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I’m Obsessed With The Sauce On This Sun Dried Tomato Chicken
The sauce is definitely the best part of this sun dried tomato chicken. I got the inspiration from a pasta dish at a restaurant where I used to work, except I put it on chicken instead, something I actually do a lot to transform otherwise richer dishes. Here’s why this meal has everything I want in a healthy weeknight dinner:
- Juicy, tender chicken in sun dried tomato cream sauce – Think tender chicken breasts browned to perfection, then smothered in a creamy, savory sauce studded with sun dried tomatoes and aromatic basil. It’s a lot like my marry me chicken and Tuscan chicken, but without the parmesan cheese or spinach.
- Quick and easy – One skillet. 20 minutes. Dinner’s on the table. All you need is a base to soak up every last drop off sauce.
- Real food ingredients – And it’s not a long list.
If a 20-minute chicken dinner with an interesting sauce sounds pretty good tonight, my sun dried tomato chicken recipe will do it. Make it with me!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my chicken with sun dried tomato chicken recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Chicken – I used boneless skinless chicken breasts. Feel free to use boneless chicken thighs or even chicken tenderloins.
- Sun Dried Tomatoes – You can make your own sun dried tomatoes, or buy them. If they are packed in oil, drain before using. I try to get already julienned (thinly sliced) ones for this recipe, otherwise you can chop them yourself.
- Heavy Cream – The sauce base. I originally made this recipe with coconut cream, which you can still use for a dairy-free option, but now I prefer the flavor of heavy cream. If you want to use another type of milk, see my tips below.
- Chicken Broth – Gives the sauce its savory element. You can use my homemade chicken broth recipe, your favorite store-bought brand, or even bone broth.
- Arrowroot Powder – My favorite natural cornstarch substitute to thicken the sauce. Feel free to use actual cornstarch. You can also substitute about 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum.
- Fresh Basil – I recommend fresh herbs here for the best flavor. We’ll use some for the sun dried tomato chicken sauce and more for topping. If all you have is dried basil (or simply Italian seasoning mix), reduce the amount to a tablespoon and add it only to the sauce.
- Garlic, Olive Oil, Sea Salt, & Black Pepper
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How To Make Sun Dried Tomato Chicken
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Season and sear the chicken. Pat dry with paper towels, and season both sides with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sear chicken breasts in olive oil, until golden brown and almost cooked through. Remove from pan and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Make the slurry. In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken broth and arrowroot powder.
- Make the sauce. Add the garlic to the skillet and cook until fragrant. Stir in the broth mixture, cream, sun dried tomatoes, and fresh basil. Simmer until thickened.
- Return the chicken to the pan. Spoon sauce on top. Cook for another minute or two, until the chicken is fully cooked. I always top this sun dried tomato chicken with more fresh basil before serving!
My Recipe Tips
- Don’t let the chicken cook all the way through during the initial sear. It’ll cook more in the sauce later, so cooking it too long upfront will make it dry out by the end. I usually just look for a golden brown outside in that first step, and check the internal temperature later.
- Make sure your slurry has no lumps. In other words, whisk the broth and arrowroot powder really well before adding to the sauce. Otherwise, your sauce can turn out lumpy.
- How to make this with milk or half and half: I recommend heavy cream or coconut cream for the richest flavor and texture, but regular milk, other non-dairy milk alternatives, or half and half will also work. You’ll need more arrowroot powder to get the sauce thick enough — I’d start with an extra teaspoon and add more only if needed. Make a new slurry with each addition.
- How to adjust the sauce thickness: I made it fairly thick, as shown in my pictures here. If you want a thinner sauce that you can drizzle, you can use half the amount of arrowroot powder, or even omit it altogether and let the sauce reduce by simmering alone. If you want it even thicker, just add more arrowroot (a teaspoon at a time), mixed with a little broth before mixing into the sauce in the pan.
- For the juiciest results, use a meat thermometer at the end. I recommend cooking sun dried tomato chicken just until it reaches 165 degrees F, not higher to avoid drying it out. The only exception is if you use chicken thighs — these are actually more juicy if you let them reach 170 degrees F.
- Want a spicy kick? Toss some crushed red pepper flakes into the sauce before simmering.
Sun Dried Tomato Chicken (20 Min)
By
My sun dried tomato chicken recipe has the most irresistible creamy sauce! Make this easy dinner in just 20 minutes, with simple ingredients.
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season them on both sides with sea salt and black pepper.
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Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and sear for 3-8 minutes per side, until golden brown and almost cooked through (internal temperature should reach 160 degrees F). Time will vary depending on the thickness of your chicken and whether it's whole or cut into strips.
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Remove the chicken from the pan, cover with foil to keep warm, and set aside.
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Meanwhile, in a small bowl, vigorously whisk the arrowroot powder into the chicken broth.
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Add the minced garlic to the skillet (add a little more oil if it's dry). Cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
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Add the arrowroot/broth mixture, cream, sun dried tomatoes, and half of the fresh basil. Increase the heat to bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Adjust salt and pepper to taste if needed.
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Add the chicken back to the pan and spoon the sauce over it. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until chicken is fully cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F).
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Top with the remaining fresh basil before serving.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the juiciest sun dried tomato chicken, how to adjust the sauce thickness, how to use milk instead of cream, and a variation to add a kick.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. I don’t recommend freezing this dish.
- Reheat: I recommend reheating on the stovetop again. I’ve also placed a glass container with the chicken and sauce right into my air fryer for 1-2 minutes.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my 30 Dinners In 30 Minutes!
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Sun Dried Tomato Chicken
Serving Ideas
I highly recommend serving this sun dried tomato chicken over a base to soak up all that delicious sauce! I used mashed cauliflower in my picture above. Mashed sweet potatoes, roasted potatoes (or my faster roasted air fryer potatoes), riced cauliflower, or zucchini noodles also work great.
If you want to add something else on the side, try some seasonal vegetables (like my roasted zucchini, sauteed spinach, or ratatouille) or a summery salad (my Caprese salad or BLT salad would be perfect).
More Creamy Chicken Recipes
If you like my sun dried tomato chicken, you might also like some of my other easy chicken recipes with creamy sauces or fillings:
72 Comments
Michelle
1This was absolutely delicious!! Thank you Maya! I added sautéed mushrooms because I had them and they needed using, and I degazed the pan with about 1/2 cup white wine. These additions were great, but I have no doubt that it would have been just as delicious as is. We put the chicken over mashed potatoes (I wasn’t supposed to have those but I did anyway!), and I also made a side of spaghetti squash and that was great with it too.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Michelle! Thank you for sharing your variation. It sounds really good!
Joy
1Loved this recipe, it was so good! I really like the tang from the sun-dried tomatoes along with the creamy sauce.
Olivia
1Hello Maya, I made this recipe for myself and my parents (they do not follow a paleo diet) the other night, and we were all completely wowed by it. My mom made mashed potatoes (with chicken stock and lard) to go with it, and the meal reminded me of chicken marsala from the Italian restaurants I used to eat at before going paleo. Thank you so much for this recipe, it is truly scrumptious! We have added it to our selection of favorite recipes to revisit again!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Olivia! I’m honored that the whole family was wowed by it.
Jody
1I’ve tried it twice now and both times it works perfectly.
Judy
1This is absolutely delicious, Maya. I made this dish for dinner this evening with boneless, skinless chicken thighs and made more sauce by adding more coconut milk. With this dish I also made coconut lime jasmine rice, and a crunchy simple green salad with a light lime honey dressing. I will definitely make this again and again. Thank you Maya for a beautiful thing.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Judy! That sounds like a delicious combination!
Jan
0Delicious! Made with boneless, skinless chicken thighs and they stayed wonderfully moist. Served over shirataki noodles which kept the carbs low.
Definitely a keeper!
Wholesome Yum D
0Jan, so glad you loved it! Chicken thighs are perfect for keeping it nice and juicy, and serving it over shirataki noodles is such a great low-carb option. Love that it’s a keeper for you!
Micia
0My family loved this. I didn’t use anything to thicken the broth. I also eye balled the broth and heavy cream because my family likes extra juice/sauce/cream/etc. with any meat. I also used chicken thighs. It’s the only way they will eat thighs. The fresh basil is key, it was really good on the chicken the bits that I put on last.
Wholesome Yum D
0Micia, I’m so glad your family loved it! Fresh basil really does make all the difference, and your extra creamy approach sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing how you made it your own!
Kim Ball
0I made this for my mom and husband. They said it was “restaurant quality!” Easy too!
Katherine
0The meal was delicious and I was so thankful for the idea of using coconut cream for dairy free version! I’m thankful for a healthy version of a favorite!
Trish Leon
0Is the coconut crème to sweet for this savory chicken dish?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Trish, I don’t think it is too sweet with the coconut cream, it but depending on how sensitive you are to the coconut taste, there might be a very slight hint of it.
Dennis
0Delicious dish. Added some asparagus. It was so good. I can’t wait to make again.
Michelle Hinton-Davis
0The smooth taste of garlic, basil, and sun dried tomatoes in a light cream sauce makes this chicken dish one of my family favorites! Simple to make and most of the ingredients I keep on hand. It makes a nice change to the plain chicken meal. I made Brussels sprouts and a nice garden salad and it paired nicely with this dish!
Sloan
0Do you mix the xanthan gum with the chicken broth as instructed with the arrowroot flour?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Sloan, Yes, you use the xanthan gum the same way as the arrowroot powder. You just need much less.
Elaine
0You could format recipes to fit on 1 page.
Amy L Huntley
0This dish is so filling and flavorful! So simple to make too!
Kristyn
0Yum!! This reminds me of a dish I would get at Cheesecake Factory! It would be great over pasta, too!
Taylor
0This chicken is unreal!! I love the creamy texture and bold flavors from the sundried tomatoes and basil. I can’t wait to make it again and again!
Toni
0This is really perfect!! My family enjoyed this delicious meal! Thanks for the recipe!
Tammie Rainworst
0One of my favorite chicken dishes, I make it all the time now!
Claudia
0This was an easy recipe and SO delicious. Absolutely saved to My Favorites!