Description
A forgiving, beginner-proof one-skillet pasta dish featuring chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and a rich cream sauce. It tastes like restaurant food but is incredibly simple to make with just a few core ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) penne, rigatoni, or fusilli pasta
- 1 cup (150g) sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs / 680g)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Optional: ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Dice chicken into 1-inch cubes and season with salt and pepper. Dice onion, mince garlic, drain and chop sun-dried tomatoes, and measure cream and spinach.
- Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente (8-10 minutes). Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining. Do not rinse pasta.
- Sear chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken in a single layer until golden brown and cooked through (6-8 minutes). Remove chicken and set aside, leaving fond in the pan.
- Sauté aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion to the skillet and cook until softened (2-3 minutes). Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Build sauce: Add sun-dried tomatoes to the skillet and toast for 1 minute. Pour in heavy cream and Italian seasoning, scraping up brown bits from the bottom. Simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Combine: Stir in spinach until wilted (about 1 minute). Add cooked chicken back to the skillet along with any juices.
- Finish: Add drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat. Add reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in Parmesan if using.
- Serve: Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan, black pepper, and fresh basil if desired.
Notes
[‘Do not skip reserving pasta water; the starch helps the sauce cling to the pasta.’, ‘Pat chicken dry before searing for a better crust.’, ‘Keep heat at medium or medium-low when adding cream to prevent curdling.’, ‘Toast sun-dried tomatoes in the oil before adding cream to deepen flavor.’, ‘This dish does not freeze well due to the dairy content; store in the fridge for up to 4 days.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 620
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 14
- Carbohydrates: 65
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 35
Keywords: pasta, sun-dried tomato, chicken, creamy pasta, beginner recipe, one skillet meal, weeknight dinner, easy dinner