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This simple one pot Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta is the perfect winter dinner. Quick, easy, hearty, and so delicious! Pan-seared Italian seasoned chicken in a creamy sun-dried tomato spinach sauce. Cooked together with rigatoni pasta for a quick dinner made in one pot. Truly one of those all-in-one dinners that everyone at the table will love. Great for a weeknight, but equally fancy enough to serve up at your next holiday dinner. You can’t go wrong with this Tuscan style pasta.
This December has been a special one in that four out of six of my brothers are here in Colorado all month. Normally, they’ll all come in the days leading up to Christmas, but with some snowboard events happening here all month long, the boys have been at home.
And when I say the boys, I mean Kai and Red. Well, Creighton is here too. I’m not exactly sure of his reasoning for being here all month. But I truly believe it’s because he misses Oslo when he leaves. And Trevor has been back and forth. I love having them home. Each one provides a little inspiration on any given day.
Lately, the boys have been requesting a lot of pasta and chicken. I’ve been making random dishes every night. But this one turned out so good that I wanted to recreate the dish and share it.
Everyone at the table loved this pasta. Even my dad, who’s not that into chicken and pasta, said the flavor was delicious.
And what do I love about this dish? Just how quick and easy it is to prepare!
The details
Seeing as this is a one pot recipe, it’s pretty straight forward. I start with the sun-dried tomatoes. I love using a jar of oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes. Not only are the tomatoes delicious, but I also use the oil from the jar to cook the chicken. The oil is always seasoned, so it adds even more flavor. Just make sure it’s extra virgin olive oil.
While I’m cooking the chicken, I season it with a homemade Italian seasoning blend…dried basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary and sage. Then I add smoked paprika and chili flakes. It’s a delicious mix and makes the chicken very flavorful.
Oh, and I add some parmesan too!
Once the chicken has cooked, add some water to make a paste. Then add the pasta and cook until the pasta is just al dente. Stir in a bit if cream, lots of spinach, the sun-dried tomatoes, and parmesan.
Add the chicken back to the pasta and toss everything until it is creamy.
I serve each bowl with extra parmesan and a squeeze of lemon. DELICIOUS!
It’s everything you’d expect out of a multi-step recipe, but all made in way less than an hour – and in one pot too. Simple, simple – and we love that.
You can serve this up on busy weeknights, but it’s equally great for holiday dinners with friends and family. I’m sure I’ll be remaking this over the holidays. My family members are slowly starting to make their way back to Colorado for Christmas (my remaining brothers and cousins), so this will be on repeat.
Looking for winter pasta recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Pesto Tortellini Zuppa Toscana
Creamy Roasted Garlic Butternut Squash Pasta
One Pot French Onion Pasta with Crispy Prosciutto
Basil Parmesan Pasta with Crispy Chicken, Prosciutto, and Arugula
Lastly, if you make this Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 519 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 (8 ounce) jar oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
- 4 teaspoons Italian seasoning (see note)
- 1 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika
- red pepper flakes
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 medium shallot, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 pound short cut pasta
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- 1. Drain 3 tablespoons of oil from the sun-dried tomato jar into a large pot or skillet with sides. Chop the sun-dried tomatoes and set aside.2. Set the pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning, the paprika, and a pinch each of red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook until golden brown, 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup parmesan, cook another minute, then remove the chicken from the pot. 3. To the same pot, add the butter, shallot, garlic, and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add 3 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, add the pasta, and cook, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente, 8 minutes. Stir in the cream, mustard, parmesan, spinach, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Slide the chicken and any juices left on the plate.4. Serve the pasta topped with lemon juice and fresh parmesan.
Notes
Italian Seasoning: Mix 2 tablespoons dried basil, 2 tablespoons dried oregano, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, and 1 teaspoon dried sage. Store in a sealed container.
This post was originally published on December 16, 2021
This was a home run recipe! Made it with homemade pasta and it was brilliant – just adjusted the water down a bit. Can’t wait to retry with dried pasta for a quick weeknight meal. Love all your recipes!
Hey Debra,
Amazing!! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it! xT
This was tonight’s dinner, and it was delicious! I used Banza gluten free pasta, which is made from chickpea flour, and it kinda created it’s own thickened sauce, so I didn’t have to use much cream at all. Heads up for first timers – use your biggest pot/pan! This recipe makes a lot!
Hey Barbara,
Happy Wednesday!!🎇 I am delighted to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and appreciate you making it! xx
Gonna make this shortly, I have dry pasta not fresh. Is that what you used?
Hey Erika,
Yes, that is correct:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! I hope you love this dish! xT
Loved this. I made it with leftover Christmas day turkey instead of the chicken and it was delicious!!
Hey Ailie,
Happy Wednesday!!🎇 I am delighted to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and appreciate you making it! xx
I’m dairy free and Gluten free, could I make this using coconut milk and nutritional yeast?
Hi Rose,
Sure, that should work well for you! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Just found this and can’t wait to make tomorrow and eat !!!!!!!
Thanks Bonnie!! I hope you love this dish! xx
I’d like to meal prep this. Can this reliably be reheated in the microwave / pan without drying out?
Hey Mick,
Yes, that will be just fine for you to do! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
This recipe was awesome! Great flavors, and SO easy to make, which I really appreciate for weeknight meals. I had to use more water and my pasta needed more cooking time, but overall, this recipe will be on repeat!
Hey Emily,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and appreciate you giving it a try! xT
I just made this tonight and it was SO delicious!! For anyone on the fence about adding Dijon mustard like I was start with just a teaspoon for a hint of flavor. I ended up liking it so I added the second teaspoon and loved it even more!
Hey Elizabeth,
I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Merry Christmas! 🎁🎄
This is delicious! I’m always very doubtful if cooking pasta in a bit of water but, voila! Deliciousness!
Hey Susan,
Perfect!! ⛄️ I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for trying it out! xx
Made this recipe several times and love it! The only thing I leave out is the Dijon mustard…it overpowers the recipe.
Hey Rebecca,
Wonderful!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! Love to hear that it was enjoyed! Happy Holidays!🎄🎁
This is an excellent recipe- so easy and delicious. Followed the instructions to the letter and don’t think I would change anything when I make it again (going to be soon). Thank you!
Hey Cathy,
Happy Monday!!☃️ I truly appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad it was enjoyed! xT
This was a fun recipe to make! Fairly easy. The pasta took a little longer to cook to reach the al dente level. I merely added a little bit more water and watched it cook down until I reached a cooked pasta level that I enjoyed. I love all the recipes you gave us. Thank you so much for making our household so much more complete!!!
Hey Patricia,
Happy Monday! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it turned out well for you! Thanks for your comment! xT
I love this recipe and plan to make it for guests on Friday. I would like to prepare as much in advance as possible before my small group of guests arrive. Can I make it a few minutes ahead of their arrival and if so, how far in advance – maybe 30 minutes? Also, how would I keep it warm and do I need to worry about it thickening up too much? Thank you for your wonderful recipes!
Hey Susan,
Wonderful!!❄️ Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, I am so glad it was a winner:) Sure, just make and then reheat on low! I hope this helps! xx
I have made this recipe twice and it was excellent! I would like to make it for a holiday meal for a crowd. I would need to at least triple the recipe. Are there any changes you would suggest when tripling this recipe? Thanks for your helpful comments!
Hey Janine,
Happy Wednesday! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! I would just make sure your pot is large enough to handle all of the food, otherwise make 3 batches and then just combine in one large pan for serving or to keep warm in the oven. xxT