Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken (Printer-Friendly)
Juicy seared chicken and penne tossed in a luscious sun-dried tomato cream sauce. Comforting, rich, and ready in 45 minutes.
# What You’ll 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 Sauce
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - ⅔ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and sliced
09 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1 cup heavy cream
11 - ½ 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 Make It:
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 ½ cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides generously 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 a deep golden crust forms and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a plate and let rest for several minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
03 - Reduce the heat to medium. In the same skillet with the rendered fond, melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and 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 concentrated flavor. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan.
05 - Pour in the heavy cream and add the freshly grated Parmesan cheese, stirring constantly until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth. Let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until it thickens enough to coat 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 feels too thick, loosen it with a splash of the reserved pasta water. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil and additional Parmesan.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in one pan with all those gorgeous browned bits from the chicken becoming liquid gold.
- Sun dried tomatoes bring a tangy sweetness that cuts through the cream in the most satisfying way.
- It genuinely tastes like something you would order at a restaurant but you made it in your kitchen in slippers.
02 -
- Do not move the chicken around while it sears because patience is what creates that golden crust and those flavorful brown bits.
- Grating your own Parmesan from a block instead of using pre shredded makes the difference between a silky sauce and a gritty one.
- Letting the chicken rest before slicing keeps all those juices inside rather than running out onto your cutting board.
03 -
- Always salt your pasta water until it tastes like the sea because that is your one chance to season the pasta itself.
- The secret to a smooth sauce is adding the cream off the heat for just a moment then returning it to the burner so it never separates or breaks.