I love me some BOGO at Publix! When I saw that Mueller’s Pasta was buy one get one free, I knew exactly what we were having for dinner… some of my Pink Pasta. I’ve been making variations of this pasta for a long time, so it’s a dish that comes very easy to me. I throw in some veggies, tomato sauce, chicken…and my secret ingredient (picture #4) that I personally think makes all the difference.
The Slap Chop works wonders on olives!!
Chicken, Onions, Garlic & Olives…some Must Smell TV
The tomatoes want to play too!
Virgin Penne alla Vodka
- 1 box penne pasta
- EVOO
- ¾ lb Chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ cup olives, finely chopped (we used a mix of green and black)
- 1 – 28 oz can of Cento diced tomatoes
- 1/3 cup cream cheese
- Salt, Pepper, Basil to taste
- 1 tsp sugar
- Cayenne Pepper (optional….I LOVE spice!)
- Topping: Grated Parmesan
- Boil Penne according to directions and set aside.
- Lightly coat bottom of large skillet with EVOO and set to medium heat.
- Sauté onions until they start losing their color and then add garlic.
- When garlic starts smelling yummy, add the chicken. Continue to cook until chicken is cooked through (about 7 minutes).
- Once chicken is cooked through, add the olives, salt, pepper and spices….and sauté for 1 minute.
- Next, add the entire can of diced tomatoes, with all the juice…also add sugar. Let simmer for 5 – 10 minutes.
- Then add the cream cheese in chunks (to melt easier), and stir until combined (about 3 minutes).
- Then toss with the pasta and serve! We topped ours with Parmesan Cheese. This recipe serves 4 hungry people.
MY SECRET INGREDIENT (SHHHHH)
The boys were saying it was just like alla-vodka sauce, but without the vodka. I thought that was just about right…I’ll take the vodka in my cup! 
The finished product! Nom Nom Nom
This pasta really turned out great! You can use whatever veggies and protein you’d like… the keys are really the tomatoes and cream cheese. You can definitely substitute jarred sauce for the canned tomatoes but just ease up on the spices and omit the sugar. Make sure to taste as you go 
Do you have a “go-to” dish that you can make on the fly?
Comments on: "Penne Me Crazy" (11)
This recipe sounds great! That is one very secret ingredient – I never would have thought to put cream cheese in a pasta and tomato sauce dish. Glad it was a hit with the boys – that’s always a success in my book
Wow. That recipe looks delicious! Nom nom nom indeed.
Have added it to my list of upcoming recipe attempts!
hot spicy, really interesting foods, more workout and more eating
Have you seen the commercials for the new fancy cooking cream cheese? This made me think of that, marketing works!
This looks so good!! I am definitely putting this recipe on my list of things to make! Yum!
Stir fry is my go to dish…just throw in some frozen veggies, a little sauce, and some chicken or tofu and 15 minutes later, dinner!
I wouldn’t waste vodka in a sauce…it loses it’s intoxicating effect…best to drink it straight up to get all the benefits
I love the BOGO Publix. It would sometimes bite me in the butt when I would buy stuff I wouldn’t even need. Your pasta look delicious btw. I’m not a big cheese fan so I wouldn’t use the parmesan but I bet the cream cheese it blended in well that’s very subtle. Yum Yum.
yeah i really want this for dinner now!
omg and i begged the hubs for a slapchop or at least the chic martha stewart version (looove me some tiffany box blue!) but he totally denies me over and over again. jerk!
I know this wasn’t really the focus of your post, but… You have a Slap Chop! That’s fantastic. I totally want one of those. Do you also have a Sham Wow? Ha!
well doesn’t this just look out of this world amazing! Yum! My roommate informed me that I HAVE to make it.
xo
Cool! Let me know how it turns out