Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Recipe
This one-pan Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken is quick, easy, and tossed in an incredibly creamy and delicious sun-dried tomato sauce. Serve it with your favorite vegetables, grains, or pasta.
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Hey, friends! Tania from Cooktoria here, sharing one of my all-time favorite dinner recipes – Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken. This dish made it to my favorites because it’s tasty, simple, and comes together in about 30 minutes. Are you excited to try it? Let’s discuss the two main ingredients.
White Meat vs. Dark Meat Chicken:
Skin-on chicken thighs or drumsticks would yield the best results in this sun-dried tomato chicken recipe. Dark chicken meat is the most succulent and tender, and the skin helps it retain moisture while frying. Of course, you can use chicken breasts if that is what you prefer or have on hand.
What Kind of Sun Dried Tomatoes?
There are two kinds of sun-dried tomatoes sold in most grocery stores:
- ‘Dry’ or plain sun-dried tomatoes
- Sun-dried tomatoes in oil
The good news is that you can use either of them in this recipe. If you buy sun dried tomatoes in oil, just drain the oil out and reserve it for future recipes. It’s very flavorful, and you can use it in many different dishes. You can even substitute the olive oil with the reserved oil from the sun-dried tomatoes.
How to Make Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken:
As mentioned above, it is quite easy to make this dish. You’ll need to:
- Blend the sun-dried tomatoes. Process the sun-dried tomatoes with water in a blender or smoothie cup for about a minute.
- Sear the Chicken. Sear the chicken in oil on both sides. You don’t need to fully cook the chicken, since it’ll finish cooking in the sauce.
- Make the sauce. In the same pan, make the sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, cream, and Parmesan cheese.
- Simmer the chicken. Return the chicken back to the pan and simmer it in the sauce until cooked through.
What to Serve with Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken
This dish goes really well with pasta. Arrange the chicken meat on serving plates and add cooked pasta (your favorite kind) to the pan with the sauce. Mix it all together and add the pasta to the serving plates.
I also love serving it with steamed veggies, such as green beans, broccoli, zucchini, and asparagus.
Another option is grains. Quinoa, rice, couscous, and bulgur will pair well.
Try These Easy Chicken Recipes:
- Stuffed Chicken Parmesan – so easy and impressive
- Creamy Chicken Thighs – with an irresistible sauce
- Cabbage and Chicken – a classic family favorite
- Instant Pot White Chicken Chili – one look and you’ll just know!
Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 oz. sun-dried tomatoes
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 lbs. chicken thighs , (skin-on, boneless)
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 cup half & half, or heavy cream
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp. fresh parsley, to garnish
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
Instructions
- Place the sun-dried tomatoes and water in a blender or smoothie cup and process for 60-90 seconds, until it resembles tomato sauce.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken in the skillet, skin side down. Cook for 5 minutes, until deep golden brown and crispy.
- Flip the chicken and fry for an additional 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and remove the chicken from the skillet.
- To the same skillet, add the sun-dried tomato mixture. Cook for about 3-4 minutes. Add the cream, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir.
- Reduce the heat to low, so the sauce is simmering gently. Return the chicken to the skillet and cook it for an additional 10-15 minutes, until cooked through. Add a little water to the sauce, if needed. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Serve.
Nutrition Per Serving
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Tania Sheff
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
What substitute would you recommend for the cream. I’m having gut issue and I am removing all diary from my diet.
Hi Heather, you may use half and half but other than that, I have not tried any other substitution to advise.
I was really excited to make this as I love sun dried tomatoes and working with chicken thighs bone in. I was surprised the recipe had me add the Parmesan with the cream – and THEN had chicken added back to complete simmering in the sauce. Was worried about the Parmesan separating and it did, and stuck to the bottom. It still tasted good – but could have been so much better. Any idea on how to just melt the Parmesan into the sauce at the end ?
Hi Terri, you could try adding in the parmesan at the very end to see if that makes a difference. High heat is the most common reason that cheese sauce curdles. Be sure to not overheat the sauce, it doesn’t take a lot to melt the cheese. Also, did you use half and half or heavy cream? You may notice a better texture when using heavy cream for the sauce. I also recommend using freshly grated parmesan cheese, not the pre-shredded type as this contains anti-clump agents and other fillers that could make the sauce grainy. I hope this helps.
Turned out delicious. This is my new favorite sauce now! So simple yet so much flavor!
Thanks for the great review, Carina. So good to know that this is not your new go-to sauce!
I like that this recipe lends itself to some flexibility. I made a few tweaks based on what I had on hand and personal preference. I brined then grilled boneless skinless chicken breasts, using the salt and pepper on the chicken as they grilled. Because I grilled the chicken, I didn’t need the olive oil. I doubled the sauce, added sautéed onions and garlic, subbed reduced sodium chicken broth for water, and used fat free half and half. It was delicious and a definite keeper.
Hello Amy, thank you so much for sharing the tweaks that you tried for this recipe. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
This was really good! I used boneless, skinless thighs and served with steamed Jasmine rice and steamed broccoli.
So delicious indeed! I’m glad you enjoyed it, Marcia.
This tasted great! I suggest adding white sugar to the sauce to balance the acidity of the tomatoes, though! Especially for those using canned tomato.
Thanks for your good feedback and suggestion, Jenna!
Thanks for posting this delicious looking recipe. Can’t wait to try it tomorrow 😁
You’re welcome, Su! I hope you love it!
Hi, is it okay to use tomato sauce instead?
Also, parmesan cheese isnt available in my country easily. what is the closest substitute to parmesan?Cheddar & mozarella are easily available n budget friendly too
Hi there, I think that will work too. I haven’t experimented with other cheeses, but some common substitutes for parmesan are Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano cheese.
Can this recipe be made without the cheese? Maybe just adding more cream or half and half? I really love your chicken alfredo recipe, especially because it didn’t require any cheese.
Hi Anna, I actually haven’t tried that yet to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
Hi Natasha,
We made the Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Recipe for dinner to night. I must say all who ate said it was really tasty, even though we ran out of sauce. Poor calculation on my behalf.
Thanks from us down under.
Hi Henry, I’m happy to know that you enjoyed this recipe. You can add more sauce next time I’m sure you’ll love it even more.
If I don’t have a blender can I just slice the sun dried tomato finely and cook as per the recipe?
Hi Alice, that should still work. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Recipe was ok but I expected a bit more flavour.. I love Natashas recipes but unfortunately I don’t always like the contributors’ recipes!!
Is there anyway I can bake this dish in the oven rather than cook on stovetop so I can prep ahead and prop in oven without having to stand by the stove when I have guests over? (PS: I grew up vegetarian and only started cooking chicken/ seafood a few years ago. So find baking instructions a lot more easy & less stressful to follow)
Hi Sue, that should work to make it ahead, cover with a lid or foil and keep warm in the oven.
If using sundried tomatoes in oil, do I still add water when blending?
Hi, I have not tried it with the oil before. If you experiment please let me know how you like that!
Absolutely loved it. Easy to make. Thank you for the recipe
You’re welcome Julia! I’m so glad you enjoyed that!
I thought this was great on several fronts! Easy to make, easy to adapt to personal taste, simple on hand ingredients, budget friendly and best of all – presents like a fancy dish!!
Wonderful feedback! Thank you for your great comments, we appreciate it!
Made this again for the third time. Three different sets of people, it is delicious and a hit with everyone, thank you!
Sounds like you found a new party favorite! Thank you for that great review.
The sauce was very delicious and flavourful however the chicken needed some salting or perhaps brining before adding it to the sauce.
Thank you for that feedback Ninah!
Men! another recipe to keep. My husband loved it. We tried it with rice. Next time I’m trying it with pasta.
Question do I make double portion for sauce, if I where to use it for pasta.
Thanks.
Hello Jenn, glad that you both loved it! It depends on your preference but yes you may add more sauce if you prefer to have more sauce in your pasta.
Wonderful post! We will be linking to this particularly great article on our
website. Keep up the good writing.
Made this tonight with skinless but not boneless chicken thighs. Hubby is not a huge fan of chicken but loved this! I browned the chicken on all 4 sides at 5 minutes per side in about 1 tablespoon of extra light olive oil. I then blotted both the pan and the thighs with paper towels and returned the chicken to the pan and lowered the heat to medium low. While the chicken was browning, I blended the sundried tomatoes, water and seasonings with an immersion blender. I then added the cream and blended all together. The sauce was was poured over the thighs and simmered for about 20 minutes, turning 3 times. Obviously, it took longer to cook since the bone was in, but the chicken was moist and tender and with less fat than skin on. Great flavor with fewer calories. Thank you for another winner!
Thank you for sharing! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
One of my usband’s favorite meals!
Happy husband happy life..wife i mean.
And it only takes 30 mins…
WIN WIN WIN!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Sooooo good!
Hey Natasha thanks for all your recipes. I love your site!
I’m making this sundried tomatoes chicken and my sauce kind of curdled after I added the half&half to the tomatoes. Any tips on how to prevent that from happening in the future?
Hi Julia, I would suggest using heavy cream to reduce that risk. Heavy cream tends to incorporate better.
sometimes it is also necessary to make sure sauce is not boiling before adding cream(or any milk product)…can pull off the heat b4 adding cream, or reduce heat before adding cream.
Hi Julie, I let my half & half sit out on the counter for about half & hour and then take a little bit of the hot tomato sauce and blend it in with the milk. I take the pan off the heat for a few minutes and then slowly whisk the milk into the pan to prevent curdling.
Oooh, I did not drain the oil, but as Lady from Spain, we looove oily dishes, we looove to deep the French bread in the sauce, so it was good… thank you again for this delicious recipe,,,
You’re welcome, Montse!
Now many servings per recipe? The Nutrition Information doesn’t specify.
This recipe makes 4 services at 766 calories. If you click “Jump to recipe” at the top of the post it will take you to our printable recipe where you have the option to view the ingredients and nutritional information.
I made this recipe but I halved everything and used two boneless skinless chicken breasts. I thought it was excellent and would make again! I also added spinach to the sauce. So good! Thanks.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Emele!
I adapted this recipe for my Instant Pot and it turn out fantastic! My husband asked to make this weekly. Another great recipe by Natasha! Thank you and keep them coming!
That’s so awesome Katia! Thank you for sharing that with me!
I’m excited to try this, this week! Can I substitute chicken thighs for chicken breasts? We aren’t a fan of chicken thighs!
Hi Emily, that should work! We love it with thighs but one of our readers reported great results using chicken breast here is what they said ” I made this recipe but I halved everything and used two boneless skinless chicken breasts. I thought it was excellent and would make again! I also added spinach to the sauce. So good! Thanks.” I hope that helps.
Hi Natasha, what is a substitute I can use for sundried tomatoes?
Hi Victoria, it would be difficult to find a comparable substitute in this recipe without completely changing the flavor profile.
Hi Natasha, could you please be more specific what do you mean by 3/4 cup of water or 1/2 cup of cream in your recipes? Or even when using vegetables by cups. What is amount in grams or milliliters?
Hi Monika, we have the metric measurement available towards the bottom of the printer-friendly version. Simply click metric.
Hi! Can the heavy cream or half & half be substituted?
Hi Tanya, I haven’t tested that but here is what one of our readers wrote ” This was truly delicious! I used coconut milk instead of cream and added spinach as well. I served it over brown rice. Will make again. Thanks, Natasha!” I hope that helps.
Hi Natasha! Can I possibly use a Sun-Dried tomato – garlic & cashew pesto (140g jar)? Will it still taste nice?
Is 140g enough or should i use less?
Hi Mia, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Have made it three times now, and love it. I use boneless skinless breasts, only because I always have them on hand. I use dried tomatoes from my farmers market. If I have any, I add a couple tbsp of ricotta to add to the creaminess.
That’s so great Nancy! Sounds like you found a new favorite! Thank you for sharing that awesome review with me!
Hi Natasha, I am wondering if I can transfer the seared chicken and the sauce into a casserole dish and bake the additional required time, 10-15 mins at 400 maybe?
Hi Alla, I haven’t tried it that way but I think it should work. It would be similar to what I did with my chicken pesto roll-ups.
Made this yesterday for my boyfriend…making this today again for my mom! Thanks for your wonderful recipes Natasha, happy Mother’s Day!
Thank you Alla! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
Why no video on this delicious meal?
Hi Rob, this recipe was shared by a friend so we did not create a video for it. I hope you love it!
I added some spinach to the sauce. Fantastic!!! Will make again.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
I made this for dinner tonight. It turned out great. I used the boneless skinless thighs i had on hand. Another winner from Natasha!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
I have chopped sun dried tomatoes in oil. Any suggestions on how I can make those work for this recipe? Thanks.
Hi Kim, those can be used in this recipe. Check out the section above labeled “What Kind of Sun Dried Tomatoes?” for more information on that. I hope you love the recipe!
Loved the recipe, very easy and delicious. Only thing is it took way longer than 15 min for my thighs to cook through. Idk where I went wrong, it was completely pink when I opened it after letting it simmer with the sauce:/ I let it fry on the pan both sides for 7 min each before that
Hi Ana. So sorry to hear that. Was your chicken possibly too cold in the center to start off with or too thick? It typically cooks through pretty quickly.
A fantastic dish and you deserve many compliments for such a tasty recipe. My husband ate 2 plates!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Can I substitute pamersan cheese with anything else?
Hi Anna! Are you looking for another type of cheese or omitting dairy altogether?
Any other cheese that I can us to substitute Pomersan cheese with. I tried Mexican 4 cheese mix, it turned out fine. But then again, I don’t know what is the original consistency should be 🙂
Thank you for easy recipe, it literally took me 20-30 min to make.
Hi Anna, I haven’t experimented with other cheeses, but some common substitutes for parmesan are Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano cheese.
This was truly delicious! I used coconut milk instead of cream and added spinach as well. I served it over brown rice. Will make again. Thanks, Natasha!
I”m so happy you enjoyed this recipe, Julia!
Awesome idea. I was scrolling down trying to see if anyone substituted heavy cream with something else (I was thinking Greek yogurt but that is a stretch). I think this will work and I have coconut cream in the pantry. Thanks!
My family loved it!!! Definitely making it again!
I’m so happy you loved it, Rezeda!! Thank you for the great review!
Very simple words have been used to explain this method and I understand everything well. Thanku so very much sharing this great recipe!!
All the recipes you have made are excellent and also beneficial for health 🙂
Thank you for this amazing feedback, Kiran!
Well, I wasn’t planning on going to the supermarket today. That definitely changed. Can’t wait to try it.
Hi Amanda! I hope you love it!!
Excited for this recipe because I have a “high-end” can of sun-dried tomatoes that is about to expire in my cabinet. Not that I panic and I do eat things past the perfect expiration date…but waste not has always been my motto!
I love that this came at the right time for you Laura! I hope you love it!
loooove it so creamy you’re the best Natasha thanks for sharing
Thank you Kathy! I’m so happy you love it!
Kathy did you actually make it?! Did you follow the recipe, any tips?