Spicy Vodka Pasta Chicken Sandwich

Adapted by Kyle Libramonte

Prep Time: 20 Minutes • Cook Time: 45 Minutes

Makes : 1 Large Loaf Sandwich • Serves 2 to 4 , plus leftover pasta

Ingredients:

For the pasta and sauce

8 oz rigatoni (any short shape with ridges works; you want something that traps sauce)
Water — enough to sit about an inch above the pasta
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots or 1 small onion, finely chopped
4 to 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ cup tomato paste
3 tbsp vodka
1½ cups heavy cream, at room temperature
2 tsp red chili flakes, or to taste
½ tsp black pepper
Kosher salt, to taste
½ cup finely grated Parmesan, freshly grated (pre-shredded won't melt smooth)
2 tbsp butter
About ½ cup reserved pasta water

For the cutlet

1 large boneless skinless chicken breast, butterflied and pounded to an even ½ inch
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup panko
¼ cup finely grated Parmesan
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Kosher salt and black pepper
Neutral oil, for the crisper disk

For the sandwich

1 loaf French bread, split lengthwise
Finely grated Parmesan, for layering over the pasta
4 oz burrata
A large handful of arugula
Balsamic glaze
Kosher salt and black pepper

Instructions:

Cook the Rigatoni on Pasta Mode and Save the Water: Add the rigatoni and enough water to sit an inch above it, then run Pasta mode until the noodles are just al dente. Before you drain anything, dip out about ½ cup of the water and park it somewhere you won't knock it over — it's the only thing that will loosen the sauce later without watering down the flavor. Drain the pasta into a bowl and set it aside.
Build the Vodka Sauce in the Same Pot on Steam: Wipe the pot dry, switch to Steam mode, and warm the olive oil with the shallots until they're soft and translucent, then add the garlic for a minute more. Stir in the tomato paste and cook it 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often — this heat won't sear the paste the way a skillet does, so you're watching for the color to go from bright red to brick rather than waiting on a fond. Add the vodka, let it cook off for 2 to 3 minutes, then stir in the room-temperature cream, chili flakes, black pepper, and salt until it's smooth. Finish with the Parmesan and butter, then splash in pasta water until it pours off the spoon in a ribbon.
Split the Sauce Before You Dress the Pasta: Move half the sauce to a bowl and keep it warm — that half is for the sandwich, and if it all goes into the rigatoni now you won't get it back. Fold the drained pasta into the sauce still in the pot, adding more pasta water if it tightens. Set the dressed pasta aside and wipe the pot out again.
Bread the Cutlet in Three Stations: Set out three shallow dishes: flour, beaten eggs, and panko tossed with the Parmesan and Italian seasoning. Season the pounded chicken on both sides, then take it through flour, egg, and panko in that order, pressing the crumbs on hard so they stay put. The even ½-inch thickness is what matters most here — a cutlet that tapers will be dry at the thin end before the thick end is safe to eat.
AirFry the Cutlet on the Crisper Disk: Unplug the multi-cooker base, set the crisper disk into the pot, brush or spray it lightly with oil, and lay the cutlet on it. Fit the AirCrisper lid, plug that in, and run AirFry about 20 minutes, flipping once at the halfway mark. Pull it when the crust is deep golden and the center reads 165°F, and let it rest a few minutes so the crumb sets instead of sliding off when you cut it.
Toast the Loaf and Hollow the Bottom: Split the loaf and toast both halves cut-side up until the surface is dry and lightly browned. Pull the soft interior out of the bottom half and leave the crust as a shell — that trough is what holds the pasta in place, and the toasted surface underneath is the only thing standing between the sauce and a soggy base. Don't hollow the top; you need it sturdy enough to press down.
Layer It in Order and Press the Top On: Pack the dressed rigatoni into the hollowed bottom and shower it with Parmesan, then lay the cutlet over it and spoon the reserved sauce across the chicken. Tear the burrata over the top, pile on the arugula, hit it with balsamic glaze, and finish with salt and pepper. Put the lid on, press down firmly, and cut it into portions with a serrated knife — the arugula wilts fast under all that heat, so this is not a sandwich you build ahead.