Tender chicken in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce with garlic, a little heat, and fresh basil. It sounds fancy enough for date night, but it is still a one-pan dinner you can make on a regular Tuesday.

Watch Me Make It

Recipe Inspiration

Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (about 2 1/2 oz.)
• 4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 to 2 1/2 lbs. total)
• 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1 Tbsp. oil from the sun-dried tomato jar
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 sprigs fresh basil (about 2 Tbsp. chopped leaves)

Instructions

1. Prep the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Mince the garlic with the Garlic Press and coarsely chop the sun-dried tomatoes with the Food Chopper.
2. Prep the chicken. Cut each chicken breast in half horizontally with the Quick Half Tool. Season the chicken with salt so the seasoning has time to penetrate the meat before cooking.
3. Brown the chicken. Heat the oil in the 4.5-qt. Stainless Steel Sauté Pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and brown it as directed.
4. Transfer the browned chicken to an Insulated Serving Bowl to keep it warm while you make the sauce.
5. Make the sauce in the same pan, adding the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes as directed. Stir and cook until fragrant.
6. Add the chicken broth and scrape up the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the heavy cream and continue cooking until the sauce begins to thicken.
7. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and finish cooking it gently in the sauce.
8. Check the chicken with the Instant-Read Food Thermometer. Cook until the thickest part reaches 165°F, then finish with basil and serve.
9. Chop the basil and sprinkle it over the chicken before serving. Spoon plenty of sauce over the top.

Why Salt the Chicken Early?

Adding salt at the beginning gives it time to penetrate beyond the surface, creating more even, well-rounded flavor throughout the chicken. Salting meat ahead of cooking also helps the proteins hold onto moisture as they cook. So seasoning early is not just about flavor – it can help you end up with juicier chicken, too.

Why Cut the Chicken Breasts in Half?

Chicken breasts are naturally uneven: one end is thick while the other is thin. Cutting them in half horizontally creates thinner, more uniform pieces. That means they cook more evenly, cook faster, and stay juicier because the outside does not have to keep cooking while you wait for the thick center to reach temperature.

Make It Your Own

Serve it with pasta, rice, potatoes, or a good piece of bread – basically anything that gives you an excuse to get every last bit of that sauce. If you like more heat, bump up the red pepper flakes.