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Chicken Mozzarella Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes - Italian-inspired dinner with the best homemade creamy pasta sauce! The sun-dried tomato pasta sauce is made from scratch using basil, red pepper flakes, garlic, paprika, cream, and shredded Mozzarella cheese.
I am a huge fan of pasta, and some of the most popular pasta recipes on this site include this chicken mozzarella pasta that you are reading right now, creamy chicken pasta with bacon, and pesto chicken pasta. One thing all these pasta recipes have in common is that they use creamy, comforting sauces.
If you want to try chicken pasta that is more refreshing, without the creamy sauce, I whole-heartedly recommend family favorite chicken pasta with spinach and tomatoes or super flavorful Italian sausage pasta.
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken
- This recipe features sun-dried tomatoes and basil. Both ingredients are popular in Italy and in the Mediterranean region.
- The most prominent flavor in this recipe is the homemade sun-dried tomato sauce. The sauce is made from scratch by combining cream with shredded Mozzarella cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, basil, and red pepper flakes.
- Cooked chicken and penne pasta are then smothered in this delicious creamy Mozzarella pasta sauce. There is enough sauce to coat every single bite.
Ingredients for sun-dried tomato sauce
- 3 garlic cloves
- 4 oz sun-dried tomatoes
- olive oil
- salt
- paprika
- basil
- 1 cup half-and-half (or ½ cup heavy cream + ½ cup milk)
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
How to make sun-dried tomato sauce
- In a large skillet, cook 3 cloves of minced garlic and 4 oz of chopped sun-dried tomatoes in 1 tablespoon of olive oil on high-medium heat for about 1 minute.
- Add ½ cup of heavy cream + ½ cup of milk (or 1 cup of half-and-half) to the same skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer.
- Add 1 cup of shredded Mozzarella cheese.
- Simmer and stir until the cheese melts and forms a creamy pasta sauce.
- Add 1 tablespoon of dried basil, paprika, and at least ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
- Season with about ¼ teaspoon of salt.
Cooking Tips
- Use either sun-dried tomatoes without oil or sun-dried tomatoes in oil (in a jar). Note: if using sun-dried tomatoes in oil (in a jar), make sure to drain sun-dried tomatoes from oil, before using them.
- Sprinkle a small amount of paprika over the chicken before cooking - it adds flavor as well as the color to the dish.
- Make sure to reserve some pasta water as you will DEFINITELY need it to thin out the cream sauce.
- Feel free to increase the amount of spices for this recipe: basil, red pepper flakes, paprika. This will make the sun-dried tomato sauce even more flavorful!
- Make sure to season the chicken mozzarella pasta with just the right amount of salt. That means you might have to add more salt. Salt will enhance the flavors of basil and sun-dried tomatoes.
How to Make Chicken Mozzarella Pasta
1) In a large skillet, on medium heat sauté garlic and sun-dried tomatoes in the olive oil. Remove the sun-dried tomatoes from the skillet.
2) Season sliced chicken with salt and paprika.
3) Add the chicken to the skillet and cook on high heat.
4) Add back the sun-dried tomatoes. Add half-and-half and shredded Mozzarella cheese.
5) Bring the mixture to boil, then reduce to simmer and stir the sun-dried tomato sauce until the cheese melts.
6) Add spices: basil, crushed red pepper flakes, salt.
7) Add cooked and drained penne pasta and stir to combine.
More recipes featuring sun-dried tomato pasta
- Creamy Shrimp Pasta with Mozzarella Sauce features shrimp instead of chicken.
- Asiago Chicken Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Spinach - this sun-dried tomato pasta is made even more flavorful with the addition of Asiago cheese and spinach.
- Scallop Pasta features scallops - another protein you can use in place of chicken in a recipe that is otherwise very similar to this one.
- Creamy Mozzarella Pasta with Smoked Sausage is a great choice if you want to make the same pasta with sausage.
- Sun-Dried Tomato and Mushroom Pasta is the meatless version of this recipe.
Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken and Creamy Mozzarella Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 4 oz sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb chicken breast tenderloins , sliced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup half and half (or use ½ cup heavy cream + ½ cup milk)
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese , shredded (do not use fresh Mozzarella, use pre-shredded Mozzarella)
- 8 oz penne pasta (for gluten free, use gluten free brown rice pasta)
- 1 tablespoon basil
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup reserved cooked pasta water or more
- ¼ teaspoon salt to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet, sauté garlic and sun-dried tomatoes (drained from oil) in 2 tablespoons of olive oil (reserved from the sun-dried tomatoes jar) for 1 minute on medium heat until the garlic is fragrant.
- Remove the sun-dried tomatoes from the skillet, leaving the olive oil.
- Add sliced chicken (salted and lightly covered in paprika for color) and cook on high heat for 1 minute on each side. Remove from heat.
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve some cooked pasta water. Drain the pasta.
- Slice sun-dried tomatoes into smaller pieces and add them back to the skillet with chicken.
- To make creamy pasta sauce, add half-and-half (see substitution for half-and-half in the Recipe Notes section below) and Mozzarella cheese to the skillet, and bring to a gentle boil.
- Immediately reduce to simmer and cook, constantly stirring, until all cheese melts and creamy sauce forms.
- Add cooked and drained pasta to the skillet with the cream sauce, and stir to combine.
- Add 1 tablespoon of basil, and at least ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
- If the creamy sauce is too thick: Add about ½ cup of reserved cooked pasta water to the skillet to thin it out. Do not add all of pasta water at once - you might need less or more of it.
- Season the chicken pasta with salt and more red pepper flakes, to taste, if needed. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes for flavors to combine.
- Note: Make sure to salt the dish just enough to bring out of the flavors of basil and sun-dried tomatoes.
Notes
- What is half-and-half? Substitute ½ cup of milk + ½ cup of heavy cream for 1 cup of half-and-half.
- If using sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil (in a jar), make sure to drain sun-dried tomatoes from oil, before using them. Reserve 2 tablespoons of this drained olive oil.
- Do not use fresh Mozzarella. Fresh Mozzarella is usually sold as a large ball or small balls in a brine or water solution. Do not shred fresh Mozzarella. Use pre-shredded Mozzarella cheese sold in bags.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This recipe was originally published in October 2014 and updated in 2018.
The tablespoon of basil.... is that fresh basil or dried?
I've used dried basil, so it's 1 tablespoon of dried basil. If using fresh basil, you can use much more than 1 tablespoon.
This is a v delicious recipe. Have made it a few times now. First time, I made it exactly as instructed. Perfection. The next 2 times, I doubled the recipe. Not sure what I did wrong, but the sauce didn't turn out creamy like the first time. Started like it was going to be creamy, but the cheese clumped, stuck to the chicken n the canned mushrooms that I added. ( I drained n dried the mushroom).My sauce was on the watery side, while the cheese clumped together. The flavor was still great. What did I do wrong? Pls help!
I had the same problem and I doued recipe. I was just looking in reviews to see what I did wrong.
Seems like the sauce was not heated through enough to melt the cheese quickly. If doubling the recipe, I would make sure to bring the sauce to a visible boiling point before adding any cheese. Then, add the cheese gradually, stirring at all times, while the sauce visibly simmers. Once the first batch of cheese is added and has been melted, add the next batch gradually, and so on.
Just made this recipe. Do not recommend using a full tablespoon of dry basil! It’s a very strong flavor so you probably need half a tbs or less.
Mia, great feedback - thank you! Yes, I think whether to use 1 tablespoon of dried basil is a matter of personal preference - it could be too much for some. Also, I think it depends on the brand of dried basil. Some dried basil is more strong while other brands are more mellow.
My son said some recipes are hit and miss thus one definitely is a hit we loved it even without the chicken.
Lorie, I am so happy you and your son enjoyed this recipe! 🙂
I made it and used fresh grape tomatoes instead of the sun dried. I also added fresh baby spinach and Parmesan cheese. It was delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
Brenda, you are very welcome! I am glad you liked the recipe - love that you used fresh veggies!
Made this for dinner tonight and it was absolutely delicious! Definitely a keeper and I’d even make it for a casual company dinner. There’s just the two of us, so we have plenty leftover for another meal - betting it will be as good, if not better, reheated.
Cris, I am so glad you've enjoyed this recipe - thank you for stopping by and letting me know!
I made it and it was so good.
I am happy you liked it! Thanks for the comment! 🙂
Very tasty and so easy. This a weekly meal
Greg, I am glad you like this recipe. Thank you for the comment and the 5-star review!
Hi I just made this it’s awesome!I forgot to save pasta water how can I thin this out without losing favor
Sylvia, I am glad you liked it! You can thin out the sauce by adding extra milk or half-and-half, or even chicken broth.
I have made this recipe several times because it is so delicious!First time I followed recipe exactly. My husband loved it as I. Since then I have added more ingredients: artichoke hearts, sliced mushrooms,red bell pepper chunks. Substituted fresh basil for dried and upped red pepper flakes to 1/2 tsp. I have used different pasta shapes: rigatoni,fusilli,farfalle. Served with garlic bread slices. Delicious everytime!! Always a hit!!!
Diana, your comment made my day! I'm glad you've made this recipe several times and enjoyed it! And, thank you for stopping by and sharing this positive feedback! Your additions sound delicious! And so does fresh basil!
Made this dish for me and my husband and I loved the flavor but felt like my sauce got a bit texturized somehow. I made sure my cheese was fully melted before moving on to the next steps but for some reason it ended up texturized in a way I feel it probably shouldn’t have been. Any advice?
It sounds like maybe the skillet was a little too hot when you added your cream in, it may have separated... Also, if it is cooked too long at a high temp it can separate too.
And or, make sure your cheese is pure mozzarella with no starches added to it, which can also change the entire consistency of the dish. A lot of cheaper products add potatoes starch to lighten the cost and you won't know unless you look at the ingredients.
I'm going to try this out tomorrow, looks delish!!!
Wow, Donna, great tips - thank you so much! So helpful for everybody!
How could I make this ahead of time to serve at a dinner party? Could I use a crack pot to keep it warm in? What would u suggest?
I have made this before for me and my husband , it’s delicious !
Yes, I think using a crockpot to keep it warm on a very low heat setting should work!
Very nice taste, I substituted paprika with smoked chipotle paprika, added more garlic, fresh basil, used chicken thights no skin or bone. It was delicious!
Lucie, I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for such wonderful feedback!
Made this for my family with some homemade garlic bread. My family loved it! I feel that the flavor could have been stronger but think it was my error.
No I agree I came on here to write that there was not very much flavor at all
Sorry to hear that. Did you season this dish with enough salt and basil? I often find that not seasoning the pasta with enough salt results in a blander flavor.
Glad you liked it! Love that you served it with homemade garlic bread - sounds so good!!!
Loved this recipe! I added sundried tomato pesto and crushed cashews, and boy it was incredible. Definitely going to be a staple dinner for me!
WOW, Bella, I love your additions! I don't think I ever came across the comment on this recipe that mentioned adding crushed cashews - that sounds so delicious! Also, glad that sun-dried tomato pesto worked!
Great recipe! Anytime I try I new recipe I make it exactly as the author stated and this was amazing! We had a salad and a nice glass of Pinot Noir. It’s a win in our house and my husband is excited to take left overs to work. I’ll be looking at other recipes from Julia 🙂
Melissa, I am so happy you gave this recipe a try and enjoyed it! Thank you so much for sharing such a positive comment! 🙂
Hi Julia, we love this recipe and I’ve also made it with shrimp. My problem is the shredded mozzarella tends to get gloppy after heating it in the sauce, does anyone else have this problem. I’ve thought about using cream cheese in place of because it would melt better?Thank you in advance for your reply.
Donna, I am glad you've enjoyed this recipe - thank you for letting me know! 🙂
1) Did you use shredded Mozzarella cheese (not the fresh kind, right?).
2) My tip about the clumped-up cheese would be to keep stirring while the sauce simmers at a higher heat. Not exactly boiling but not barely simmering, maybe low-medium heat (higher than just simmering). And keep stirring at all times.
I use half mozzarella and half grated Parmesan. More enhanced flavour and stops the gloppy.
Great feedback - thank you!
Made this one tonight and it turned out great! My wife (who’s not the most complimentary of my cooking) said it was (surprisingly) delicious. She later commented that it was something we should serve guests. High praise indeed! I’ll be saving this one for sure and making it again and again. Thanks, Julia! You made me look good tonight!
Dave, your comment made my day and made me smile at the same time! 🙂 I am so happy this recipe was a success!!!! And, thank you for stopping by and letting me know that the pasta was enjoyed.
Made this last night and it was fabulous! Served with mashed potatoes and salad. I enjoyed how easy it was to make, and the sauce while admittedly a bit oily, was very tasty! We are also offering online meat delivery Services.
Glad you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
This dish was absolutely delicious and so easy to make! My husband and I are empty nesters so this was perfect for us. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Beth, you are very welcome! So glad you enjoyed this recipe! And, thank you for stopping by and sharing such a positive comment - I really appreciate it!
Is it 1 tablespoon of dried or fresh basil?
It's 1 tablespoon of dried basil.
I want to make this dish, but need to all I can one day ahead of serving. Should I put it all together or do it in parts and then add together on serving day? Thanks
This is one of those dishes that are best to be made right before serving. Because the recipe involves a creamy sauce with melted cheese - I wouldn't make the sauce until the very last minute. However, you can prep other ingredients in advance, if you like.
I personally can eat pasta everyday, husband not so much,but he said this is a keeper. Had already cooked chicken, added some olive oil infused with pepper fakes,also add a few roasted red peppers. Would make this again. May try it on company next time. Also fresh loaf of ilatian bread. Yummy!,
Sandy, I am so happy you gave this recipe a try and enjoyed it! Love your addition of roasted red peppers - so delicious! And, thank you for stopping by and letting me know you liked this recipe - I appreciate it! 🙂
Very Delicious, Easy and Fast!!
I added one pound of spicy Italian sausage. I browned the sausage in the step prior to the chicken, then continued by adding the sliced chicken. I will definitely be making this again! Even my super picky 19 y/o loved it!
Nelly, I am so flattered to hear you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂 The addition of spicy Italian sausage sounds delicious!