Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta

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

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. I use Grana Padano.

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

Step by step instructions:

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

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.

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.

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.