Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken is going to be your new repeat meal. It’s hearty, creamy, and can easily be made gluten-free. Family-friendly, too. Keep scrolling for the recipe.
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We all know weeknight dinners are, well, a little bit annoying. You want to make something you *know* will satisfy you, but won’t take up your entire evening. Pasta is always an easy option, however, that also means that it can become a bit tired. Upgrade your weeknight pasta dinner with my recipe for Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken. In under an hour, you’ll have a homemade meal complete with a sauce from scratch and a filling + delicious dish. *chef’s kiss*
PrintCreamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken
Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken is going to be your new repeat meal. It’s hearty, creamy, and can easily be made gluten-free. Family-friendly, too.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
- Category: Dinner, Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 5 ounces sun dried tomatoes, packed in oil, chopped
- 3 tablespoons reserved oil from jar of sun dried tomatoes *
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 3/4 cup half & half or heavy cream
- 1 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
- 3/4 cup + shredded parmesan cheese (+ more for topping)
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 pound dry pasta
- freshly chopped basil for topping
Instructions
- Drain sun dried tomatoes but reserve the oil
- Cook pasta as directed, in salted water, until al dente
- Heat a large pan or skillet to medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil
- Add chicken to pan and season with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Cook for 8-12 minutes or until temperature reaches 165
- Remove chicken from pan and set aside
- To the same pan add another tablespoon oil, chopped sun dried tomatoes, garlic, shallot and red pepper flakes. Cook for 3-5 minutes
- Add half & half and stock. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to a low simmer and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently
- Stir in parmesan cheese and baby spinach until the cheese melts and spinach wilts
- Stir in chicken, cooked/drained pasta so that everything is fully coated in the sauce
- Serve topped with a sprinkle of shredded parmesan cheese and fresh basil
Notes
* or can use olive oil, but using the oil the sun dried tomatoes were packed in adds tons of flavor!
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What I love most about this meal is that it doesn’t tire easily. Why? Because you can totally customize it. A little more on that later (; Truly, I think that the key to a successful, easy weeknight dinner is the ability to change it up without having to put in a lot of work. That way you can always have something new without the hassle of actually finding something new to make.
Ingredients in Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken
As aforementioned, this recipe can be customized to you and your family’s liking. As it is now, I serve this dish with chicken. The added protein makes the meal hearty and satisfying.
Meat Alternatives: If you want to try another meat in this dish, then I recommend sausage. Sweet or spicy would be great here!
Vegetarian Option: Can you make this vegetarian and still get that protein? Of course! Simply omit the chicken and add in white beans. In addition, any plant-based meat alternative would be great here. You also add in more veggies to take it to another level.
To make gluten-free: Simply use your favorite gluten-free pasta! I like using chickpea pasta and this rice + lentil rigatoni.
The Best Part?
One thing about me — I love leftovers. Leftovers are kind of like the lazy girl’s meal prep, you know? You get the bonus of another meal without another cooking session. And you didn’t even really have to *plan* it out. So, that’s another reason why I love this recipe: The leftovers are delicious! Hot or cold, you have another built in meal.
As always if you make this Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken or any of my other recipes, be sure to tag me on Instagram @hungry.blonde so I can see how it turned out! xoxo GG
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