This creamy sun-dried tomato chicken pasta is a perfect cozy pasta recipe for a comforting dinner.
It’s the kind of meal that feels special enough for a date night in, yet it’s simple enough for a busy weeknight. The rich, savory flavors of sun-dried tomatoes combined with tender chicken and a luscious cream sauce create a dish that everyone will adore.
Get ready to transform simple ingredients into a truly memorable meal. This recipe is designed to be straightforward, ensuring you can achieve restaurant-quality taste right in your own kitchen without any fuss. It’s a true “marry me” pasta that will have your family asking for seconds!
Table of Contents
- What You’ll Love About This Quick And Easy Recipe
- Everything You Need To Make This Recipe Without Stress
- Time Needed From Start To Finish
- How To Make It Step By Step With Visual Cues
- Easy Variations And Serving Ideas That Fit Real Life
- Common Slip-Ups And How To Avoid Them
- How To Store It And Make It Ahead Without Ruining Texture
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This creamy sun-dried tomato chicken pasta is a perfect cozy pasta recipe for a comforting dinner. It’s the kind of meal that feels special enough for a date night in, yet it’s simple enough for a busy weeknight. The rich, savory flavors of sun-dried tomatoes combined with tender chicken and a luscious cream sauce create a dish that everyone will adore.
Ingredients
Instructions
1. 1. Prepare the Chicken: Slice the boneless, skinless chicken breasts horizontally into thinner cutlets, about 1/2-inch thick. This helps them cook faster and more evenly. Pat them dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle this seasoning mixture generously over both sides of the chicken cutlets.
2. 2. Cook the Chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the seasoned chicken. Cook for 4-6 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165 F). Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside on a cutting board. Once slightly cooled, slice or chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
3. 3. Cook the Pasta: While the chicken is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the fettuccine or penne pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente (firm to the bite). Before draining, reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the rest of the pasta and set aside.
4. 4. Saute Aromatics: In the same skillet used for the chicken, reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Saute for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant and lightly golden. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
5. 5. Build the Cream Sauce: Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth into the skillet. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. Let it simmer for 3-5 minutes, or until the sauce slightly thickens. It should coat the back of a spoon.
6. 6. Combine and Finish: Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until it melts into the sauce and creates a smooth consistency. Add the cooked and sliced chicken pieces back into the skillet with the sauce. Add the drained pasta and toss everything together until the pasta and chicken are well coated in the creamy sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta cooking water until it reaches your desired consistency.
7. 7. Serve with Garnish: Serve immediately in shallow bowls. Garnish each serving generously with fresh chopped basil and additional grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: main dish
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: italian-american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
Keywords: chicken pasta, creamy pasta, sun-dried tomato, weeknight dinner, easy pasta, comfort food, italian inspired, quick meal, family friendly, date night
What You’ll Love About This Quick And Easy Recipe
This creamy sun-dried tomato chicken pasta is a winner for so many reasons, making it an ideal choice for almost any occasion. First and foremost, it’s incredibly flavorful. The sun-dried tomatoes bring a concentrated sweetness and tang that perfectly complements the savory chicken and rich cream sauce. It’s a sophisticated flavor profile that appeals to adults, but it’s also mild enough that even picky eaters tend to enjoy it.
It’s also remarkably quick and easy to prepare. You can have a delicious, homemade dinner on the table in under 30 minutes, which is a huge bonus on busy weeknights. This recipe is perfect for families looking for a comforting meal without spending hours in the kitchen, or for couples wanting a cozy date night dinner that feels indulgent but doesn’t require complex cooking skills. It’s a fantastic option when you want to impress without the stress, offering a satisfying and hearty meal that truly warms the soul.
Everything You Need To Make This Recipe Without Stress
Gathering your ingredients before you start cooking is the first step to a smooth and enjoyable cooking experience. This recipe uses readily available items that you might already have in your pantry or can easily find at any grocery store. The beauty of this dish lies in its simplicity and the way a few key ingredients come together to create something truly extraordinary.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 8 ounces fettuccine or penne pasta
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped, for garnish
For the chicken, boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be used instead of breasts if you prefer a slightly richer flavor and more tender texture. Just be sure to cook them through. If you don’t have fresh garlic, you can use an additional 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, but fresh always offers the best flavor. Any short pasta shape like penne, rigatoni, or even rotini will work well if you don’t have fettuccine on hand. For a lighter sauce, you can substitute half-and-half for some of the heavy cream, but note that the sauce won’t be as rich.
Time Needed From Start To Finish
One of the best features of this creamy sun-dried tomato chicken pasta is how quickly it comes together, making it an ideal choice for busy evenings.
Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Total time: 30 minutes
This timeline assumes you’re multitasking a bit, cooking the pasta while the chicken is browning and the sauce is simmering. With a little organization, you can have this delicious meal on the table in about half an hour!
How To Make It Step By Step With Visual Cues
Creating this delicious pasta dish is straightforward, even for beginner cooks. Follow these steps for a perfect meal every time.
- Prepare the Chicken: Slice the boneless, skinless chicken breasts horizontally into thinner cutlets, about 1/2-inch thick. This helps them cook faster and more evenly. Pat them dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle this seasoning mixture generously over both sides of the chicken cutlets.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the seasoned chicken. Cook for 4-6 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F). Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside on a cutting board. Once slightly cooled, slice or chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Cook the Pasta: While the chicken is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the fettuccine or penne pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente (firm to the bite). Before draining, reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the rest of the pasta and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: In the same skillet used for the chicken, reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant and lightly golden. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
- Build the Cream Sauce: Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth into the skillet. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. Let it simmer for 3-5 minutes, or until the sauce slightly thickens. It should coat the back of a spoon.
- Combine and Finish: Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until it melts into the sauce and creates a smooth consistency. Add the cooked and sliced chicken pieces back into the skillet with the sauce. Add the drained pasta and toss everything together until the pasta and chicken are well coated in the creamy sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta cooking water until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Serve with Garnish: Serve immediately in shallow bowls. Garnish each serving generously with fresh chopped basil and additional grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Easy Variations And Serving Ideas That Fit Real Life
This creamy sun-dried tomato chicken pasta is wonderfully versatile and can be adapted to suit different tastes and occasions.
For a vegetarian twist, you can omit the chicken entirely and add sautéed mushrooms, spinach, or roasted red peppers. These vegetables absorb the creamy sauce beautifully and add their own unique flavors. If you want to add more greens, a handful of fresh spinach can be stirred into the sauce during the last minute of cooking; it will wilt perfectly into the dish. To make it kid-friendly, you might want to use a fun pasta shape like rotini or farfalle, and perhaps chop the sun-dried tomatoes very finely, or even blend a small amount into the sauce to hide them for picky eaters. You can also reduce the amount of garlic slightly if your children are sensitive to strong flavors.
This dish is fantastic on its own, but it also pairs wonderfully with a simple side salad dressed with a light vinaigrette. A crusty baguette or garlic bread is also a must-have for soaking up every last bit of that delicious creamy sauce. For a more elegant presentation, consider serving it in individual pasta bowls with a sprig of fresh basil. It’s perfect for a cozy dinner at home, a casual get-together with friends, or even as a comforting meal prep option for lunches throughout the week.
Common Slip-Ups And How To Avoid Them
Even simple recipes can have a few pitfalls. Knowing what to watch out for can help you achieve perfect results every time with this creamy sun-dried tomato chicken pasta.
One common mistake is overcooking the chicken. Chicken breasts can dry out quickly, becoming tough and stringy. To avoid this, slice them into even thickness (about 1/2 inch) so they cook uniformly, and use a meat thermometer to ensure they reach 165°F and then remove them from the heat immediately. Another slip-up is burning the garlic. Minced garlic cooks very quickly, especially in a hot pan. Keep the heat at medium and stir constantly for just 1-2 minutes until fragrant, not brown. Burnt garlic tastes bitter and can ruin the sauce.
Not salting the pasta water is another frequent error. Salting the water generously seasons the pasta from the inside out, making a huge difference in the final flavor of the dish. The water should taste like the ocean. Lastly, over-reducing the sauce can make it too thick and cloying. Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, and watch its consistency. If it gets too thick, you can always thin it out with a splash of reserved pasta water or chicken broth. Conversely, if your sauce isn’t thickening, ensure you’re using heavy cream, as lighter creams may not reduce as effectively, and allow it to simmer for a few extra minutes.
How To Store It And Make It Ahead Without Ruining Texture
This creamy sun-dried tomato chicken pasta is best enjoyed fresh, but it stores and reheats quite well with a few considerations.
To store leftovers, allow the pasta to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It
FAQs
- Can I make these ahead? Yes—prep ahead, refrigerate, then serve when ready.
- How long do leftovers last? Store covered in the fridge for 3–4 days for best texture.
- Can I adjust sweetness? Yes—add more or less sweetener to taste.
- Can I change the fruit? Yes—swap strawberries for blueberries, raspberries, or sliced banana.
