Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta (Printable Version)
Tender chicken and sun-dried tomatoes in a rich creamy Parmesan sauce over pasta, ready in 45 minutes.
# 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 extra virgin 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 - Additional 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 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 blend. 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 and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer to a plate and allow to rest for several minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
03 - Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Melt the butter in the same pan, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any caramelized fond left by the chicken. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant and lightly golden.
04 - Stir in the sliced sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1 minute to release their concentrated flavor. Pour in the chicken broth, bringing it to a gentle simmer while scraping the bottom of the skillet to lift all the flavorful browned bits.
05 - Pour in the heavy cream and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese. Let the sauce simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until it coats the back of a spoon. Add the crushed red pepper flakes if desired for a subtle heat.
06 - Return the sliced chicken to the skillet along with the cooked pasta. Toss everything thoroughly to coat each strand or piece in the creamy sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, loosen it with a splash of the reserved pasta water until it reaches the desired consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Serve immediately while hot, garnished with thinly sliced fresh basil and an extra shower of Parmesan cheese.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- The sun dried tomatoes melt into the cream sauce and create this rusty orange color that looks like you spent hours on it.
- It reheats beautifully the next day, which means you can absolutely make it ahead and pretend you just whipped it up.
02 -
- Do not let the sauce boil hard after adding the cream or it will break and look curdled instead of silky.
- Reserving the pasta water is not optional, that starch is what binds the sauce to the pasta when you combine them.
03 -
- Let the chicken rest at least five minutes before slicing so the juices redistribute instead of running out onto your cutting board.
- Grate the Parmesan finely on the smallest holes of your box grater so it dissolves smoothly into the sauce without clumping.