Name: Sun Dried Tomato Chicken (20 Min)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 17 min
Ingredients: 4 8-oz Boneless skinless chicken breasts ((whole or cut into strips)); 1 tsp Sea salt ((to taste)); 1/4 tsp Black pepper; 1 tbsp Olive oil; 1/4 cup Chicken broth, reduced sodium; 2 tsp Arrowroot powder ((or cornstarch, or 1/4 tsp xanthan gum)); 2 cloves Garlic ((minced)); 1/2 cup Heavy cream ((or coconut cream for dairy-free)); 1/2 cup Sun-dried tomatoes ((julienned, drained if packed in oil)); 1/2 cup Fresh basil ((cut into ribbons))

In This Post

I’m Obsessed With The Sauce On This Sun Dried Tomato Chicken
Ingredients & Substitutions
How To Make Sun Dried Tomato Chicken
My Recipe Tips
Sun Dried Tomato Chicken (20 Min) Recipe card
Serving Ideas
More Creamy Chicken Recipes
Recipe Reviews

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 I originally made this recipe with coconut cream, which you can still use for a dairy-free option, but now I prefer the flavor of heavy cream.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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Labeled recipe ingredients: Chicken, sun dried tomatoes, basil, garlic, cream, chicken broth, arrowroot powder, salt, and pepper.

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.

Broth and arrowroot powder whisked in a bowl.

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!

Creamy sun dried tomato sauce in a skillet.

Chicken returned to the pan and coated in sun dried tomato cream sauce.

Finished sun dried tomato chicken recipe in the skillet with lots of fresh basil.

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

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Creamy chicken with sun dried tomatoes in a bowl over mash.

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:

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72 Comments

Kim | Low Carb Maven
0 Jun 28, 2016Reply

I love dishes like this. I think you hit it out of the park with this one. I like that you used coconut milk instead of the traditional cream. I admit that we have been riding the dairy train a little too long and need to start swapping in some other choices. I bet it gives the dish a nice flavor…Pinned!
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 Jun 28, 2016Reply
  
  Thank you so much, Kim! We eat a lot of dairy at our house too, but I also like to make paleo low carb dishes. The coconut cream works really well to replace traditional cream, but you could definitely use regular cream if you wanted to. Thanks for pinning!
Carol@studiobotanica
0 Jun 27, 2016Reply

Looks SO good, Maya!! Love creamy chicken recipes with the sharp acidic sun dried tomatoes. May need to add olives!
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 Jun 28, 2016Reply
  
  Thank you, Carol! Olives sound like a wonderful addition, too!