Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken breasts cooked in a flavorful sun-dried tomato cream sauce with fresh basil and Parmesan.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 1.5 lbs / 680 g)
02 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Sauce

06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and thinly sliced
08 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 1 cup half-and-half
10 - ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
11 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
12 - 2 cups baby spinach (optional)
13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus extra for garnish

# How-To:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with kosher salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F/74°C). Remove from skillet and set aside.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes to the skillet and sauté for approximately one minute until aromatic.
04 - Pour in chicken broth, stirring to deglaze the pan and loosen browned bits. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes.
05 - Stir in half-and-half, grated Parmesan cheese, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens slightly.
06 - If using, add baby spinach to the sauce and cook until just wilted.
07 - Return chicken breasts along with any accumulated juices to the skillet. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, spooning sauce over chicken to heat through.
08 - Stir in chopped fresh basil. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
09 - Plate immediately, garnishing with extra basil and Parmesan if preferred.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in one skillet, which means less cleanup and more time to actually enjoy dinner.
  • The sauce is rich and tangy without being heavy, thanks to half-and-half instead of cream.
  • You can dress it up for guests or keep it simple on a weeknight, and it works either way.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day.
02 -
  • Do not skip drying the chicken, wet chicken will not brown and you will lose that deep flavor from the sear.
  • Use low-sodium broth because the Parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes already bring salt, and you can always add more but you cannot take it away.
  • Let the sauce simmer gently after adding the half-and-half, high heat can cause it to break or curdle.
03 -
  • If your chicken breasts are thick, pound them to even thickness so they cook evenly and do not dry out on the edges.
  • Save a little pasta water if you are serving this over noodles, it helps the sauce cling and creates a silky finish.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the chicken back in, that is your chance to adjust salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes without guessing later.
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