Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta (Print Version)

Juicy chicken and penne in a luscious creamy sun-dried tomato Parmesan sauce perfect for weeknights.

# 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 - 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 - Additional Parmesan cheese for serving

# Directions:

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 before draining. Set the drained pasta 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 Italian seasoning blend, pressing the spices gently into the meat.
03 - Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Place the seasoned chicken breasts in the skillet and cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side until deeply golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
04 - Reduce the heat to medium in the same skillet. Melt the butter, then add the minced garlic. Sauté for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly golden. Add the sliced sun-dried tomatoes and cook for an additional minute to release their concentrated flavor.
05 - Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the caramelized brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Let the sauce simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add the crushed red pepper flakes if desired.
06 - Return the sliced chicken to the skillet along with the cooked 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 seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce clings to every ridge of penne like it was made for each other, and honestly it might have been.
  • It takes less than an hour but eats like something you spent all Sunday afternoon building.
  • That golden sear on the chicken gives you crispy edges while the sauce keeps everything ridiculously juicy.
02 -
  • Do not rush the chicken sear because that golden crust is where half the sauce flavor comes from, learned this after a disappointingly flat batch.
  • Grating Parmesan from a block instead of using the green canister changed everything about how smoothly the sauce comes together.
  • Reserving pasta water is not optional since that starchy liquid is the difference between a sauce that clings and one that pools at the bottom of the bowl.
03 -
  • Let the chicken rest at least five minutes before slicing so the juices redistribute instead of running out onto the cutting board.
  • Adding the Parmesan off the heat or over very low heat prevents it from separating and turning grainy in the cream sauce.

Go Back