Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta (Printable Version)
Tender chicken and penne in a creamy sun-dried tomato Parmesan sauce, 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 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 (about 3.5 ounces)
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 & Serving
13 - Fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced, for garnish
14 - Extra 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 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 until shimmering. Sear the chicken breasts for 5 to 6 minutes per side until deeply golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing into thin strips.
03 - Reduce the heat under the same skillet to medium. Melt the butter, then add the minced garlic. Sauté, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly golden, about 1 minute, being careful not to let it brown.
04 - Add the drained and sliced sun-dried tomatoes to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute to allow the tomatoes to soften and release their oils into the butter.
05 - Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any fond caramelized on the bottom of the skillet. Let the broth reduce slightly for about 2 minutes.
06 - Stir in the heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add the crushed red pepper flakes if desired. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Return the sliced chicken to the skillet along with the cooked pasta. Toss everything together until the pasta and chicken are evenly coated in the creamy sauce. If the sauce is too thick, loosen it with a splash of the reserved pasta water. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil and additional Parmesan cheese.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in one pan and tastes like you spent three hours on it, not fifteen minutes.
- Sun-dried tomatoes bring a tangy sweetness that cuts through the cream in a way that keeps you going back for bite after bite.
- It reheats beautifully the next day, which means you get two nights of dinner from one effort.
02 -
- The sauce will continue to thicken off the heat, so pull it from the stove when it looks slightly thinner than you want it.
- Slicing the chicken after it rests instead of before keeps every piece juicy and prevents it from drying out in the sauce.
03 -
- Grate your Parmesan as finely as possible and add it off the heat for the smoothest, silkiest sauce consistency.
- Do not skip resting the chicken, because cutting into it immediately means losing all those juices right into the cutting board instead of into your sauce.