This chicken and sundried tomato pasta recipe brings tender chicken, tangy tomatoes, and a creamy sauce together in about 30 minutes.
Rich, tangy, and ready on a busy weeknight, this pasta feels like a restaurant meal that you can pull off with pantry staples. You get soft ribbons of pasta, juicy bites of chicken, and intense pops of flavour from sundried tomatoes, all wrapped in a silky sauce that clings to every strand.
The method is straightforward, uses one pan for the sauce, and leans on ingredients you can keep on hand. You will learn exactly how to cook the chicken so it stays tender, how much pasta water to add for the right texture, and how to adjust the dish for creamier, lighter, or dairy free versions without stress.
Why This Chicken And Sundried Tomato Pasta Recipe Works
Good pasta is all about balance. Here the natural sweetness and acidity of sundried tomatoes cut through the cream, while chicken adds protein and bite so the bowl feels satisfying, not heavy. A little garlic, dried herbs, and grated cheese round everything out.
The recipe also respects timing. The chicken cooks first, then rests while you build the sauce in the same pan. Pasta boils in a separate pot at the same time. By the moment the pasta is al dente, the sauce is ready to coat it, which keeps dinner on track.
| Ingredient | Role In Dish | Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Pasta (short or long) | Base that carries the sauce | Choose shapes with ridges so the sauce sticks well. |
| Boneless chicken breast or thighs | Lean protein and texture | Slice thinly for quick cooking and even browning. |
| Sundried tomatoes in oil | Concentrated tomato flavour | Use some of the flavourful oil instead of plain olive oil. |
| Garlic and onion or shallot | Aromatic base | Cook gently so they soften without burning. |
| Heavy cream or half-and-half | Creamy body for the sauce | Warm slowly to keep the sauce smooth. |
| Grated Parmesan cheese | Saltiness and depth | Stir off the heat to stop it from clumping. |
| Fresh spinach or basil | Colour and freshness | Add at the end so it just wilts. |
| Pasta cooking water | Helps sauce cling to the pasta | Salt the water well so the whole dish tastes seasoned. |
This mix of ingredients gives you a bowl that feels creamy yet lively. Sundried tomato oil seasons the pan from the start, pasta water ties everything together, and herbs and cheese pull the flavour into a neat line.
Chicken Pasta With Sundried Tomatoes Recipe Steps
Once you have your ingredients lined up, the cooking process falls into a simple rhythm. Read through the method once before you start so you can move smoothly from one stage to the next.
Prep Your Ingredients
Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil for the pasta. While it heats, slice the chicken into thin strips or small bite sized pieces. Pat them dry with kitchen paper so they brown instead of steaming in the pan.
Drain the sundried tomatoes, keeping a couple of tablespoons of the oil. Slice the tomatoes into thin strips. Finely chop garlic and onion or shallot. Grate the Parmesan and measure the cream so everything is within reach once you turn on the heat.
Cook The Chicken
Heat a large, deep skillet over medium high heat and add a spoonful of the reserved sundried tomato oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then lay the pieces in a single layer. Let them cook undisturbed for a few minutes until the underside turns golden.
Flip and cook the other side until the chicken is just cooked through. Transfer the pieces to a plate. Leaving the browned bits in the pan adds flavour to the sauce. If the pan looks dry, add another splash of tomato oil before you continue.
Build The Sauce
Turn the heat down to medium. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and stir for about thirty seconds, just until fragrant. Stir in the sliced sundried tomatoes so they warm and release more flavour into the oil.
Pour in the cream and a small ladle of hot pasta water. Bring everything to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat. At this stage you want the sauce to slightly thicken but not boil hard. Stir often so the cream does not catch on the bottom of the pan.
Cook And Combine The Pasta
While the sauce simmers, cook the pasta until just al dente. Before you drain it, scoop out a mug of the cloudy cooking water. This starchy liquid is the secret to a glossy sauce.
Add the cooked chicken back to the pan with the sauce. Tip in the drained pasta and toss well, adding splashes of pasta water as needed until the sauce coats every piece. Stir in most of the Parmesan and any greens until they just wilt. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or cheese.
Tasting as you cook gives you more control than relying only on exact measurements. Start with a light hand on salt, since sundried tomatoes and cheese already carry plenty, then add tiny pinches until the flavours feel round. If the sauce tastes blunt, a squeeze of lemon juice or a spoonful of the reserved tomato oil lifts it quickly. Once the pan tastes balanced, the pasta will taste even better when you serve it.
You now have a pan of creamy chicken and sundried tomato pasta ready to bring straight to the table. The sauce should cling, not pool at the bottom, and the pasta should still have a little bite.
Swap Ideas, Add-Ins, And Serving Suggestions
This base recipe is flexible, so you can adapt it to what you have or how you like to eat. A few small changes can move it from rich weekend dish to lighter weekday staple without losing the core flavour of chicken and sundried tomato.
Simple Ingredient Swaps
If you prefer dark meat, use boneless chicken thighs instead of breast; just trim excess fat and cook a minute or two longer. For a lighter sauce, replace part of the cream with whole milk or plain Greek yoghurt, stirring the yoghurt in off the heat so it does not split.
You can swap the cream entirely for a splash of white wine and extra pasta water for a looser, silky sauce. Gluten free pasta works well here too, though it may need a gentler toss so it does not break.
Add-Ins For More Texture
For more crunch, scatter toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts over each serving. Sliced olives, capers, or a few anchovy fillets bring extra savoury depth if you like bolder flavours. A pinch of chilli flakes in the pan with the garlic adds gentle heat.
Fresh herbs at the end change the character of the dish. Basil keeps it sweet and mellow, parsley adds freshness, and a little fresh thyme leans into the earthy side of sundried tomatoes.
How To Serve And Store Leftovers
Serve the pasta straight from the pan with extra grated cheese on the table and a green salad on the side. The dish keeps well, so it also works as a make ahead lunch. Cool leftovers quickly, then store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to three days. Leftovers also make a simple packed lunch for the next day.
When you reheat, add a splash of water or milk to loosen the sauce and warm gently on the hob or in the microwave, stirring halfway. For food safety, chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F or 74°C, as shown on the safe minimum internal temperature chart for chicken, and leftovers should be reheated until steaming hot.
Nutrition, Portions, And Make-Ahead Tips
This kind of dish feels rich, yet a standard serving still fits into many balanced eating patterns when paired with vegetables. The numbers below are estimates for a serving made with chicken breast, cream, and Parmesan; exact values will shift with different brands or swaps.
| Component | Per Serving Estimate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | Around 650 kcal | Assumes 85 g dry pasta and 100 g cooked chicken. |
| Protein | About 35 g | Chicken breast is a high protein choice. |
| Total fat | Roughly 25 g | Comes from cream, cheese, and sundried tomato oil. |
| Carbohydrates | Around 60 g | Mainly from the pasta. |
| Fibre | 3–5 g | Use whole wheat pasta and add greens to increase this. |
| Sodium | Variable | Depends on added salt, cheese, and the tomatoes. |
| Portion size | One generous bowl | Roughly one quarter of a four serving pan. |
These figures line up with general nutrition data for cooked chicken breast, which delivers around 165 calories and 31 g protein per 100 g according to calories in chicken breast. Swapping cream for milk or adding extra vegetables can lower energy density while keeping the same flavour profile.
For meal prep, you can cook the sauce a day ahead without the pasta. Store it chilled, then reheat gently while the pasta boils, thinning with a little water or stock. You can also freeze the sauce for up to a month; stir it well after thawing as the dairy may separate slightly.
If you often cook for a crowd, double everything and use a wide pot so the pasta can move freely when you toss it with the sauce. You can scale this chicken and sundried tomato pasta recipe up or down as needed, just keep the pan large enough and do not be shy about using pasta water to keep everything loose and glossy.
