This creamy sun dried tomato chicken is drenched in the most irresistible sauce and couldn’t be easier to make!
This recipe is ‘fancy’ enough for company but easy enough for a simple weeknight dinner. Follow me…
Sun Dried Tomato Chicken
For this recipe, we’ll be using chicken breast. Whilst you could use thigh, the sauce is quite rich already, so I find a leaner cut of chicken more suitable for this recipe.
Slicing the chicken
A really important step is horizontally slicing the chicken right through the centre to create 4 even-sized cutlets. This will not only ensure the chicken cooks quicker, but more importantly, more evenly too.
Dredging the chicken
After you’ve sliced the chicken, you’ll want to dredge it through seasoned flour. This will not only ensure the chicken builds up a nice golden crust as it fries, but the crust will also absorb the sauce and help it clings to the chicken, as opposed to just sliding off. This step is a game-changer, so don’t skip it.
Cooking the chicken
In order to build up that gorgeous crust we speak off, the best method is pan-frying. I love frying the chicken in sun dried tomato oil, just to really highlight that flavour. It’s literally just the excess oil from the jar – nothing fancy.
Process shots: slice chicken (photos 1&2), dredge chicken (photos 3&4), cook chicken (photos 5&6)
Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Sauce
The sauce itself is made up of cream and stock. The flavour is then deepened with parmesan and shallots.
Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
Typically with recipes similar to this I’d go in with some tomato paste, but since this is sun dried tomato chicken, I actually love adding in a good dollop of sun dried tomato pesto. It adds so much flavour and really highlights the sun dried tomatoes in this recipe.
Alongside the above ingredients, we’ve got some sliced sun dried tomatoes and fresh basil.
Process shots: remove chicken (photo 1), fry shallots (photo 2), add pesto (photo 3), add stock, cream, parmesan, tomatoes and basil (photo 4), stir and simmer (photo 5), add chicken (photo 6).
Sun Dried Tomato Chicken FAQ
You’ll find it in all major supermarkets. You can also make your own Homemade Sun Dried Tomato Pesto!
You’re looking for a light golden exterior with the inside white and piping hot. It won’t take long, typically a few minutes on each side. Keep in mind it’ll carry on cooking as it rests and when added back to the sauce.
This is definitely best served fresh!
Serving Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken
After you’ve drenched the chicken in the sauce, serve up right away. You don’t want it to sit in the pan too long otherwise you risk it overcooking.
Here I’ve served with small air-fried potatoes and a side salad, but do check out my Sides for more inspo!
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this creamy sun dried tomato chicken shall we?!
How to make Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken (Full Recipe & Video)
Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken
Equipment
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Large Shallow Dish (for dredging chicken)
- Large Pan & Tongs
- Wooden Spoon
- Jug (for stock)
- Fine Cheese Grater (for parmesan)
- Kitchen Roll/Paper Towels (for drying sun dried tomatoes)
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2x 250g/9oz Chicken Breasts, take out the fridge 15-30 mins before needed
- 1/4 cup / 35g Plain Flour
- 1 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 tsp EACH: Garlic Powder, Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 2 tbsp Sun Dried Tomato Oil (from the jar)
Sauce
- 1 Echalion/Banana Shallot, finely diced (sub 2 small regular shallots)
- 60g / 1/4 cup Sun Dried Tomato Pesto (see notes)
- 180ml / 3/4 cup EACH: Chicken Stock, Double/Heavy Cream
- 125g / 1 cup / 4oz Sun Dried Tomatoes, thinly sliced and patted dry to remove excess oil
- 30g / 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 1/2 small bunch of Fresh Basil, finely chopped
Instructions
- Horizontally slice both chicken breasts right through the centre to create 4 even-sized breasts.
- In a large shallow dish combine the flour, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper. One by one dredge the breasts through the flour to fully coat, then give them a shake and place to one side.
- Add the oil to a large pan over medium-high heat and once hot, add in the chicken. Fry both sides for a few minutes until golden on the outside and just about cooked through the centre. Remove from the pan and add to a plate to one side. Lower the heat to medium.
- Add the shallot to the leftover oil and fry until soft and golden. Stir in the pesto then stir in the stock and cream. Add the basil, parmesan and sun dried tomatoes and give it all a good stir to bind the oils with the sauce.
- Simmer for a couple of minutes until the sauce starts to thicken, then stir in any resting juices from the chicken and check for seasoning. Add the chicken and coat it in the sauce to gently warm it through, then serve up and enjoy!
Video
Notes
b) Oil – Just use 2 tbsp oil from the jar of sun dried tomatoes to fry the chicken (or sub regular olive oil – not a huge deal). Just be aware the oil can spit a lot as the chicken fries, so if you have an oil splatter guard then definitely use it here. It’s important to remove the excess oil from the sun dried tomatoes because there will already be plenty of oil from the chicken and pesto.
c) Sun Dried Tomato Pesto – I typically pick up a jar from the shops (I use Sacla). I do have a Homemade Sun Dried Tomato Pesto if you want to make a big batch!
d) Serving – Here I’ve served with small air fried potatoes and a side salad, but do check out my Sides for more inspo!
e) Calories – Whole recipe divided by 4 with no sides.
Nutrition
For more similar recipes check out these beauties:
Creamy Chicken Breast Recipes
- Creamy Tomato Chicken
- Creamy Tarragon Chicken
- Creamy Garlic Chicken
- Creamy Coconut Chicken
- Creamy Lemon Chicken
- Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Chicken
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