Chicken Sun Dried Tomato Sauce Pasta Recipe
This is an easy, delicious, and creamy Chicken Sun Dried Tomato Sauce Pasta recipe. It's made with juicy chicken breast, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, broth, milk, and fresh basil. It’s rich, velvety, and full of bold, tangy flavor. A cozy, family-friendly dinner perfect for busy weeknights.
Servings 4 Servings
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ tablespoons Olive Oil I use the oil from the sun dried tomatoes
- 1 pound Chicken Breasts, boneless, skinless
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper to taste
- ½ cup Sun Dried Tomatoes in Oil pureed or finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Garlic, minced
- ½ cup Fresh Basil leaves loosely packed (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 ½ cups Chicken broth or chicken stock
- 1 cup Half and Half or Heavy Cream
- 2 tablespoons Cornstarch
- ¼ Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
- 16 ounces Pasta, dry uncooked
Instructions
Prep Ahead Steps
- Cut your chicken into 1 inch cubes and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Either set to the side or store in the fridge in an airtight bag or container.
- Using a food processor, pulse, then blend to finely mince the sun dried tomatoes. If you want bigger pieces, you can chop with a knife. If your garlic is not already minced, do that now as well. Also finely slice the basil leaves.
Cooking Steps
- Bring a large pot of water up to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and stir so they do not stick together. Bring back to a boil and cook for 7-8 minutes until al dente. Save 1 cup of pasta water, drain the pasta and add it back to the pot and cover while you finish the sauce.
- While the pasta is cooking....Preheat a large skillet/frying pan on medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil ( I use the oil from the tomatoes) and the chicken to the pan and separate the pieces into a single layer and let sear for 4-5 minutes. Then flip the pieces and cook another 3 minutes. Transfer to a clean plate. (Note: they will finish cooking in the sauce in a bit).
- Make the slurry by whisking in the cornstarch into the half and half until it is dissolved. Set aside.
- Turn the heat for the same pan to medium and add another 1 teaspoon of olive oil, add the chopped sun dried tomatoes, minced garlic and most of the basil (reserve some for garnish). Then whisk in the broth. Next, whisk in the cornstarch slurry and let it come up to a simmer, stirring continually as it starts to thicken to prevent lumps (takes about 3-5 minutes).
- Add the chicken pieces back along with any juices on the plate, stir to combine, then cover and cook for a final 3-4 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through with no pink in the center (160F degrees internal temperature).
- Next, mix the parmesan cheese into the sauce and then add the pasta (either add the pasta to the sauce pan or the sauce to the pasta pot, whichever allows enough space to mix). Warm through if needed on the stove over low heat. Then serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Rehydrating Sun dried tomatoes: If your sun dried tomatoes aren’t packed in oil, rehydrate them first by soaking them in hot water for 20-30 minutes until softened. Drain well before chopping and adding them to the sauce.
- Dairy-free Option: You can substitute your favorite unsweetened dairy-free milk, such as oat milk or cashew milk. The sauce may be slightly less rich, but it will still be creamy and flavorful.
