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    Home » All Recipes » Main Dish Recipes

    Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken

    Published on Dec 30, 2021 by Jim · Updated on Jul 15, 2022 · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 21 Comments

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    Creamy sun dried tomato chicken with spinach is one of our favorite easy dishes.  Chicken breasts are pounded until thin and cooked with spinach in an ultra-creamy sauce flavored with basil, sun dried tomatoes, white wine, and garlic.   This satisfying chicken dish can be on your table in about 35 minutes which means little effort for a lot of flavor.    

    Close up shot of seared chicken with sun dried tomato and spinach cream sauce.

    I love a good chicken dish. I especially love the ones that require very little effort, and minimal ingredients because they can be made on a whim.

    This creamy sun dried tomato chicken is definitely one of those.

    I always have a jar of sun dried tomatoes hanging out in the pantry.

    This wonderful ingredient comes in handy for plenty of other easy recipes like spinach sun dried tomato pasta, red pesto pasta, and paccheri with sausage, sun dried tomatoes, and butter beans.

    Chicken breasts are also a regular in our home and you can find me on any given day using them for chicken cutlets, chicken piccata, or any other number of chicken dishes.

    I love that this creamy chicken with sun dried tomatoes was borne out of trying to use up what's on hand - a skill that was lovingly passed on to me from my mom and grandma, and one that Italian-Americans are known for.

     

    Ingredients shown: spinach, basil, sun dried tomatoes, chicken, wine, chicken stock, garlic, cream, and Pecorino Romano cheese.

    How to make creamy spinach sun dried tomato chicken 

    Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.

    1. Begin by slicing a ½ cup of oil-packed sun dried tomatoes into strips.  Also, slice 5 cloves of garlic.  If using store-bought thin cutlets, skip to step 3.  Begin by filleting the 2 chicken breasts and cutting those fillets into two more pieces each. You should have 8 total pieces from 2 chicken breasts.
    2. Place one piece of chicken into a plastic bag and pound it out evenly to approximately ⅜'s of an inch thick.

    Sun dried tomato chicken recipe process shot collage group number one.

    1. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper on both sides.  Then, dredge the chicken in flour and shake off the excess.  Place the dredged pieces on parchment paper or a plate off to the side.  Note: The remaining flour should be discarded so only use a ½ cup or less for the dredging process.
    2. Heat a stainless steel pan to medium heat and wait 3 minutes before adding the oil.  Once the pan is hot, add 1-2 tablespoons of the reserved sun dried tomato oil and sear the chicken on both sides until browned and cooked through (should take about 3 minutes per side).  Work in batches and do not crowd the pan!  Place the seared chicken on a plate off to the side and tent with foil to keep warm.
    3. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the garlic.  Add a bit more oil if the pan is dry.  Once the garlic turns slightly golden add the sun dried tomatoes and cook for 30-60 seconds more.
    4. Add a ½ cup of dry white wine and turn heat to high.  Using a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pan to remove the brown bits.  Cook the wine out for 1-2 minutes until it reduces by about half.

    Recipe process shot collage group number two.

    1. Add a ½ cup of low sodium chicken stock and bring the sauce to a simmer.  
    2. Once simmering turn the heat to medium and cook for 3 more minutes to reduce.
    3. Add ¾ cup heavy cream and a ½ cup of Pecorino Romano cheese.  Mix well.
    4. Add the spinach.  Cook the sauce for 3-5 minutes until the cream is bubbly and starts to thicken.

    Recipe process shot collage group number three.

    1. Once the sauce has thickened (it should coat a spoon well and not drip off) add the chicken.  Coat the chicken and cook for a couple of minutes until the chicken is hot.  
    2. Taste test the sauce and make final adjustments to salt and pepper.  With the saltiness of the Pecorino and sun dried tomatoes you might not need any extra salt.  Once satisfied with the taste, turn the heat off and add the basil.  Hand tear a ¼ cup of basil leaves and sprinkle on top.  Serve with crusty bread to mop up the extra sauce.

    Sun dried tomato chicken with spinach in pan.

    Top tips 

    Making creamy chicken with sun dried tomatoes is fairly simple, but here are a few tips to help.

    • Heat your pan.  I prefer to cook using a stainless steel pan.  When using stainless steel, it's important to allow your pan to heat up for about 3 minutes before adding the oil.  This will allow the oil to skate on the pan once added, and will help prevent your chicken from sticking to the pan.
    • Sun dried tomatoes.  I always keep a jar of oil-packed sun dried tomatoes in the pantry for use in a pinch.  You can sometimes find dried ones in the grocery store, but I prefer the jarred as they're packed in oil and tend to be more flavorful.  I especially like adding some of the jar oil when searing the chicken.
    • The greens.  I used baby spinach here for its mild flavor and accessibility, but feel free to use any green you'd like, such as kale or chard. 
    • The chicken.  I used whole chicken breasts and filleted them myself.  If you prefer, you can buy cutlets that are already thinly sliced.  I'd still advise pounding them thin though as it creates a more even cooking and reduced cooking time.  If you prefer to use boneless/skinless chicken thighs, you can do so.  Just note you'd need to cook those for roughly 5-7 minutes per side.

    Piece of seared chicken with spinach and sun dried tomatoes held in wooden spoon.

    More go-to chicken recipes

    As I mentioned above, I use chicken breasts all the time for their versatility.  In addition to the chicken cutlets and piccata recipes mentioned above, here are a few more of my absolute favorites I know you'll love!

    • Chicken parmigiana - Perfectly fried chicken cutlets topped with tomato sauce, melted mozzarella, and plenty of Parmigiano Reggiano.
    • Chicken pizzaiola - Seared chicken cutlets with bell peppers, mushrooms, garlic, oregano, and white wine.
    • Chicken marsala - Thinly sliced chicken cutlets with mushrooms, smoked prosciutto, and Marsala wine.
    • Chicken francese - Egg battered cutlets in a buttery lemon sauce.
    • Spinach mushroom chicken - Chicken cutlets with spinach and mushrooms in a garlic white wine sauce.
    • Chicken valdostana - Prosciutto, and fontina cheese in an easy white wine sauce.
    • Chicken with capers and tomatoes - Another weeknight go-to, chicken cutlets with cherry tomatoes, capers, and parsley.

    If you’ve enjoyed this sun dried tomato chicken recipe or any recipe on this site, give it a 5-star rating and leave a review.

    Some people learn by watching.  If you're that type of person, you can find most of our recipes on YouTube and our Facebook Page.

    Sun dried tomato chicken featured image.

    Sun Dried Tomato Chicken

    5 from 10 votes
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Cook Time: 25 mins
    Total Time: 35 mins
    Servings: 4
    Print Pin Rate
    Author: James

    Ingredients

    For the chicken

    • 1 ½ pounds chicken cutlets filleted and pounded to about ⅜" thick
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • ½ cup flour for dredging

    For the sauce

    • ½ cup sun dried tomatoes drained, cut into strips
    • 3 tablespoons sun dried tomato oil
    • 5 cloves garlic sliced
    • ½ cup dry white wine sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, chardonnay, etc
    • ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
    • ¾ cup heavy cream
    • 8 ounces baby spinach
    • ½ cup Pecorino Romano grated
    • ¼ cup basil leaves packed, hand torn
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Season chicken cutlets with salt and pepper on both sides then dredge in flour and shake off the excess.
    • Heat a stainless steel pan to medium heat then add in the olive oil. Cook the chicken cutlets for 3 minutes per side or until well browned and cooked through. Work in batches if required and do not crowd the pan. Place the cooked chicken onto a plate and tent with foil.
    • Turn the heat to medium-low and add the garlic to the pan. Cook until fragrant and golden (about 1 minute). Next, add the sun dried tomatoes, cook for 30-60 seconds more, then add the wine and turn heat to high. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pan to dislodge any brown bits.
    • After 1-2 minutes and once the wine has reduced, add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 3 minutes.
    • Add the cream, spinach, and Pecorino and cook until the sauce begins to bubble and thicken (about 3-5 minutes).
    • Add the chicken to the pan. Cook until the chicken is hot and the sauce thoroughly coats the chicken (about 2-3 minutes). Now is the time to taste test the sauce and make final adjustments to salt and pepper.
    • Once satisfied with the taste, turn off the heat and hand tear the basil leaves on top. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the sauce. Enjoy!

    Notes

    • Boneless skinless chicken thighs can be substituted.  You will need to cook them longer (about 5-7 minutes per side) than thin-sliced cutlets.
    • Use either store-bought thin chicken cutlets or fillet and pound them out to about ⅜" thick.  A thinly pounded cutlet will allow even cooking and will only take a few minutes per side to cook.
    • Sun dried tomatoes are sold dry or in jars packed in oil.  Either can be used, but the oiled-packed ones tend to have more flavor plus the oil can be used for searing the chicken.
    • Parmigiano Reggiano can be subbed for the Pecorino Romano.
    • Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the microwave or on a stovetop over medium heat.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 568kcal | Carbohydrates: 14.5g | Protein: 57.5g | Fat: 28.9g | Saturated Fat: 10.2g | Cholesterol: 171mg | Sodium: 910mg | Potassium: 919mg | Fiber: 2.3g | Sugar: 0.6g | Calcium: 222mg | Iron: 4mg
    Did you make this recipe? Mention @sipandfeast or tag #sipandfeast
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Chris

      January 05, 2022 at 7:20 pm

      5 stars
      This is fantastic!

      Reply
    2. Nick Harvey

      March 07, 2022 at 9:41 am

      5 stars
      Excellent
      Wonderful Flavours

      Reply
      • Jim

        March 08, 2022 at 11:18 am

        Thanks very much, Nick.

        Reply
    3. Chef Jeff

      March 09, 2022 at 10:37 pm

      5 stars
      I made extra sauce and tossed it with angel hair pasta and toasted pine nuts....lish!
      Thank you for the recipes....keep them coming.

      Reply
      • Jim

        March 10, 2022 at 1:20 pm

        Great to hear you enjoyed it, Jeff!

        Reply
    4. David

      March 27, 2022 at 7:41 pm

      5 stars
      Outstanding recipe. I increased the sauce and added sliced mushrooms and penne, mainly to make more meals out of it. I'm very glad I found your youtube channel.

      Reply
      • Jim

        March 29, 2022 at 1:21 pm

        Great to hear, David! Glad you're enjoying the videos and recipes.

        Reply
    5. Karen

      April 06, 2022 at 5:42 pm

      5 stars
      Looks delicious!! Great weekday meal!!!

      Reply
      • Jim

        April 08, 2022 at 9:23 am

        Thanks very much, Karen!

        Reply
    6. Linda

      July 18, 2022 at 1:50 pm

      5 stars
      This is wonderful. I used thighs cause that’s what I had. Didn’t have basil or wine. Used cream in a can. So simple, which is important for us as we’re on a sailboat and my galley is only around 4 square feet. I can be on the stove, at the sink and in the refrigerator all without moving my feet. Hubby loves it. Making the sauce for pasta tonight. Just sent a link to your website to another boat. Thanks! BTW, we’re in Grenada!

      Reply
      • Jim

        July 18, 2022 at 4:48 pm

        Thank you, Linda! I'm so happy you are enjoying the recipes and thanks for sharing the website. Enjoy Grenada and fair winds to you!

        Reply
    7. Maridel Rivera

      August 31, 2022 at 5:10 pm

      5 stars
      Simple and super delicious. I made the healthy version (extra chicken stock) and it was a hit. Definitely, will make again. Will try adding some of suggestions mention above.

      Reply
      • Jim

        August 31, 2022 at 5:19 pm

        Thanks, Maridel! I'm happy you enjoyed this one!

        Reply
    8. Linda

      September 21, 2022 at 9:30 pm

      5 stars
      Loved this recipe. Great cooking instruction even for a seasoned cook! My entire family ate every bite! Ages 9-73. I served this with rice since I didn’t have crusty bread. Will definitely make again.

      Reply
      • Jim

        September 22, 2022 at 8:41 am

        Thank you, Linda! I'm so happy you and the whole family enjoyed this one!

        Reply
    9. Michael Kosmalski

      November 14, 2022 at 6:57 pm

      5 stars
      I made this for dinner tonight. I added a jar of Sun dried tomatoes to the sauce. It was a big hit. Definitely a keeper. Thank you for sharing this recipe!

      Reply
      • Jim

        November 14, 2022 at 9:20 pm

        Hi Michael, thanks for the comment and so happy you enjoyed this one!

        Reply
    10. Dawn Wilmoth

      December 10, 2022 at 7:20 am

      5 stars
      Oh my guh! So freakin' good.

      Reply
      • Jim

        December 11, 2022 at 2:52 pm

        Hi Dawn, thanks for the comment and so happy you liked it!

        Reply
    11. Karen Hanna

      January 09, 2023 at 9:38 pm

      Delicious!

      I made the sauce the day before I planned to serve (minus the spinach), and added 8 oz brown mushrooms to the sauce. The day of the serve I added the spinach to the sauce as I warmed it. I think I was too light with the salt, so would add a bit more the next time. The chicken was perfect.

      Reply
      • Jim

        January 10, 2023 at 9:22 am

        Hi Karen, thanks for the comment and so happy you enjoyed!

        Reply

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    About Jim

    Welcome! I'm Jim and I'm here to help you make awesome Italian food that you would normally enjoy at some of your favorite New York style Italian restaurants. While my recipes are typically Italian, you'll find some other great ones as well. Take a look around, and get cooking!

    Learn more about me →

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