Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken (Printable)

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

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)
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 Steps:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry and season both sides with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; sear chicken for 4–5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through (internal temp 165°F). Remove and set aside.
03 - Reduce heat to medium; add minced garlic and sliced sun-dried tomatoes to the skillet, sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour in chicken broth, stirring to loosen browned bits, then simmer for 2–3 minutes.
05 - Stir in half-and-half, Parmesan, and red pepper flakes; cook 2–3 minutes, stirring until sauce thickens slightly.
06 - Add baby spinach if using; cook until just wilted.
07 - Return chicken to skillet with any accumulated juices; simmer 2–3 minutes, spooning sauce over chicken until heated through.
08 - Stir in chopped fresh basil, adjust seasoning as needed before serving.
09 - Plate chicken hot, garnished with extra basil and Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The sauce is so silky and elegant that guests always assume you spent way more time than you actually did.
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, so you can have a fancy dinner on even your most exhausted weeknights.
  • The combination of tangy sun-dried tomatoes and creamy richness somehow feels both comforting and impressive.
02 -
  • The chicken will continue to cook slightly after you remove it, so don't panic if it's not quite 165°F when you pull it from the pan—it will get there in the residual heat.
  • If your sauce looks separated or breaks, remove it from heat immediately and whisk in a splash of cold broth to bring it back together.
  • Basil added too early loses all its brightness, so save it for the very last moment.
03 -
  • Don't crowd the pan when searing chicken—if your skillet is small, work in batches so each breast gets proper contact with the hot surface and develops color.
  • Buy sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil rather than the dried ones; they hydrate instantly and save you a step, plus that oil is pure flavor to use in your sauce.
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