Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta (Printer View)

Tender chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and penne tossed in a rich, garlicky cream sauce. Ready in 40 minutes.

# What you'll need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne pasta

→ Chicken

02 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 14 oz), cut into bite-sized strips
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
05 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

→ Sauce

06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil (preferably from sun-dried tomatoes jar)
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 3.5 oz sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, sliced
09 - 1 cup heavy cream
10 - 1/4 cup chicken broth
11 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
13 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

14 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped
15 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese

# Method:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
02 - Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and Italian herbs.
03 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until golden and cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
04 - Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Sauté garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1 minute.
06 - Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth. Bring to a gentle simmer, scraping any browned bits from the pan.
07 - Add Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes if using. Stir until cheese melts and sauce thickens slightly, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
08 - Return cooked chicken to the skillet and toss to coat in the sauce.
09 - Add cooked penne to the skillet and toss everything together. If sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water splash by splash until desired consistency is reached.
10 - Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil or parsley and extra Parmesan.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in under 40 minutes, so you can have a restaurant-worthy dinner on the table before anyone gets too hungry.
  • The sun-dried tomatoes give it a sweet, concentrated burst that cuts through the richness of the cream.
  • It reheats beautifully the next day, which means you can actually enjoy leftovers without regret.
  • You only need one skillet after the pasta boils, so cleanup is surprisingly painless.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, it has starch that helps the sauce cling to the noodles instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Cook the chicken in batches if your skillet is crowded, overcrowding steams it instead of searing and you lose that golden crust.
  • Let the sauce simmer gently, not boil hard, or the cream can break and turn grainy.
  • Taste before you serve because the saltiness of Parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes varies by brand.
03 -
  • Slice the chicken against the grain so it stays tender and doesn't turn chewy.
  • Use a large skillet with high sides, it makes tossing the pasta so much easier and keeps the sauce from splashing everywhere.
  • Grate your own Parmesan instead of buying pre-shredded, it melts smoother and tastes sharper.
  • If you like things spicy, bump up the red pepper flakes or add a pinch of cayenne to the chicken seasoning.
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