This creamy chicken sun-dried tomato pasta is a super easy pasta dish with the most AMAZING, creamy and garlicky sun-dried tomato sauce. Tossed with pan-seared chicken and combined with your favourite al dente pasta, paprika and loads of parmesan, it makes a quick and delicious weeknight dinner, made from scratch in less than 30 minutes!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Quick and easy – this dish is simple, but big on flavour. And it can be on your table in less than 30 minutes, from start to finish! Make it even faster on busy nights by adding leftover shredded chicken.
- Family-friendly – the whole family will love it!
- Flavour-packed creamy sauce – there is a perfect blend of flavours in the Tuscan-style pasta sauce; including semi dried tomatoes, parmesan, paprika and herbs. It is creamy, cheesy, garlicky and melt-in-your-mouth good.
- The best kind of comfort food.
Ingredients you will need
** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. The photo above is a great guide for when you are in the supermarket, but for full ingredient quantities and methods, please scroll down to the detailed recipe card below!
- Chicken – I use skinless chicken breasts, but you can also swap for thigh fillets, if preferred. If you have some leftover chicken in your fridge, this is a great way to use it up. Simply stir any pre-cooked chicken through the sauce to heat through at the end. You can also swap for bacon instead, or leave the meat out entirely if preferred.
- Sun dried tomatoes – I use semi dried tomatoes in oil flavoured with vinegar, garlic and Mediterranean herbs. I recommend finding some with added vinegar, for extra punchy flavour. Purchase them from the deli section of the supermarket (or make your own!), instead of in a jar or packet. The deli version will be juicer and softer than any packaged version. The oil is drained from the semi dried tomatoes before using, but you can add a little to the sauce, if you like.
- Pasta – I love using pappardelle pasta, as the creamy sauce clings to the thick strands beautifully. But you can use any type of pasta like spirals, penne or fettuccine. Choose your favourite!
- Parmesan cheese – is used to both flavour and thicken the creamy tomato sauce. Grate your own fresh parmesan, for best results. Pre-shredded parmesan will not melt into the sauce as nicely, causing clumps.
- Thickened cream – also known as heavy cream, or whipping cream. Regular, full-fat cream is best. You can use a lighter cream if you prefer, but the sauce will be runnier and light creams have more chance of splitting over heat.
- Canned tomatoes – crushed or diced tomatoes with no added flavours. Passata can also be used.
Step by step instructions
*For full ingredient quantities and methods, please scroll down to the detailed recipe card below!
The great thing about this dish is that the sauce can be cooked in the time that it takes to make the pasta.
First, place the pasta into a large pot of salted, boiling water. While the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce;
Step 1 – Toast the pine nuts;
Heat the pine nuts in a dry (no oil) frying pan over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally, until the nuts are browned, but not burnt. Place them in a bowl and set aside.
Step 2 – Cook the chicken;
Fry the chicken in the frying pan with some olive oil, until cooked through. Drain any excess liquid and remove the chicken from the pan. Set aside, to stir through at the end. Doing this helps to keep the chicken pieces tender and stop them from overcooking.
Step 3 – Make the creamy tomato sauce;
Heat the garlic, paprika, oregano and some salt and pepper in the pan, stirring, for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Then add the canned tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes and lemon juice and stir.
Stir through the chicken stock and cream and bring to a low simmer.
The parmesan cheese is then added and needs to be stirred into the sauce until it has completely melted and incorporated into the cream mixture. Lastly, stir through the spinach leaves and stir until they are wilted.
Toss the chicken and the pine nuts back into the pan and let the sauce rest for a few minutes while you drain the pasta. The sauce will continue to thicken as it rests.
** Keep a little pasta water reserved, in case you want the sauce a little thinner.
Stir the drained pasta through the sauce. Garnish with even more parmesan cheese and some fresh basil.
Expert tips
- Swap chicken for bacon, or leave the meat out for a meat-free version.
- Make sure to cook the pasta until al dente. This means that it should be cooked through, but still be firm when bitten. Don’t cook the pasta until it is soft and mushy.
- The creamy sauce goes with any type of pasta, so choose your favourite!
- Flavour tip; dissolve a little Vegemite (¼ teaspoon, or to taste) in the tomato sauce, for extra umami flavour. It tastes amazing!
- Season the pasta water. Your pasta water should be salty. It won’t all soak into the pasta, but it will add flavour to the dish.
- Keep a little pasta water aside, before draining. If you need to thin the sauce, it’s a great way to do it while also adding flavour.
FAQs
While it is best eaten when freshly made, this pasta can be frozen. It needs to be double wrapped and stored in an airtight container first, and then completely thawed in the fridge before reheating. If making this dish ahead and freezing, I recommend freezing the sauce alone and adding fresh pasta to the reheated sauce, when you are ready to eat.
This pasta can be reheated on the stovetop (low heat, stirring frequently) or in a microwave. If adding to the microwave, I recommend adding an extra splash of stock. In the microwave, heat on medium-low heat (to prevent the cream sauce from splitting) and heat in 30 second intervals, stirring in between until steaming hot.
This pasta should be topped with additional parmesan cheese, fresh basil leaves and toasted pine nuts. You can even add some extra semi dried tomatoes, if preferred. While it makes a filling and complete meal on its own, it’s also amazing served with some crusty bread, toasted garlic bread or a side salad like this roast pumpkin salad.
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Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 400 grams fresh or dried pasta
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- 1-2 olive oil plus a little extra
- 500 grams chicken medium breasts sliced thinly (for quick cooking), or use leftover, pre-cooked chicken.
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup sun dried tomatoes about 300 grams, chopped
- ¼ cup canned or diced tomatoes
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup cream
- ¼ cup chicken stock
- 1 ½ cups parmesan cheese fresh, grated
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves
To serve
- fresh basil leaves
- extra freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Place the pasta in a pot of salted, boiling water and cook to packet instructions. While the pasta is cooking, start on the sauce.
For the sauce
- Add the pine nuts to a dry (no oil) frying pan and toast them over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until lightly browned. Remove the pine nuts from the pan and set aside.
- Add half of the olive oil and the chicken pieces to the pan. Cook the chicken until browned and completely cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and rest on a plate until the rest of the sauce is finished. **If using pre-cooked/leftover chicken, keep the chicken out until the end**.
- Reduce the heat and add the remaining olive oil to the pan. Add the garlic, paprika and oregano along with some salt and pepper and cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add the sun dried tomatoes, canned tomatoes and lemon juice and stir.
- Gently stir through the cream and chicken stock and bring to a low simmer.
- Add the Parmesan cheese and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring, until the cheese melts through the sauce. Turn the heat off and add the spinach leaves, stirring until they are wilted.
- Drain the cooked pasta and stir it through the sauce along with the chicken pieces and pine nuts. Add the pasta to bowls and serve with fresh basil and extra parmesan.
Notes
- Meal-prep – the ingredients for this dish can all be cut, prepared ahead of time and stored in the fridge in airtight containers, ready to throw into the pan on a busy night. Ready-cooked, leftover chicken is a great addition. You can also make the sauce ahead and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days or freezer for up to 2 months. If you are making the sauce ahead, I recommend cooking the pasta fresh and adding it to the re-heated sauce rather than freezing the pasta. This is because the pasta will soak up more of the sauce and lose its texture when frozen.
- Swap the chicken for bacon, or leave the meat out for a meat-free version.
- Make sure to cook the pasta until al dente. This means that it should be cooked through, but still be firm when bitten. Don’t cook the pasta until it is soft and mushy.
- The creamy sauce goes with any type of pasta, so choose your favourite!
- Flavour tip; dissolve a little Vegemite (¼ teaspoon, or to taste) in the tomato sauce, for extra umami flavour. It tastes amazing!
- Season the pasta water. Your pasta water should be salty. It won’t all soak into the pasta, but it will add flavour to the dish.
- Keep a little pasta water aside, before draining. If you need to thin the sauce, it’s a great way to do it while also adding flavour.
- This pasta can be frozen. It needs to be double wrapped and stored in an airtight container first, and then completely thawed in the fridge before reheating. If making this dish ahead and freezing, I recommend freezing the sauce alone and adding fresh pasta to the reheated sauce, for best results.
- This pasta can be reheated on the stovetop (low heat, stirring frequently) or in a microwave. If adding to the microwave, I recommend adding an extra splash of stock. In the microwave, heat on medium-low heat (to prevent the cream sauce from splitting) and heat in 30 second intervals, stirring in between.
- Please note that the nutrition information is based on the pasta being divided into 4 bowls, with each bowl being one serve. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any other sides or toppings served with the pasta.
- This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary.
Nutrition
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Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in March 2019, but was re-published with new information and photos in May 2022.
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