• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
It's Not Complicated Recipes
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Blog
  • About
  • Kitchen Tips
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Blog
  • About
  • Kitchen Tips
  • Subscribe
  • Get in touch
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Pasta Dishes » Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta

    Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta

    Published: Apr 26, 2022 · Modified: Jun 2, 2022 by Alexandra Cook

    For the full recipe including quantities and method, click the "jump to recipe" button, or scroll through and read our helpful tips along the way.

    88 shares
    Jump to Recipe Leave Review

    Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta is the best kind of comfort food! A simple, flavoursome sauce of sun-dried tomatoes, cream, garlic and fresh basil is combined with grilled chicken and al dente pasta. Finished with Parmesan cheese, this dish is ideal for an easy dinner and perfect for entertaining.

    Round black dish of pasta garnished with basil, with a grey cloth on the edge.
    Jump to:
    • Why you’ll love this recipe:
    • Ingredients in this recipe:
    • How to Make Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta:
    • Tips for success and FAQs:
    • Variations and substitutions:
    • Serving Suggestions:
    • More delicious recipes for you to try:
    • Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato and Chicken Pasta
    Star

    Why you’ll love this recipe:

    Inspired by a favourite dish from my teenage years, this Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta is one of my favourite simple dinners to prepare. I have adapted this recipe from an Italian Pasta Shop I worked at for 7 years when I was younger.

    Simple, quality ingredients combine for a dish that is so comforting with the best flavours.

    This easy dinner is family-friendly and can be on the table in 30 minutes.

    You will love this Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta because:

    • It is simple, but ideal for entertaining.
    • It’s fast, it’s easy and it tastes great.
    • There is a perfect blend of flavours. 
    • It is a hearty dish.
    • It is flexible – I cook chicken breast up for this recipe, but you could also use tenderloins or even shredded roast chicken.

    Ingredients in this recipe:

    Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.

    Ingredients in this recipe on a white background.

    Fusilli pasta – we use dried spiral pasta for this dish, but any short pasta of your choice will work well. I like to choose a pasta shape that holds the sauce well. Be sure to reserve some of the pasta water before draining.

    Chicken breasts – I use chicken breasts that are sliced in half prior to cooking. You could also use chicken tenderloins.

    Extra virgin olive oil – for the best flavour. We use the oil for cooking the chicken and starting the sauce.

    Garlic – fresh garlic is best for this recipe.

    Spring onions – also known as green onions or scallions, add a delicious flavour base to the dish along with the garlic.

    Thickened cream – also known as heavy cream or whipping cream. It has a minimum milk fat content of 35%.  

    Sun-dried tomatoes – I recommend using those that come in oil. We drain them prior to adding, but you can use the oil in the sauce if you prefer.

    Dried oregano, fresh basil and chilli flakes – the combination of the herbs with some red chilli flakes adds fantastic seasoning to the dish. Adjust the level of heat to your liking! The fresh basil also works well as a garnish when serving.

    Parmesan cheese – brings the creamy sauce together.

    Salt and pepper – we use sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper. Seasoning the dish to your taste will deliver the best result.

    Round black dish of pasta garnished with basil, with a grey cloth on the edge.

    How to Make Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta:

    Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.

    Steps 1-2 of preparing this recipe - cutting the chicken breasts in half and preparing the sauce in a frying pan.

    1 – Boil the pasta and prepare and cook the chicken:
    In a large saucepan of salted boiling water, cook your pasta until just al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water prior to draining. Drain and set the pasta aside.
    Slice each chicken breast in half so you have four even cutlets. Season with salt and pepper. In a large frying pan, add a little olive oil. Heat the pan to medium-high and add your chicken. Cook for 3 minutes on each side, or until just cooked through. Set aside to rest.

    2 – Prepare the sauce:
    To the same frying pan that you cooked the chicken in, add the extra olive oil and the garlic and spring onion. Cook for 1-2 minutes, being careful to not burn the garlic. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, cream, dried oregano and red chilli pepper flakes. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.

    Steps 3-4 of preparing this recipe - slicing the cooked chicken and finishing the pasta sauce with Parmesan cheese.

    3 – Slice the cooked chicken:
    When you are ready to add the chicken to the sauce, slice the chicken on an angle – about 1 cm/0.5 inch pieces.

    4 – Finish the sauce:
    Add in the Parmesan cheese, and stir to allow it to melt into the sauce. Return the chicken, any of the chicken resting juices, and pasta to the pan. Add the fresh basil. Mix well, adding in the reserved pasta water if needed. Check that the seasoning is to your liking. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan cheese and basil to garnish.

    Wooden spoon holding up a scoop of pasta, with the dish of pasta in the background.

    Tips for success and FAQs:

    My Creamy Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta is a very simple to prepare dish. For the best results, I recommend having all of the elements prepared before you start cooking.

    Can I make this gluten-free?

    This dish works perfectly using gluten-free pasta. Like all pasta, be sure to only cook it until al dente for the best texture. Check the labels of the other ingredients to ensure they are gluten-free.

    Can I make the Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta in advance?

    This is a pasta dish that is best served immediately. Further, this is not a great dish for reheating – the texture of the sauce will be different, and the chicken may dry out when reheated.

    Should I rinse the cooked pasta under cold water?

    No, please don’t rinse the pasta. You will wash away all the starch and it’s the starch that helps the sauce adhere to the fusilli. You will also wash away the pasta flavour.

    Star

    Variations and substitutions:

    Chicken – breast or tenderloin works well in this recipe. You could also use shredded rotisserie chicken.

    Herbs – if you can’t find fresh basil, use a little dried basil and garnish with fresh parsley.

    Pasta – any short pasta of your choice will work well. Choose a pasta shape that holds the sauce well.

    Sun-dried tomatoes – if you are unable to source tomatoes in oil, you may find it necessary to rehydrate the dried tomatoes in some warm water prior to adding them to the sauce.

    Serve of pasta in a round grey bowl, garnished with fresh basil.

    Serving Suggestions:

    This Chicken Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta is a complete meal on its own but works so well alongside a fresh salad, such as our:

    • Rocket and Pear Salad
    • Kale and Apple Slaw
    • Tomato and Onion Salad

    Or serve with our Easy Spelt Focaccia.

    This simple pasta recipe is so full of flavour and so simple to prepare. I hope you’ll enjoy this delicious recipe, and that it will become a family favourite for you, as it is in our household.

    Alex xx

    More delicious recipes for you to try:

    • Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake
    • Creamy Prawn Linguine
    • Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta
    • Baked Tuna Pasta Shells

    Stay in touch!
    Follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram and subscribe to my newsletter.

    Round black dish of pasta garnished with basil.

    Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato and Chicken Pasta

    Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta is the best kind of comfort food! A simple, flavoursome sauce of sun-dried tomatoes, cream, garlic and fresh basil is combined with grilled chicken and al dente pasta. Finished with Parmesan cheese, this dish is ideal for an easy dinner and perfect for entertaining.
    5 from 52 votes
    Print Pin Review
    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: Italian Inspired
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 775kcal
    Author: Alexandra Cook – It’s Not Complicated Recipes

    Ingredients

    • 280 g (9.8 oz) dried fusilli pasta See Note 1

    Chicken:

    • 400 g (14 oz) boneless skinless chicken breasts – approximately 2 medium-sized breasts
    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil See Note 2
    • sea salt and black pepper

    Sauce:

    • 2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
    • 3 cloves garlic – minced
    • 2 spring onions/scallions– finely chopped
    • ¾ cup (115 g) sun-dried tomatoes in oil – drained, finely sliced
    • 1 ¼ cups (300 ml) thickened/heavy cream See Note 3
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • ¼ teaspoon red chilli pepper flakes – or to taste
    • ¼ cup fresh basil leaves – roughly chopped
    • ½ cup (45 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese See Note 4
    • sea salt and black pepper – to taste See Note 5
    • ½ cup pasta water – reserve before draining pasta – you may not need to use any/all See Note 6

    Recipe Measurements:

    For accuracy, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results.

    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    For the Pasta:

    • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until just al dente in salted boiling water.
      Reserve ½ cup of pasta water. Drain pasta and set aside.

    For the Chicken:

    • Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally so you have four even cutlets. Season with salt and pepper.
    • In a large frying pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Heat the pan to medium-high and add your chicken.
      Cook for 3 minutes on each side, or until just cooked through. Set aside to rest.
    • When ready to add to the sauce, slice the chicken on an angle – about 1 cm/0.5 inch pieces. Add any of the resting juices to the sauce.

    For the Sauce:

    • To the same frying pan that you cooked the chicken in, add the extra olive oil and the garlic and spring onion.
      Cook for 1-2 minutes, being careful to not burn the garlic.
    • Add the sun-dried tomatoes, cream, dried oregano and red chilli pepper flakes. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
    • Add in the Parmesan cheese, and stir to allow it to melt into the sauce.
      Return the chicken, any of the chicken resting juices, and pasta to the pan. Add the fresh basil. Mix well, adding in the reserved pasta water if needed.
    • Check that the seasoning is to your liking.
      Serve immediately with additional Parmesan cheese and basil to garnish.

    Notes

    1. Pasta: use a short pasta of your choice. A tubular pasta, such as rigatoni or penne is also a good choice as the sauce becomes trapped in the tubes. 
    2. Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20ml/4 teaspoons.
    3. Thickened cream: also known as heavy cream or whipping cream, it has a minimum milk fat content of 35%.
    4. Parmesan: use good quality, freshly grated Parmesan. I like Grana Padano.
    5. Seasoning: adjust the seasoning to your liking – we recommend using freshly ground black pepper and sea salt flakes for the best flavour.
    6. Pasta water: before draining the pasta, reserve ½ cup of the cooking water in case you need to thin the sauce out.

    Nutrition Estimate:

    Calories: 775kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 157mg | Sodium: 399mg | Potassium: 970mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Calcium: 246mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Please rate and leave a comment!
    Nutritional Disclaimer:

    The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.

    « No-Churn Lime Ice Cream
    Quinoa Vegetable Soup »
    88 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Addison

      October 04, 2022 at 4:43 pm

      5 stars
      This sun dried tomato sauce is so good! I’ve made this several times now and just recently added a spoonful of leftover pesto sauce to the pasta. It was amazing and tasted even better than any pasta we’ve ever had in a restaurant. It’s now in our regular rotation of meals!

      Reply
      • Alexandra

        October 04, 2022 at 5:44 pm

        Hi Addison, I am delighted to hear that you enjoy the Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta and have made it several times. Adding some leftover pesto sounds like a great idea. Thank you for your feedback. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Karen

      May 19, 2022 at 9:32 am

      5 stars
      Yum! I had some sun-dried tomatoes leftover from another recipe and was happy to find this recipe when searching how to use them up. It was absolutely incredible and my entire family licked their plates clean. I followed everything as written except used a different shape noodle (same size) and it was perfect. Thanks for sharing this delicious new favorite!

      Reply
      • Alexandra

        May 24, 2022 at 5:52 pm

        Hi Karen, I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed our Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta. It’s always good when the entire family enjoys a meal! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Jamie

      May 16, 2022 at 6:36 am

      5 stars
      I don’t normally leave comments on recipes but this was too delicious not to! The sun dried tomato sauce was fantastic and had the perfect balance of flavors. It was creamy and savory and you can really taste the tomatoes. I used bow tie pasta and garnished with some chopped parsley. Amazing!

      Reply
      • Alexandra

        May 24, 2022 at 6:06 pm

        Hi Jamie, thank you so much for your fantastic comments on our Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta. I am so happy that you enjoyed it. 🙂

        Reply
    4. Deanna

      May 14, 2022 at 4:18 am

      5 stars
      Oh my goodness, this dish is fantastic. So much flavour, so easy to prepare, just so good! Tastes like pasta I’d get from a restaurant. We had it with salad and it was a perfect dinner.

      Reply
      • Alexandra

        May 24, 2022 at 6:17 pm

        Hi Deanna, I am delighted that you enjoyed our Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta. Thank you so much for letting me know. 🙂

        Reply
    5. Lidia

      May 03, 2022 at 7:56 am

      5 stars
      This reminds me of a pasta dish my husband gets when we eat out but this version is so much better! The sun dried tomatoes are fantastic in this and I’m so glad I bought a big jar of it. This is going into our regular rotation of recipes!

      Reply
      • Alexandra

        May 08, 2022 at 3:33 pm

        Hi Lidia, I am delighted that you and your husband enjoyed our Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta. Thank you so much for letting me know. 🙂

        Reply
    6. Lucas

      May 02, 2022 at 6:43 pm

      5 stars
      Wow! This Chicken pasta is perfect and so delish!

      Reply
      • Alexandra

        May 08, 2022 at 3:35 pm

        Hi Lucas, I am so pleased that you enjoyed this pasta dish and appreciate that you let me know. 🙂

        Reply

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Hello!

    I’m Alex.

    I am a full-time blogger, passionate foodie and writer who loves to travel.

    Welcome to It’s Not Complicated Recipes!

    My blog reflects my approach to cooking. I like it to be simple, easily prepared and delicious. learn more about me here →

    Find A Recipe

    Popular Recipes

    • Up close shot of small pot of sauce, sitting on a saucer with a spoon on the side. Sweet Chilli Sauce
    • Jar of jam, sitting on a board, with a spoon and a dollop of jam on the edge. Easy Plum Jam
    • Small white bowl of pickled ginger. Easy Pickled Ginger (Gari)
    • three jars of chillies, with a gold spoon at front, some whole red chillies to the side and some bruschetta in the background. Preserved Chillies in Oil

    Seasonal Recipes

    Pinwheels sitting on a round white plate.

    Cinnamon Apple Pinwheels

    Overhead shot of baked pasta dish, sitting on dark grey cloth.

    Pumpkin and Ricotta Stuffed Pasta Shells

    four doughnuts sitting on bench, surrounded by some sprinkling of pumpkin spice, with a white cloth and green jug in the background.

    Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts – Gluten-Free

    small flat stone bowl of mixed pumpkin spice, with a small wooden spoon on a grey cloth napkin.

    Homemade Pumpkin Spice Mix

    free e-book at itsnotcomplicatedrecipes.com

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Our Story
    • Recipes
    • Blog

    Disclaimers

    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Policy (GDPR)
    • Cookie Policy
    • Terms Of Use

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Subscribe

    COPYRIGHT © 2023 · IT'S NOT COMPLICATED RECIPES | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

    88 shares