Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta (Print View)
Tender chicken and sun-dried tomatoes in a luscious cream sauce over penne, ready in 45 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken & Seasoning
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
03 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
→ Pasta
05 - 12 ounces penne or fettuccine pasta
→ Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and sliced
09 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1 cup heavy cream
11 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
12 - 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
→ Garnish
13 - Fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
14 - Extra Parmesan cheese for serving
# How-To Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta and set it aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and the Italian seasoning blend.
03 - Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place the seasoned chicken breasts in the skillet and cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side, until deeply golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing into thin strips.
04 - Reduce the heat to medium in the same skillet. Melt the butter, then add the minced garlic. Sauté for about 1 minute, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly golden.
05 - Add the sliced sun-dried tomatoes to the skillet and cook for 1 minute, stirring to combine. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
06 - Stir in the heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese. Let the sauce simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add the crushed red pepper flakes if desired for a subtle kick of heat.
07 - Return the sliced chicken to the skillet along with the drained pasta. Toss everything together thoroughly so the sauce coats each piece of pasta and chicken evenly. If the sauce feels too thick, loosen it with a splash of the reserved pasta water.
08 - Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately in warm bowls, garnished with fresh sliced basil and an extra shower of Parmesan cheese.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in one pan and tastes like you spent hours reducing it, even though it takes barely ten minutes.
- Sun dried tomatoes give you this deep, concentrated sweetness that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is.
- It reheats beautifully the next day, which means lunch at your desk suddenly feels like a proper meal.
02 -
- Do not move the chicken around while it sears, because patience is what gives you that golden crust and the fond that flavors the entire sauce.
- Adding the Parmesan off the heat or just barely simmering prevents it from separating into grainy clumps.
- The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits, so slightly looser than you want is better than too stiff.
03 -
- Let the chicken come to room temperature for about fifteen minutes before searing so it cooks evenly from edge to center.
- Grating Parmesan on the finest holes of your box grater makes it melt seamlessly into the sauce without any grainy texture.