This recipe for sun dried tomato pasta is penne pasta with sauteed chicken and spinach, tossed in a creamy garlic sauce. An easy dinner that the whole family will love!
Easy pasta dishes are a staple in my house, I often find myself making lemon asparagus pasta, chicken parmesan pasta and this simple yet satisfying sun dried tomato pasta.
This sun dried tomato pasta with chicken isn’t the fanciest dish on the planet, but it’s pure comfort food that’s easy to make and ready in 30. How can you go wrong with creamy, cheesy pasta and chicken?! Think along the lines of a chicken alfredo, but with an extra flavor boost from the spinach and sun dried tomatoes.
How do you make sun dried tomato pasta?
This sun dried tomato pasta uses cubed chicken breast, which gets sauteed to a golden brown while you’re waiting for the pasta to cook. You could also use leftover cooked chicken or even rotisserie chicken if you’re really short on time. I always use sun dried tomatoes that are packed in oil, they come in a jar and are typically near the olives at the grocery store. I feel that the oil packed tomatoes have a better flavor and texture than the type that are located with the dried fruit.
Tips for sun dried tomato pasta
- In a hurry? Use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken cut into cubes to save time.
- You can use any short pasta for this dish, I recommend penne, rotini, fusilli or farfalle.
- No spinach on hand? Try a different type of green such as kale or escarole.
- You can add other ingredients to mix up the flavors in this dish. Some of my favorite additions include caramelized onions, kalamata olives, sauteed mushrooms or marinated artichoke hearts.
This sun dried tomato pasta got a big thumbs up from the kids – some of my pickier eaters avoided the green stuff but they loved the creamy pasta and chicken combination. Serve this dish with a salad or perhaps a loaf of bread and you’ve got diner in no time!
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More great pasta dishes
Sun Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken
Ingredients
- 10 ounces penne pasta
- 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons flour
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup oil packed sun dried tomatoes drained
- 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; prepare pasta according to package directions.
- In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the chicken and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and just cooked through.Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the flour to the pan and stir to coat the chicken. Cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the broth to the pan and bring to a simmer. Add the heavy cream and cook until just thickened, 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in the parmesan cheese, sun dried tomatoes and spinach and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Drain the pasta and pour it into the pan with the chicken mixture. Stir to coat the pasta in the sauce and serve immediately.
Beth Pierce says
Love how easy this was to make and how all the flavors compliment each other so nicely! I will be adding this to my weekly line up of dinner recipes, indeed!
Jacque Hooper says
This is just what I was looking for for dinner tonight! My picky eaters will definitely enjoy this meal!
Anita @ Daily Cooking Quest says
This sound like something to whip up for a weekday dinner, so simple and full of all my favorite flavors, especially the sun dried tomatoes.
Vicky says
I love having sun dried tomatoes on hand because they really add so much flavor to any recipe. This yummy pasta dish is no exception. I bet my whole family would love this.
Andrea Metlika says
Love everything about this. Quick, easy and flavorful!!
Kelly Anthony says
I like the idea of an extra flavor boost from the sun dried tomatoes and spinach. This looks like the perfect dinner that will be enjoyed by everyone.
Kristina Mendoza says
Looks delicious! I haven’t really tried this kind of pasta but I’m excited to make one for my family! Thanks for sharing such wonderful recipe.
Greg says
This looks amazing. I can’t wait to try this pasta!
Sam says
Looks like a hearty easy meal which I am always on the hunt for
Catherine Lee says
This sounds excellent! Can’t wait to try it! And thank you for using Yummly, I like keeping my recipe collections in one place so I can find them easily!
Kathi @ Laughing Spatula says
Love this dish! I agree the oil packed sun dried tomatoes are soooo much better! I’ll take the little bit of extra calories for them!