Description
A rich, creamy, and tangy weeknight pasta dish featuring seared chicken breasts, sun-dried tomatoes, and a parmesan cream sauce. It’s a one-pan wonder that feels fancy but is easy enough for busy evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (for chicken)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4–5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil), chopped
- 1.5 cups heavy cream
- 0.5 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 pound pasta (penne, rigatoni, or farfalle)
- 0.5 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 0.5 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Pat chicken breasts dry and season generously with salt, pepper, and half of the Italian seasoning. Pound thick breasts to ½-inch thickness.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken for 3-4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through (165°F). Remove to a plate and tent with foil.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add minced garlic and remaining Italian seasoning to the same pan; sauté for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
- Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in chicken broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.
- Add heavy cream and red pepper flakes. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Remove skillet from heat. Stir in parmesan cheese until melted and smooth.
- While sauce simmers, cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Add cooked pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water if needed to thin the sauce.
- Stir in fresh basil and lemon juice.
- Slice chicken and serve on top of the pasta.
Notes
Do not overcook the chicken. Always remove the pan from heat before adding parmesan to prevent a grainy sauce. Save pasta water to help the sauce cling to the noodles. For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 680
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 14
- Carbohydrates: 65
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 35
Keywords: Marry Me Chicken Pasta, creamy pasta, weeknight dinner, sun-dried tomato pasta, chicken pasta recipe, easy dinner, one-pan meal