This sun dried tomato alfredo with chicken is absolutely divine! Fresh fettuccine noodles are cloaked in a rich and flavorful sun-dried tomato alfredo sauce and topped with spiced chicken, Parmesan cheese, fresh basil leaves and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. It's one of those go-to delicious meals that you'll want to make again and again.
This indulgent dinner is better than any classic chicken fettuccine alfredo we've tried on a restaurant menu.The sun-dried tomato cream sauce recipe is a game-changer, packed with so much flavor! It's the perfect meal with one of our new favorite sauces - simple enough for weekdays yet tasty enough for special occasions or stay-at-home date nights.
We made this recipe with our Homemade Fettuccine recipe. For another delicious pasta meal, try our 'Nduja Vodka Sauce Pasta!
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Ingredients
This Sun Dried Tomato Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken is an easy dinner recipe made with real, wholesome ingredients! Here's what you'll need:
- Chicken: This recipe works best with four boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
- Pasta: We whole-heartedly encourage you to create this recipe using our Homemade Fettuccine recipe. There is simply no comparison to the bouncy chew and silky texture of handmade Italian pasta. However, if you don’t have the time, feel free to use your favorite boxed or pre-made fettuccine pasta.
- Sun Dried Tomatoes: We recommend using oil-preserved tomatoes from a jar or homemade Oven Roasted Cherry Tomatoes.
- Cayenne: Optional, to add a spicy kick!
How To Make Homemade Fettuccine
(By Hand or Machine)
Impress your guests with easy-to-make fettuccine pasta made from our favorite recipe: Semolina Pasta Dough.
Cooking with Sun Dried Tomatoes
First off, do sun dried tomatoes really go well in a chicken alfredo dish? The answer is, YES! The sun-dried tomatoes in this recipe take your classic alfredo from a run-of-the-mill Parm sauce to a compelling dish with layers of flavor. It's truly fantastic.
Ingredient Spotlight: What Are Sun Dried Tomatoes?
Sun-dried tomatoes are natures’ sweet, tangy candy of the Mediterranean. When fresh tomatoes are left to dry on the hot Tuscan rooftops they blissfully transform to shriveled, umami-rich flavor bombs. They are so rich in flavor that a little goes a long way and they pair perfectly with the creamy flavor of this simple sauce.
Purchasing Sun Dried Tomatoes
Sun dried tomatoes are available in most grocery stores. We usually find ours near the jars of pickles and olives. We recommend purchasing the ready-to-use olive oil preserved sundried tomatoes. However, if dried is all you can find, they can easily be rehydrated by covering in olive oil and refrigerating for a day or two ahead of time. If you can't find any in the store, you can purchase yours online or substitute our equally delicious Oven Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, instead.
How To Make This Recipe
Now, we rarely turn down a chance at fresh, cheesy, garlicky pasta but have you ever been disappointed by a big ol’ bowl of bland? Not tonight, Romeo. A quick spice rub on your chicken brings loads of sweet, smoky and spicy flavors to this Sun-Dried Tomato Alfredo.
Garlic powder and oregano are the Italian seasoning go-tos. However, it’s the long-distance lover: smoked paprika, that adds SO much depth and intrigue to this dish. That mild, smoky spice melds beautifully with this sauce’s rich tomato flavor. If you’re hoping to bring the heat tonight, we recommend spicing it up with a dash of cayenne, too. Here's how it's done:
This video is courtesy of Corrie Cooks
Quick Disclaimer: The Sage Apron was born from a love of food photography and my husband and I take great pride in doing our own photos, recipe development and head-to-toe content creation. However, for this post only, we've had the absolute JOY of collaborating with Corrie Cooks. The very talented creator at Corrie Cooks has used our original recipe to create this sensational How To video and step-by-step process photos. We love the results! Check out Corrie's blog for all things InstaPot!
Step By Step
Chicken
1. Start be preparing the chicken and seasoning. Pat boneless skinless chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Then, in a medium mixing bowl, combine all of the dried herbs and spices for the chicken seasoning. Dredge each chicken breast in the seasoning to coat completely.
2. Next, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Sear the chicken until golden brown, flipping once until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside to rest.
Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Sauce
3. Lower the heat on the same pan to medium-low. Add the sun dried tomatoes and garlic. Saute quickly, being sure not to burn the garlic.
4. Deglaze the pan by adding chicken stock and using a wooden spoon to stir up and browned bis from the bottom of the pan. Increase heat to bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir in the cream and remove from the heat. Transfer the sauce to a high-speed blender and process until completely smooth.
5. Return the creamy tomato pasta sauce to the pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. As it is simmering, stir in the shredded Parmesan cheese until melted smooth. Reduce to low heat and stir while you cook pasta.
Pasta
6. Meanwhile, prepare the fettuccine pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil and salt generously. Boil the fettuccine until just slightly undercooked - either by package instructions or, if using our homemade fettuccine recipe, for about 3 - 5 minutes.
Once nearly al dente, transfer the fettuccine directly into the creamy sun dried tomato sauce. Add a splash of the starchy pasta water and stir the pasta into the sauce until it is thickly coated and cooked to your liking, about 2 - 3 minutes.
7. While the sauce is thickening, cut your chicken into bite-sized pieces. At the end of cooking, stir in the chicken and any accumulated juices. Transfer this Italian pasta dish to the serving bowls and garnish with extra Parmesan, more sun dried tomatoes, fresh basil leaves and a luxurious drizzle of balsamic glaze! Buon appetito!
A Sweet, Luxurious Drizzle
Cooking down a bit of balsamic vinegar into a thick, flavorful reduction could not be any easier. It’s also a steadfast way to improve your chef game. The sweet and sticky tang of a balsamic reduction adds just enough zip to cut through this recipes' creamy sauce.
Easy Balsamic Glaze (Reduction)
Balsamic Glaze is an easy, 1 ingredient recipe that can add a delicious, elegant drizzle to countless sweet & savory creations!
With just a splash of balsamic and a little time - you can add a whole new level of complexity and flare. A balsamic reduction pairs beautifully with endless vegetables and proteins and can be kept in the refrigerator for up to two months. Try it on our Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad for a delicious appetizer!
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Recipe
Never Better Sun-Dried Tomato Alfredo with Chicken
ADJUST SERVINGS
Special Equipment
- 1 Instant Read Thermometer ((Optional, but recommended))
- 1 Standard Blender
Ingredients
Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Alfredo
- 4 (6 ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast butterflied or lightly-pounded if thick, (See Note: a.), room-temperature
- 1 recipe Chicken Seasoning (Ingredients listed below)
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- 4 ounces olive oil preserved sun-dried tomatoes chopped, plus extra for garnishing, as desired
- 2 Cups chicken broth preferably homemade
- 1 Cup heavy cream
- fine kosher salt* to taste
- Fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 4 ounces Parmesan cheese fresh-grated, plus more for garnishing, as desired
- Fresh basil to taste, garnish
- 1 pound fettuccine pasta We like to use our Homemade Fettuccine recipe
- ½ Cup pasta water reserved from the cooking pot
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic glaze Store-bought or made from scratch using our Balsamic Glaze recipe
Chicken Seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon fine kosher salt* plus extra for salting the pasta water
- 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
- 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
Chicken Seasoning
- Combine all ingredients (salt, smoked paprika, dried oregano, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne, if using) in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
Sun-Dried Tomato Chciken Alfredo
- Set a large pot of water to rapid boil.Meanwhile, prepare the chicken. (See Note: a) With paper towels, pat the chicken dry, add chicken to the bowl of Chicken Seasoning and coat entirely.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken to pan and cook, undisturbed, for about 5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165° Fahrenheit (74° celsius). Remove chicken from the pan and set aside to rest.
- Lower the pans heat to medium-low and add garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté for 1 - 2 minutes until aromatic.
- Add chicken stock and deglaze the pan by using a wooden spoon to scrape up any caramelized brown bits from the bottom. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and stir in heavy cream. Once simmering, remove the sauce from the heat. Carefully puree the sauce in a blender until smooth.
- Return the sun dried tomato alfredo sauce to the saucepan over medium-low heat and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring often. Add Parmesan cheese in two or three additions, stirring to melt until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Lower the heat and stir occasionally while completing the next steps.
- Generously season your large pot of boiling water with salt. Add your fettuccine to the pot and cook until it is just under al-dente doneness. Be careful not to overcook. Using tongs, remove your fettucine from the boiling water and add directly into your alfredo sauce. Add pasta water and stir vigorously to thickly coat the fettuccine in sauce. Cook 1 - 3 minutes until the pastas' desired doneness is reached.
- Meanwhile, slice your chicken into bite-sized pieces. Stir chicken and any accumulated juices into the pasta. (You can reserve a few larger slices of chicken for presenting the dish, if desired.)Garnish with fresh basil, more sun dried tomatoes, extra Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of balsamic glaze! Serve hot with crusty Italian bread. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
* A Note About Salt
Unless otherwise noted, all recipes on The Sage Apron are developed using Diamond Crystal Kosher salt. It is a great all-purpose salt for cooking and baking. If using table salt, reduce quantities by about half.
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