Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken

1 week ago 10

Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken is a rich, flavorful dish with a velvety Parmesan sauce—ready in 35 mins!

A bowl of sun-dried tomato pasta with creamy penne, tender chicken, and fresh basil. The dish is topped with grated cheese, accompanied by a white napkin and a gold-and-white fork.

Flavor Profile: Rich, creamy, and ultra-savory! Juicy chicken meets tangy sun-dried tomatoes in a velvety Parmesan sauce that clings to every bite of pasta. Pure comfort food magic.
Difficulty Level: Easy. Nothing fancy here—just some simple sautéing and stirring. If you can boil pasta, you’ve got this.
Equipment: Large pot, large skillet, tongs, wooden spoon, knife, cutting board, cheese grater, measuring cups.
Top Tip: Undercook your pasta by a couple of minutes! It’ll finish cooking in the sauce, soaking up all that creamy, tomato-y goodness for next-level flavor.
Make-Ahead Note: The sauce can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to two days. Just reheat gently and add a splash of pasta water or cream to bring it back to life.
Time-Saving Hack: Use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken instead of cooking your own. Just shred it up and toss it in at the end for an effortless shortcut.
Ingredient Swap: No half and half? Heavy cream or whole milk will work. No sun-dried tomatoes? Try roasted red peppers for a different but equally delicious vibe.
You may Also Like: If you like this recipe, we think you’ll also love our Tuscan Salmon in Cream Sauce, Easy Shrimp Pasta, and Creamy Tuscan Chicken

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A close-up of a Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta dish featuring creamy penne, tender chunks of chicken, and aromatic basil. The vibrant sun-dried tomatoes add a burst of flavor, while a fork rests casually on the edge of the white bowl.

Let’s Make Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken

This Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken is rich, savory, and packed with flavor! Juicy chicken, tangy sun-dried tomatoes, and a velvety Parmesan cream sauce coat tender pasta for the ultimate comforting meal.

Prep10 minutes

Cook25 minutes

Total35 minutes

Ingredients

▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
▢ 2 lbs boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cubed
▢ 1 onion chopped
▢ ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes drained and chopped
▢ 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste
▢ 3 garlic cloves minced
▢ ¾ cup chicken stock
▢ ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
▢ 1½ cups half and half or whipping cream
▢ 1 pound pasta
▢ 1 tablespoon fresh basil chopped
▢ Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Pat the chicken meat dry with paper towels. Cut it into evenly cut bite-sized pieces and season well with salt and pepper.
In a large pot, start a pot of salted water to cook the pasta.
While waiting for the water to boil, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cubed chicken, seasoned with salt and pepper, and cook until golden brown and thoroughly cooked. Once done, set the chicken aside.
Use the same skillet to sauté the chopped onion until it becomes soft and translucent. Follow this by adding the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, sun-dried tomato paste, and minced garlic, cooking for an additional minute.
Mix in the chicken stock half and half, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine the ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat to low, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to reduce and thicken.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the boiling water, making sure to undercook it by about 2-3 minutes less than the package instructions for al dente pasta. Remember to reserve a cup of the pasta water before draining.
Drain the slightly undercooked pasta and add it directly into the skillet containing the sauce. Mix the pasta well into the sauce, gradually adding the reserved pasta water until the sauce reaches your desired thickness.
Finally, add the cooked chicken back into the skillet, stirring it into the mixture. Allow everything to simmer together for a few minutes until the pasta is fully cooked and has absorbed some of the flavorful sauce (adding pasta water if necessary to loosen).
Taste for seasoning and season the pasta with salt and pepper as needed. Serve right away.

Tips + Notes

Get That Golden Crust! Pat the chicken dry before cooking and don’t overcrowd the pan. This helps it develop that golden, flavorful crust instead of steaming.
Salt Your Pasta Water! It should taste salty like the sea—this is your only chance to season the pasta itself.
Undercook the Pasta! Drain it 2-3 minutes early. It’ll finish cooking in the sauce, absorbing all that creamy, tomato-y goodness.
Reserve That Pasta Water! This starchy liquid is gold for adjusting sauce consistency and making it silky smooth.
Use Freshly Grated Parmesan. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that can make the sauce grainy—grating your own melts beautifully.
Adjust Thickness as Needed. If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of pasta water. Too thin? Let it simmer a little longer.

Step-by-Step Recipe Guide

Check out the step-by-step photos just below the recipe card to guide you every step of the way!
Detailed Instructions⬇️

Nutrition Information:

Nutritional Data Disclaimer

Course:Dinner

Cuisine:Italian

Keyword:Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta, Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken, Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

Why I love This Recipe!

I’m not even kidding when I say I’ve made this Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken more times than I can count. It’s the kind of meal that feels a little fancy but is secretly so easy. Juicy golden chicken, sun-dried tomatoes that bring all the tangy, briny goodness, and a creamy Parmesan sauce that just clings to every bite of pasta.

I wasn’t planning to write this up because, I mean… another creamy pasta recipe? But it keeps happening. And every time I make it, I fall in love with it all over again. It’s cozy, it’s rich, it’s a total weeknight win. So let’s make this happen.

A close-up of a spoon holding rich sun-dried tomato pasta, garnished with grated cheese and herbs, over a pan brimming with this creamy delight. The focus highlights the dish's vibrant textures and colors.

Step By Step Instructions

Alright, let’s make some Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken—a dreamy, rich, and totally satisfying pasta dish that comes together in about 35 minutes.

First up, grab 2 pounds of boneless chicken thighs or breasts and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Pat them dry—this helps them sear beautifully. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Raw, seasoned pieces of chicken with salt and pepper await their turn to transform into deliciousness, perfectly complementing a recipe for sun-dried tomato pasta.

Now, get a large pot of salted water going for your pasta. You’ll want to slightly undercook it, but we’ll get to that later.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and let it cook until golden brown and fully cooked—about 5-7 minutes. Once it’s done, remove it from the pan and set it aside.

Cooked pieces of chicken are sizzling in a frying pan, their browned and slightly crispy surfaces harmonizing perfectly with flavors reminiscent of sun-dried tomato pasta. Small and medium-sized chunks are scattered across the pan’s surface, promising a delicious meal.

Using that same skillet (because hello, flavor!), toss in 1 chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent. Then, add ¼ cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of sun-dried tomato paste, and 3 minced garlic cloves. Let that cook for about a minute—your kitchen will smell AMAZING.

Diced onions and sun-dried tomatoes cooking together for a delicious sun-dried tomato pasta masterpiece.

Now, pour in ¾ cup of chicken stock and stir in 1½ cups of half and half (or heavy cream if you’re feeling extra). Sprinkle in ¾ cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and give it all a good stir. Let this simmer on low for 5-10 minutes to thicken up.

A close-up of a creamy orange soup with visible small chunks of ingredients, possibly spices and herbs, creating a speckled texture reminiscent of sun-dried tomato pasta. The soup is smooth and rich, contained within a circular dish.

While that’s doing its thing, drop 1 pound of pasta into your boiling water. Here’s the trick: undercook it by 2-3 minutes less than the package says. And don’t forget to reserve a cup of pasta water before draining!

Sun-dried tomato pasta drains in a stainless steel colander, the cooked penne perfectly capturing robust flavors against a pristine white background.

Now, bring it all together. Add your undercooked pasta straight into the skillet with the sauce. Stir, then slowly add in that reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce is silky and coats every strand.

Finally, toss the cooked chicken back in, mix it up, and let everything simmer for a few more minutes until the pasta is perfectly tender.

Finish with 1 tablespoon of fresh basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

A pan brimming with creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta features succulent chicken pieces and a garnish of fresh basil. A white spoon rests within, surrounded by small bowls of grated cheese and extra sun-dried tomatoes for your culinary delight.

Erren’s Top Tips

Get That Golden Crust! Pat the chicken dry before cooking and don’t overcrowd the pan. This helps it develop that golden, flavorful crust instead of steaming.
Salt Your Pasta Water! It should taste salty like the sea—this is your only chance to season the pasta itself.
Undercook the Pasta! Drain it 2-3 minutes early. It’ll finish cooking in the sauce, absorbing all that creamy, tomato-y goodness.
Reserve That Pasta Water! This starchy liquid is gold for adjusting sauce consistency and making it silky smooth.
Use Freshly Grated Parmesan. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that can make the sauce grainy—grating your own melts beautifully.
Adjust Thickness as Needed. If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of pasta water. Too thin? Let it simmer a little longer.

A skillet brimming with Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta showcases penne, tender chicken chunks, and sun-kissed tomatoes. A spoon lifts a portion of the creamy delight, the sauce-cloaked pasta garnished with fresh herbs and a sprinkle of grated cheese.

Storage & Freezing Instructions ❄

Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The sauce may thicken, so add a splash of cream or chicken stock when reheating.

Freeze: The sauce freezes well on its own for up to 3 months! Just thaw and reheat gently before tossing with fresh-cooked pasta. Fully assembled pasta dishes with creamy sauces can become grainy when frozen, so it’s best to freeze the sauce separately.

Reheating: Warm on the stove over low heat, stirring in a little extra cream, stock, or pasta water to bring the sauce back to life. If microwaving, heat in short bursts, stirring in between to prevent separation.

FAQs

Can I use a different pasta shape?

Absolutely! Short pasta like penne, rigatoni, or fusilli works great because it holds onto the sauce so well.

What if I don’t have sun-dried tomato paste?

No problem! Just blend a few extra sun-dried tomatoes with a bit of olive oil to make a paste. Regular tomato paste will also work, but you’ll miss that deep, tangy flavor.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes! The sauce can be made 1-2 days in advance and stored in the fridge. Just reheat it gently, adding a little liquid as needed before tossing with freshly cooked pasta.

Can I make this dairy-free?

You can swap the half and half for full-fat coconut milk or a dairy-free cream alternative, and use nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan. The flavor will be slightly different but still creamy and delicious!

How do I prevent my sauce from curdling?

Keep the heat low when adding the cream, and don’t let it boil rapidly. If using a lower-fat substitute, stirring in a bit of flour or cornstarch can help stabilize it.

What protein swaps work instead of chicken?

Shrimp, Italian sausage, or even crispy tofu would all be amazing in this dish!

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