juice, plus the tomato paste, and blend until the mixture is smooth.
4. Pour the tomato mixture back into the skillet. Stir in the chili flakes, vodka, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and sugar. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium heat, then lower the heat to medium-low. Let it simmer, stirring now and then, until it thickens slightly and the flavors come together, about 15 minutes. Stir in the cream and adjust the seasoning to taste. Add the chicken and cook until it is just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Hold the sauce warm while you cook the pasta.
5. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. While it cooks, put the garlic bread in the oven and bake until the cheese begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Take it out of the oven and finish it with the parsley. Drain the pasta, saving 1 cup of the pasta water. Toss the pasta with the sauce, loosening it with pasta water as needed until it has the consistency you like. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed, then stir in the basil. Serve the pasta and bread right away, with extra cheese at the table if desired.