Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta (Printable Version)
Juicy chicken and al dente pasta coated in a velvety sun-dried tomato cream sauce with Parmesan and fresh basil.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tsp salt
03 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
04 - 1 tsp garlic powder
05 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Pasta
07 - 12 oz penne or fettuccine
→ Sauce
08 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
09 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 3.5 oz sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and thinly sliced
11 - 1 cup heavy cream
12 - 1/2 cup chicken broth
13 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
14 - 1 tsp Italian seasoning
15 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
16 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
17 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
18 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese
# How to Make It:
01 - Pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides evenly with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 5–6 minutes per side until a deep golden crust forms and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a plate and let rest.
02 - While the chicken rests, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
03 - In the same skillet used for the chicken, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the sliced sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes, allowing the oils to release.
04 - Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Add the Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir continuously until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, 2–3 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
05 - Slice the rested chicken into strips. Add the drained pasta and sliced chicken back into the skillet, tossing everything together so the sauce clings to every strand. Splash in the reserved pasta water a little at a time if the sauce needs loosening. Serve immediately, topped with fresh basil and extra Parmesan.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- That sun dried tomato cream sauce tastes like something you would pay twenty eight dollars for at a candlelit restaurant, but it comes together in your own kitchen with almost no fuss.
- The chicken stays incredibly juicy because it finishes cooking in the sauce, so you never have to worry about dry breasts ruining the whole plate.
02 -
- If the sauce looks broken or greasy when you add the cheese, take the pan off the heat entirely and stir vigorously because it usually comes back together.
- Do not skip resting the chicken after searing because cutting into it immediately lets all the juices run out onto the board instead of staying inside the meat where they belong.
03 -
- Let the chicken rest at room temperature for fifteen minutes before searing so it cooks evenly instead of being cold in the center.
- The single biggest secret is using that reserved pasta water because the starch emulsifies the sauce in a way nothing else can replicate.