This 5-Ingredient Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta is the weeknight dinner that saved my sanity. Bold, tangy, and luxuriously saucy — it tastes like something you’d order at a restaurant, but it’s done in about 20 minutes flat.
I made this the first time on a Tuesday when I had exactly five things left in my fridge and zero motivation. Now it’s on permanent rotation. Enough said.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta checks every box. It’s quick, it’s rich, and it uses ingredients you can actually keep stocked without a special grocery trip.
The sun-dried tomatoes bring this deep, almost smoky sweetness that pairs perfectly with the cream. Add Parmesan on top, and honestly, it’s hard to believe this only has five core ingredients.
It’s also endlessly flexible. Whether you throw in some spinach, a pinch of chili flakes, or a handful of fresh basil, this dish handles add-ins like a champ. Think of it as your blank canvas for a cozy, flavor-packed dinner. Just like this 5-ingredient Caprese chicken, simple doesn’t mean boring.
5-Ingredient Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
Equipment
- Large pot
- Skillet
- Colander
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- Short pasta (penne, rigatoni, or farfalle) any shape that holds sauce well
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cubed
- Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- Heavy cream
- Parmesan cheese, grated
Optional Ingredients
- Garlic cloves, minced
- Oil from sun-dried tomato jar
- Salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, or chili flakes to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and cook the cubed chicken in a single layer, seasoning with salt and pepper. Sear until golden and cooked through, about 5–7 minutes. Add garlic in the last minute if using.
- Reduce heat to medium and add chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the pan. Cook for about 1 minute, then pour in the heavy cream and simmer gently for 2–3 minutes.
- Lower heat and stir in Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth. Adjust consistency with reserved pasta water if needed and season to taste.
- Add cooked pasta to the skillet and toss until fully coated in the creamy sauce. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan and optional fresh basil.
Notes
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s everything that goes into this Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken. The optional add-ins are worth grabbing if you have them — they take this from great to genuinely crave-worthy.
| Category | Ingredient | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Short pasta (penne, rigatoni, or farfalle) | Any shape that holds sauce well |
| Protein | Boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cubed | Thighs stay juicier, breasts work great too |
| Flavor Star | Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped | Oil-packed gives way more flavor than dried |
| Sauce | Heavy cream | The richer the cream, the silkier the sauce |
| Finish | Parmesan cheese, freshly grated | Pre-grated works, fresh melts better |
| Optional | Garlic cloves, minced | Highly recommended for depth |
| Optional | Oil from the tomato jar | Use instead of olive oil for bonus flavor |
| Optional | Salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, or chili flakes | Season to taste |
How to Make Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
This whole process is genuinely simple. If you can boil water and stir a pan, you’ve got this. Here’s how to pull it all together in about 20 minutes.
Step 1: Cook the Pasta
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Salt it like you mean it — the water should taste almost like the sea. This is your one real shot at flavoring the pasta itself.
Cook your pasta until just al dente, following the package directions. It should still have a tiny bit of bite because it’ll finish cooking in the sauce. Drain it and set it aside, but don’t forget to save a cup of that starchy pasta water — it’s liquid gold for loosening the sauce later.
Step 2: Sear the Chicken
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. If your sun-dried tomatoes came in a jar of oil, use a tablespoon or two of that oil right here. It’s packed with tomato flavor and it would be a shame to leave it behind.
Add the cubed chicken in a single layer and season it lightly with salt and pepper. Let it sear undisturbed for a couple of minutes so you get that golden crust. Nobody likes sad, grey chicken.
Cook until the pieces are golden and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes total. If you’re using garlic, add it in the last minute and let it get fragrant. The whole kitchen will smell amazing at this point.
Step 3: Build the Sauce
Lower the heat to medium. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes directly into the pan with the chicken. Let them toast for about a minute — you’ll notice the aroma shift into something richer and more caramelized. That’s the good stuff.
Pour in the heavy cream and stir to bring everything together. Let it simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes, swirling occasionally. The sauce will thicken slightly and turn a gorgeous blush-orange color.
“Don’t rush this step. A gentle simmer is what makes the sauce cling to the pasta instead of sliding right off.”
Step 4: Add the Parmesan
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the grated Parmesan. Keep stirring until it fully melts and the sauce turns velvety smooth. This is where the magic happens — the cheese thickens everything and rounds out the flavor beautifully.
If the sauce looks too thick, splash in a little of that reserved pasta water and stir. Add salt, pepper, or a pinch of chili flakes to taste. This is your moment to make it exactly how you like it.
Step 5: Toss and Serve
Add the drained pasta straight into the skillet. Toss everything together until every piece is coated in that rich, creamy sauce. The pasta will absorb a bit of it as you toss — that’s exactly what you want.
Serve immediately with extra Parmesan on top. If you have fresh basil hanging around, tear a few leaves over the top. It adds a beautiful color contrast and a pop of freshness that cuts through the richness perfectly.
Expert Tips, Variations, and Troubleshooting
Tips for the Best Result
Always use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, not the dry kind. The oil-packed version is softer, more flavorful, and brings that concentrated tomato sweetness the dish really depends on. Dry-packed tomatoes tend to be tough and underwhelming here.
Don’t skip saving pasta water. That starchy liquid is your secret weapon for adjusting sauce consistency without diluting the flavor. Add it a tablespoon at a time and you’ll never end up with a gluey or watery sauce.
Freshly grated Parmesan melts far more smoothly than the pre-shredded stuff. The pre-shredded kind has anti-caking agents that can make the sauce slightly grainy. A block of Parm and a fine grater is a 30-second investment that totally pays off.
Easy Variations to Try
Want to bulk this up? Toss in a couple of big handfuls of baby spinach right before you add the pasta. It wilts down beautifully and adds color, nutrition, and a mild earthy note that works wonderfully with the creamy tomato sauce.
For a spicier version of this Chicken with Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Sauce, add a generous pinch of red chili flakes when you toast the tomatoes. It adds a gentle heat that keeps each bite interesting without overwhelming the creaminess.
Swap the chicken for shrimp if you want a lighter, faster version. Shrimp cook in just 2 to 3 minutes, so add them after the tomatoes and before the cream. You’ll have dinner on the table even faster. Fans of Mediterranean flavors might also love this Mediterranean chicken stir-fry as another quick weeknight option.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Sauce too thick? Add pasta water, a splash at a time, while tossing. The starch helps it emulsify back into a smooth, clingy consistency rather than a gluey blob.
Sauce too thin? Let it simmer uncovered for an extra minute or two. You can also stir in a touch more Parmesan to help it thicken. Patience is your friend here — don’t crank the heat or the cream can split.
Chicken dry or rubbery? That usually means it cooked too long or the heat was too high. Thighs are much more forgiving than breasts if you tend to lose track of time at the stove. Next time, try thighs — they stay juicy even when slightly overcooked.
Storage Instructions
This 20 Minute Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta stores really well and makes excellent leftovers. Here’s how to keep it fresh and delicious.
| Storage Method | Container | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | Airtight container | Up to 3 days |
| Freezer | Freezer-safe container | Up to 2 months (sauce may separate slightly) |
How to Reheat
To reheat on the stovetop, add a splash of water or cream to the pan over low heat and stir gently until warmed through. This brings the sauce back to life without drying out the pasta or making it gummy.
Microwave reheating works too — just cover loosely and heat in 60-second bursts, stirring between each one. Add a small splash of water if it looks dry. It won’t be quite as silky as fresh, but it’s still absolutely delicious.
No-Waste Kitchen Ideas
Leftover pasta makes a surprisingly great pasta bake. Transfer it to an oven dish, top with shredded mozzarella, and bake at 375F until bubbly and golden. It’s a whole new meal with basically zero extra effort.
If you have leftover chicken from another meal, this recipe is a perfect way to use it up. Just skip the searing step and add the pre-cooked chicken straight to the sauce. Pair it with a fresh double bean Mediterranean salad to round out the meal.
5-Ingredient Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta FAQs
Can I use a different type of pasta?
Absolutely. Any short pasta like rigatoni, penne, farfalle, or fusilli works great here. The ridges and hollow centers in these shapes trap the creamy sauce really well. Long pasta like spaghetti works in a pinch but doesn’t hold the sauce quite as well.
Can I make this dairy-free?
Yes, with some tweaks. Swap the heavy cream for full-fat coconut cream and use a dairy-free Parmesan alternative or nutritional yeast for a cheesy finish. The flavor will be slightly different but still wonderfully rich and satisfying.
What can I serve alongside this pasta?
A simple green salad or some crusty garlic bread are perfect pairings. If you want something heartier, try serving it alongside a light soup or a veggie side like roasted broccoli. This savory breakfast casserole is also a fun way to use up morning leftovers on the side of a pasta-heavy week.
Can I add vegetables to this recipe?
Yes, and it’s highly encouraged. Baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, roasted red peppers, or zucchini all fit beautifully into this dish. Add tender vegetables like spinach at the very end. Firmer ones like zucchini should go in with the chicken so they have time to cook through properly.
Is this recipe spicy?
Not by default. The base recipe is rich and savory with no heat. If you want to add some kick, a pinch of red chili flakes stirred in with the sun-dried tomatoes does the trick nicely. Start with a small amount and taste as you go — you can always add more but you can’t take it out.
Give This Recipe a Try
This 5-Ingredient Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta is one of those recipes that sounds impressive, tastes incredible, and genuinely takes almost no effort. It’s the kind of dish you’ll find yourself making on repeat without ever getting tired of it.
If you love bold, Mediterranean-inspired flavors, you might also enjoy this aromatic Indian chicken curry for your next cozy dinner night.
If you try this recipe, leave a comment below and let me know how it went. Did you add spinach? Go heavy on the chili flakes? I want to hear all about it.
And if you loved it, save it to your Pinterest boards so you can find it again easily — and share it with a friend who needs a fast, delicious dinner idea. They’ll thank you for it.
