Creamy chicken with sun-dried tomatoes is quick, easy, and fancy enough for a special occasion.
We eat a lot of chicken, so I am always looking for new and different ways to prepare it. When a creamy sauce is involved I am definitely interested. Check out these cajun chicken meatballs or the butter chicken I shared last week.
The first time I served this recipe I used rice, which is perfectly fine. But I will wholeheartedly recommend serving it with pasta. Bow tie pasta looks so festive and fancy and those little nooks and crannies in the pasta hold onto the sauce nicely.
Ingredients
Olive Oil & Butter: The chicken breasts get a quick sauté in butter and olive oil.
Chicken Breasts: You can use two small or one large chicken breast for this recipe.
Onion & Garlic: These two simple ingredients add great flavor to savory recipes. I use them nearly every day.
Flour: A bit of flour helps the sauce thicken.
Salt & Black Pepper: Added to taste to enhance all the great flavors.
Red Pepper Flakes: I like just a hint of heat in the sauce.
Low Sodium Chicken Stock: Chicken stock is the base of the sauce and adds flavor.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Add intense tomato flavor. Sun-dried tomatoes are available either oil-packed or in a dry package. I have used both kinds in the recipe and they both work.
Half & Half: Makes the sauce creamy, luscious, and wonderful.
Parmesan Cheese: Fresh parm is a staple in my kitchen. It adds sharp, salty flavor to so many of my recipes.
Basil or Parsley: Fresh herbs are a wonderful finishing touch. If fresh isn’t available, feel free to use dried herbs. They add brightness and a little color.
Instructions
First thing, decide what you would like to serve with your creamy chicken. Start the rice or start boiling the pasta water. A green veggie is also ideal to round out your meal.
Next, flatten out your chicken breast, so it cooks quickly and evenly. I like to put a piece of parchment paper over the chicken and pound it using my rolling pin as a substitute for a meat mallet. Heat up a skillet and olive oil and butter and throw in the chicken.
While your chicken is in the pan, chop your onions mince the garlic and chop up the sun-dried tomatoes.
After about 10 minutes, pull the chicken and add the onions. The minced onion will only need a few minutes to soften before you add the garlic and red pepper flakes. The flour is then added. Stir to thoroughly mix in the flour to help avoid lumps in your sauce.
Add the stock and the sun-dried tomatoes, stir, and heat to a good simmer. The mixture will thicken thanks to the flour.
Add the half & half and parmesan cheese. Stir and heat though.
Serve creamy chicken with sun-dried tomatoes with your choice of pasta or rice and a simple green veggie on the side. I like to add the pasta directly to the sauce in the pan.
Enjoy!
Creamy Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2 tsp butter
- 2 small skinless and boneless chicken breasts pounded thin
- ¼ cup onion minced
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 2 tsp flour
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ⅓ cup low sodium chicken stock
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- ⅓ cup half & half
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese grated
- basil or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oil and butter in a pan over medium heat, add the chicken, and cook until lightly golden brown on both sides and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side, before setting aside.
- Add the onions to the pan. Sauté for a few minutes until starting to soften.
- Sauté the garlic and red pepper flakes until fragrant, about a minute. Add the flour, salt, and pepper and stir until the flour is incorporated.
- Add the chicken stock and sun-dried tomatoes. Bring to a heavy simmer, then reduce the heat a bit and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Add the half & half and the parmesan cheese
- Nestle the chicken into the sauce and stir to coat the chicken with the sauce.
- Serve with rice or pasta. Sprinkle with fresh or dried basil or parsley.