Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta (Printable)
Juicy chicken and sun-dried tomatoes in a rich, velvety cream sauce tossed with tender pasta for an unforgettable weeknight meal.
# 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
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, for garnish
14 - Extra Parmesan cheese, for serving
# How-To:
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. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water, and set aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides evenly with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and Italian seasoning. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer to a plate and rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
03 - Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Melt the butter, then add the minced garlic. Sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant and lightly golden, being careful not to let it brown.
04 - Stir in the sliced sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1 minute to release their flavor. 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.
05 - Pour in the heavy cream and add the grated Parmesan cheese, stirring constantly until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Stir in the crushed red pepper flakes if desired.
06 - Return the sliced chicken to the skillet along with the drained pasta. Toss everything together until evenly coated in the creamy sauce. If the sauce is too thick, loosen it with a splash of the reserved pasta water. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil and additional Parmesan.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in one skillet and tastes like you spent three hours hovering over the stove.
- It converts even the pickiest eaters at your table into loyal fans who will text you the next day asking for the recipe.
02 -
- If you add the Parmesan while the heat is too high it will clump into stringy bits instead of melting smoothly into the cream.
- The sauce thickens significantly as it sits off the heat, so pull it from the stove when it looks slightly thinner than you want.
03 -
- Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels before seasoning or it will steam instead of sear and you will lose that gorgeous crust.
- Warm your heavy cream slightly before adding it to the hot skillet to prevent the sauce from breaking or looking curdled.