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    Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken and Mozzarella

    Published: Jan 30, 2018 / 967 Comments

    4.1M shares
    • Facebook110.7K
    Recipe Print

    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.

    chicken mozzarella penne pasta with sun-dried tomatoes on a white plate
    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.

    Chicken Mozzarella Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes in a stainless steel skillet

    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

    1. 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.
    2. 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.
    3. Add 1 cup of shredded Mozzarella cheese.
    4. Simmer and stir until the cheese melts and forms a creamy pasta sauce.
    5. Add 1 tablespoon of dried basil, paprika, and at least ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
    6. Season with about ¼ teaspoon of salt.

    Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken  on a white plate

    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.

    sun-dried tomatoes and cooked chicken in a stainless steel skillet

    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.

    Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken in a stainless steel skillet

    6) Add spices: basil, crushed red pepper flakes, salt.

    7) Add cooked and drained penne pasta and stir to combine.

    Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken on a white plate

    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 chicken pasta with mozzarella cream sauce
    4.78 from 696 votes

    Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken and Creamy Mozzarella Sauce

    This easy Italian-inspired Chicken Mozzarella Pasta features sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, basil, red pepper flakes, and paprika.  The sun-dried tomato sauce is the star of this recipe!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, Italian
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories per serving 641 kcal
    Author: Julia

    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 Information
    Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken and Creamy Mozzarella Sauce
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    641
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    24
    g
    37
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    9
    g
    56
    %
    Cholesterol
     
    117
    mg
    39
    %
    Sodium
     
    700
    mg
    30
    %
    Potassium
     
    1626
    mg
    46
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    62
    g
    21
    %
    Fiber
     
    5
    g
    21
    %
    Sugar
     
    12
    g
    13
    %
    Protein
     
    43
    g
    86
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    810
    IU
    16
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    13.7
    mg
    17
    %
    Calcium
     
    258
    mg
    26
    %
    Iron
     
    3.9
    mg
    22
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    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.

    Keyword chicken mozzarella pasta, sun-dried tomato pasta
    Tried this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment and provide a Star Rating below - I love your feedback and try to respond to every comment!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Marrietta Kolozsi

      October 05, 2021 at 9:21 pm

      How can I get on a mailing list for your fabulous recipes

      Reply
      • Julia

        October 07, 2021 at 2:53 pm

        Unfortunately, I don't have that set up yet. It's on my to-do list, though. 🙂 As soon as the mailing list is set up, it will appear prominently on my website.

        Reply
        • Theresa

          October 11, 2021 at 5:52 pm

          What could anyone suggest for the milk substitute that they have already tried ? Coconut cream ? Lactose milk ? ...... tks in advance!

          Reply
          • Julia

            October 11, 2021 at 9:02 pm

            Coconut milk works well to replace regular heavy cream or half-and-half.

            Reply
    2. Lauren

      October 04, 2021 at 10:47 am

      Wonderful recipe! My husband and I really enjoyed it and I will definitely be making it again.

      Reply
      • Julia

        October 04, 2021 at 1:40 pm

        Lauren, I am so happy you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for letting me know!

        Reply
    3. Annabelle

      October 01, 2021 at 9:04 pm

      Amazing recipe!
      Thank you for sharing

      Reply
      • Julia

        October 04, 2021 at 1:56 pm

        I am glad you liked it! 🙂

        Reply
    4. Patricia

      August 31, 2021 at 3:31 pm

      I just finished making this recipe for lunch. It is delicious. I called my sister and told her she has to come over and get her some so she can taste this awesome meal. I will be making it again and again. Thanks for sharing your recipe.

      Reply
      • Julia

        September 22, 2021 at 5:14 pm

        Patricia, your comment made my day! So glad you tried this recipe and enjoyed it!

        Reply
    5. Shana

      August 29, 2021 at 9:20 pm

      Recipe instructions are quite confusing but after following what Tracy said and doing my own thing a bit, the pasta turned out well and tasted great.

      Reply
      • Julia

        August 30, 2021 at 4:46 pm

        Shana, I am glad you liked it! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Kristy

      August 22, 2021 at 7:22 pm

      This was so easy and sooo good. We felt like we had gone out to eat. I used the julienne cut sundried tomatoes in a bag and they were the perfect size. We doubled the recipe and the 3 of us too a good chunk out of it. HAHAHA
      Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Julia

        August 30, 2021 at 6:26 pm

        Kristy, you are very welcome! So glad you liked it! 🙂

        Reply
    7. Marsha Clarkyumm

      August 20, 2021 at 10:58 pm

      Very yummy. I added 1/2

      Reply
      • Julia

        August 30, 2021 at 6:36 pm

        Glad you liked it!

        Reply
        • Lynnette

          September 29, 2021 at 6:53 pm

          Love love love this recipe! Very easy to make and so delicious! Do you think you could substitute the chicken with ground beef?

          Reply
          • Julia

            October 01, 2021 at 12:29 pm

            Lynette, I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Yes, you can use ground beef or sausage, it will taste delicious!

            Reply
    8. Don

      August 17, 2021 at 4:58 pm

      Very flavorful and easy to prepare.
      You have to try this dish!
      I marinated the chicken in a little Italian dressing…

      Reply
      • Julia

        August 30, 2021 at 6:48 pm

        Don, I am so glad you like it! Thank you for stopping by and sharing a 5-star review. 🙂 I appreciate it!!!

        Reply
    9. Tracy Willard

      August 10, 2021 at 6:23 pm

      Hi there,
      This recipe was absolutely delicious! I was, however, a bit confused by some of the steps which seemed redundant or unnecessary. Here's what I would suggest:
      1. Start by boiling the pasta. The chicken finishes up quickly and then can become overdone while waiting for the water to boil and the noodles to cook.
      2. Chop up the sun dried tomatoes first. Adding them to the pan to cook for one minute, then taking them out to chop, only to add them back in seemed redundant.
      3. I'd start by sautéing the chicken in oil, then when it's almost done, add the tomatoes and the garlic. Then the sauce comes together quickly and by that time, the pasta should be done.

      Again, great flavors and I'm so glad I found this recipe. Just a few "cook's" tweaks to make it efficient.

      Reply
      • Julia

        August 12, 2021 at 7:38 pm

        Tracy, thank you for your tips! Very helpful!

        Reply
    10. Mary

      August 06, 2021 at 5:21 pm

      Can you use a different pasta instead of penne?

      Reply
      • Julia

        August 13, 2021 at 7:11 pm

        Yes, you can use any type of short pasta, such as bow tie pasta, rigatoni, pasta shells, fusilli, etc.

        Reply
        • Paula

          September 23, 2021 at 11:04 pm

          I made one for my family with regular penne and another for my husband with gluten free penne. It was so flavorful and we really enjoyed it. I'd probably just cut the tomatoes before adding garlic so I'm not cutting up oily, hot tomatoes. Delicious.

          Reply
          • Julia

            September 24, 2021 at 12:51 pm

            Paula, I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for giving this recipe a star review - I really appreciate it! 🙂

            Reply
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