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This Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken delivers tender chicken in a rich, velvety cream sauce with deep, tangy sweetness. It’s restaurant-level impressive but surprisingly simple to pull off in your own kitchen. The sauce clings to every piece of chicken and is perfect with crusty bread or pasta.

If you're looking for the perfect Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken, you're in the right place. Whether you love Dinner Ideas or want to explore our Chicken collection, we've got you covered.

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Why You’ll Love This Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken

Incredibly flavorful: Sun-dried tomatoes infuse the entire dish with intense, sweet-tart essence.
Pure comfort texture: Juicy seared chicken in a luxuriously creamy, smooth sauce.
Deceptively easy: Straightforward one-pan process using mostly pantry staples.
Incredibly versatile: Serve over pasta, potatoes, rice, or with crusty bread.

Ingredients & Tools

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
1 tsp each salt and black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup (about 75g) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and roughly chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup (120ml) chicken broth
1 cup (240ml) heavy cream (or half-and-half for a lighter version)
1/2 cup (50g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped, plus more for garnish

Tools: A large skillet (cast iron or stainless steel works great), tongs, a microplane or box grater for the Parmesan.

Notes: Using sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil makes a difference—they’re more plump and flavorful, and the oil is liquid gold for starting your sauce.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories:	520 kcal
Protein:	42 g
Fat:	32 g
Carbs:	14 g
Fiber:	3 g

Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes

Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes

Don’t skip the sear. Getting a beautiful golden-brown crust on the chicken is non-negotiable. It creates fond—those little browned bits at the bottom of the pan—which is the secret to building a deeply flavorful sauce.
Use the sun-dried tomato oil. If your tomatoes are packed in oil, use that instead of regular olive oil to sauté your onions and garlic. It’s infused with incredible tomato flavor and will give your entire dish a flavor boost.
Grate your own Parmesan. The pre-shredded stuff often contains anti-caking agents that can make your sauce grainy and prevent it from melting smoothly. A block of Parmigiano-Reggiano and a microplane will give you the best, silkiest results.
Let your cream come to room temperature. Adding cold cream directly to a hot pan can sometimes cause it to separate or curdle. Letting it sit out for 15-20 minutes before you start cooking helps it incorporate seamlessly into the sauce.

How to Make Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken

Step 1: Start by prepping your chicken. Pat the chicken breasts completely dry with paper towels—this is the first secret to a good sear. Season both sides generously with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning, pressing the spices into the meat so they adhere.

Step 2: Heat the olive oil (or the oil from your sun-dried tomato jar) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, carefully add the chicken. You should hear a satisfying sizzle. Don’t move it for 4-5 minutes, allowing a golden-brown crust to form. Flip and cook for another 4-5 minutes on the other side until cooked through. The internal temperature should read 165°F (74°C). Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside on a plate.

Step 3: Reduce the heat to medium. In the same skillet, you’ll see those beautiful browned bits. Add the chopped onion and sauté for about 4-5 minutes until it becomes soft and translucent. Then, add the minced garlic and cook for just 30-60 seconds until fragrant—be careful not to burn it, or it will turn bitter.

Step 4: Now, stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook for about two minutes, stirring constantly. You’ll notice the tomato paste darkening slightly and the whole mixture becoming incredibly aromatic. This step, called “cooking out” the tomato paste, deepens its flavor and removes any raw, tinny taste.

Step 5: Pour in the chicken broth to deglaze the pan. Use your spoon or spatula to scrape up all the delicious fond from the bottom of the skillet. Let the broth simmer for 2-3 minutes, allowing it to reduce by about half. This concentrates the flavor of your sauce base.

Step 6: Lower the heat to medium-low and slowly pour in the heavy cream, stirring constantly. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer—you don’t want a rolling boil. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes until it slightly thickens and looks glossy and cohesive.

Step 7: Turn off the heat and stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese until it’s fully melted and the sauce is smooth. The residual heat is enough to melt the cheese perfectly. Finally, stir in the chopped fresh basil. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with more salt or pepper if needed.

Step 8: Return the cooked chicken breasts (and any accumulated juices from the plate) back to the skillet, spooning the creamy sauce over the top. Let everything heat through for a minute or two. Garnish with a little extra basil and a final sprinkle of Parmesan before serving immediately.

Storage & Freshness Guide

Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Not recommended; cream sauces may separate when thawed.
Reviving: Reheat gently on stovetop with a splash of broth or cream to loosen sauce.

Serving Suggestions

Complementary Dishes

Buttered Pappardelle Pasta — The wide, flat noodles are perfect for catching every last drop of that luxurious creamy sauce.
Creamy Parmesan Polenta — A soft, cheesy polenta base creates a dreamy, comforting bed for the chicken and sauce.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes — For the ultimate comfort food experience, the creamy potatoes and savory sauce are a match made in heaven.

Drinks

A Crisp Pinot Grigio — Its bright acidity and citrus notes cut through the richness of the cream sauce beautifully.
Sparkling Water with Lemon — A simple, refreshing non-alcoholic option that cleanses the palate between each decadent bite.
A Light Italian Red — A Chianti or Barbera with low tannins complements the tomato notes without overpowering the dish.

Something Sweet

Lemon Sorbet — The sharp, clean citrus flavor is a perfect, palate-cleansing finish after a rich and savory meal.
Tiramisu — Lean into the Italian theme with this classic, coffee-infused dessert that feels special and celebratory.
Dark Chocolate Almond Biscotti — Something to nibble on with a cup of espresso, offering a delightful crunch and a hint of bitterness.

Top Mistakes to Avoid

Overcooking the chicken. Searing it over too high heat for too long will give you tough, dry meat. Use a meat thermometer to ensure it hits 165°F (74°C) and no higher, and remember it will continue to cook a little while resting.
Adding cold cream to a screaming hot pan. The thermal shock can cause the cream to break, making your sauce look curdled and oily. Always lower the heat and let your cream come to room temp first.
Using pre-shredded “cheese product” Parmesan. It simply won’t melt properly into your sauce, leaving you with a grainy texture and a less complex flavor. A block of real Parmesan is worth the extra minute of grating.
Rushing the sauce. Letting the broth reduce and the sauce simmer gently for a few minutes is crucial for developing depth and achieving the right, slightly thickened consistency. Patience is key here.

Expert Tips

Tip: For an even more luxurious sauce, stir in a tablespoon of cold butter at the very end, after you’ve turned off the heat. This technique, called mounting with butter (monter au beurre), gives the sauce an incredible shine and velvety mouthfeel.
Tip: If your sauce seems a bit too thin after adding the cream, let it simmer for another few minutes to reduce further. If it’s still not thickening to your liking, create a quick slurry by mixing a teaspoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water and stir it in.
Tip: To make this dish ahead of time, you can prepare the entire recipe, let it cool completely, and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat it gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of chicken broth or cream to loosen the sauce back up.
Tip: Don’t discard the leftover oil from the sun-dried tomato jar! It’s fantastic for making vinaigrettes, drizzling over roasted vegetables, or as a base for frying eggs. Store it in the fridge and use it within a couple of weeks.

FAQs

Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?
Absolutely! Chicken thighs are actually a fantastic choice for this recipe. They’re more forgiving and harder to overcook, staying incredibly juicy. Just note that they may require a slightly longer cooking time. Use bone-in, skin-on thighs for maximum flavor (sear skin-side down first), or boneless, skinless for convenience. The rich sauce pairs beautifully with the deeper flavor of dark meat.

My sauce broke/curdled! Can I fix it?
Don’t panic! A broken sauce is usually salvageable. First, immediately remove the pan from the heat. For a cream-based sauce, the best fix is to slowly whisk in a couple more tablespoons of cold cream or a splash of hot chicken broth. This can often bring the emulsion back together. If it’s really stubborn, you can also use an immersion blender to blitz it back to smoothness.

How can I make this recipe lighter?
You can easily lighten it up without sacrificing too much creaminess. Swap the heavy cream for half-and-half or even full-fat coconut milk for a dairy-free version. You could also use a lighter cream cheese thinned with a bit of broth. Using chicken breasts instead of thighs will also lower the overall fat content. The flavor from the sun-dried tomatoes and aromatics is so strong that the dish will still be delicious.

Can I freeze Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken?
I don’t recommend freezing this particular dish. Cream-based sauces have a tendency to separate and become grainy when thawed. The texture of the chicken can also suffer, becoming a bit mushy. This recipe is best enjoyed fresh or stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.

What can I use if I don’t have sun-dried tomatoes in oil?
If you only have dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes, you can still make it work! Simply rehydrate them by covering them with hot water and letting them soak for about 20-30 minutes until they become soft and plump. Then, drain and chop them. Since you won’t have the flavorful oil, use a good quality extra virgin olive oil to sauté your onions and garlic, and consider adding a pinch of sugar to the sauce to mimic a bit of that sweetness.