Save to Pinterest There's something about the way garlic hits hot butter that made me fall for this dish years ago at a friend's dinner party. I was sitting at her kitchen counter, nursing a glass of wine, when she started sautéing sun-dried tomatoes in that golden butter, and suddenly the whole kitchen smelled like Italy. She didn't have a fancy recipe or any pretense about it—just good ingredients and confidence. That night, watching her pull it all together in one skillet, I realized you don't need hours in the kitchen to make something that feels luxurious and true.
I made this for my partner one evening when I wanted to cook something that felt both comforting and a little special, without the stress of timing multiple pans. Everything cooked in one skillet, the pasta water added at the end stretched the sauce perfectly, and there was this moment where we both looked at our plates and just smiled. It became our default date-night meal when we wanted something that tasted like care but didn't demand perfection.
Ingredients
- Penne or fettuccine: 350g feels like the right amount to balance the sauce without overwhelming it. I learned to always reserve pasta water before draining—it's liquid gold for loosening the sauce at the end.
- Chicken breasts: Two large ones, cut against the grain after cooking, stay tender when you don't rush the cooking or skip the rest time. Boneless and skinless lets the sauce shine without competing with skin.
- Unsalted butter: 2 tablespoons is your base for the garlic, and unsalted gives you control over the final seasoning.
- Garlic: Three cloves minced fine, sautéed just until fragrant, adds depth without turning bitter if you rush it.
- Sun-dried tomatoes in oil: 120g drained and sliced bring a concentrated sweetness and jammy quality that fresh tomatoes can't match. Don't skip the draining step or your sauce gets watery.
- Chicken broth: 120ml cuts through the richness slightly and gives the sauce a savory backbone.
- Heavy cream: 240ml creates that luscious coating without being cloying when balanced with the broth and Parmesan.
- Parmesan cheese: 60g grated fresh, stirred in off heat, melts smoothly and adds umami depth.
- Fresh baby spinach: 80g wilts down to almost nothing but turns the dish bright green and adds nutrition you don't really taste.
- Red pepper flakes: Optional, but a quarter teaspoon wakes up the sweetness of the tomatoes.
- Fresh basil or parsley: Added at the end as a garnish, it's a quiet reminder that fresh herbs matter even in cream sauces.
Instructions
- Set the pasta water boiling:
- Fill a large pot with water, add a tablespoon of salt, and bring it to a rolling boil while you prepare everything else. This salt isn't just flavor—it's seasoning the pasta from the inside out.
- Season and sear the chicken:
- Pat your chicken breasts dry, then coat both sides generously with salt, pepper, and dried Italian herbs. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers slightly, then lay the chicken in carefully and don't touch it for five to six minutes—you want a golden-brown crust that tells you the inside is done.
- Build the sauce foundation:
- In that same skillet, melt butter over medium heat and watch it foam slightly as it gets hot. Stir in your minced garlic and listen for it to sizzle, which means you're a minute away from fragrant perfection, then add the sun-dried tomatoes and let them warm through.
- Deglaze and cream:
- Pour the chicken broth into the skillet and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all those browned bits stuck to the bottom—that's where the flavor lives. Lower the heat, pour in the cream slowly, then stir in the Parmesan until it melts into something silky, and let it bubble gently for two to three minutes until it coats the back of a spoon.
- Add the green and bring it together:
- Toss in the baby spinach and stir until it surrenders and softens, then add your drained pasta and sliced chicken. Toss everything together, adding reserved pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce moves around the pasta instead of clinging to it.
Save to Pinterest What I love most about this dish is that it asks so little of you but gives back so much. The first time someone told me this tasted like something from a restaurant, I realized I'd made something I could actually be proud of serving.
Why the Sun-Dried Tomatoes Matter
Sun-dried tomatoes in oil aren't just a fancy ingredient—they're concentrated umami and a subtle sweetness that cream sauces sometimes need to feel complete. I used to skip them or substitute fresh tomatoes, and the dish always felt flat, missing something I couldn't name. The moment I committed to the real thing, everything clicked. They add texture, color, and a depth that makes people ask what you did differently.
Timing and Temperature
The secret to this coming together smoothly is not rushing the sauce over high heat and making sure your chicken is already cooked and sliced before the cream hits the pan. I learned this the hard way once when I was impatient and the cream got too hot before everything was ready—it broke slightly and never quite recovered. Now I prep everything first, then let the sauce come together gently while I think about what wine to pour.
Variations and Add-Ins
This recipe is flexible enough to bend toward whatever you're in the mood for without losing what makes it work. I've made it with half-and-half for a lighter version, swapped in prosciutto when chicken felt boring, and even done a seafood version with shrimp that was just as good. The structure stays the same—butter, garlic, something flavorful in the middle, cream, cheese, and greens—so you can play with what you layer in between.
- Substitute shrimp or scallops if you want something lighter, adding them just long enough to warm through.
- Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a less indulgent but still silky sauce.
- Fresh thyme, tarragon, or even a pinch of nutmeg can shift the flavor without breaking the dish.
Save to Pinterest This is the kind of dish that turns an ordinary Tuesday into something worth remembering. Make it often enough and it becomes more than a recipe—it becomes a moment you can recreate whenever you need comfort that's also a little elegant.
Recipe Q&A
- → What type of pasta works best?
Penne or fettuccine are ideal as they hold the creamy sauce well, but any sturdy pasta works nicely.
- → Can I substitute chicken with another protein?
Yes, grilled shrimp or turkey breast can replace chicken for a different twist.
- → How do sun-dried tomatoes affect the flavor?
They add a tangy, slightly sweet depth that enhances the cream sauce and balances richness.
- → Is fresh spinach better than frozen?
Fresh spinach wilts nicely without adding excess moisture, preserving texture and color.
- → How can I lighten the cream sauce?
Using half-and-half instead of heavy cream reduces fat while maintaining creaminess.
- → Can this dish be made gluten-free?
Yes, substitute regular pasta with gluten-free options without altering the flavor much.