My Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes is one of those cozy, flavor-packed dinners that feels a little restaurant-worthy but is simple enough to make at home. Pan-seared chicken seasoned with my Tuscan Garden Blend is served over linguine tossed in a rich cream sauce with garlic, onion, sun-dried tomatoes, and Parmesan for a comforting pasta dish that’s perfect for any night of the week.
TL;DR (Quick Recipe Overview)
Recipe: Tuscan Chicken Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Ready In: 1 hour
Difficulty: easy!
Serves: 4 servings
Staple Ingredients: linguine noodles, sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, butter, chicken breasts, Tuscan Garden Blend, cream
What Makes It Special: I love this dish becuase the cream sauce is rich and flavorful without overpowering the dish. The chewy touch of the sun-dried tomatoes pairs well with the tender noodles, and using my signature Tuscan garden blend makes seasoning easy, it also creates a nice crust on the pan-seared chicken. If desired, toss in some chopped asparagus or roasted broccoli!
Summarize & Save This Content On:
My favorite part of this dish is the chicken, it is seasoned with my Tuscan Garden Blend, pan-seared until golden, then finished in the oven so it stays tender. Tossed with linguine in a creamy sauce with garlic, onion, sun-dried tomatoes, and Parmesan, it’s a rich and comforting pasta dish with classic Tuscan-inspired flavors and a great use for your new spice blend!
For this recipe, a large skillet works best for getting a good sear on the chicken and building flavor for the sauce. I also like using a good pair of tongs for tossing the pasta directly in the sauce and a microplane for freshly grating Parmesan. To round out the meal, serve this pasta with something fresh like a simple green salad, Caesar salad, or greek chopped salad.
Find more pasta recipes here or look through my side dish recipes to build a complete meal!
More Pasta Dishes
Key Ingredients
- Linguine noodles: Cook according to package directions. Reserve some pasta water to help loosen the sauce if needed. Other long pasta like fettuccine or spaghetti works well too.
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts: Pounded slightly so they cook evenly. Boneless chicken thighs can be substituted for a richer flavor.
- Tuscan Garden Blend: A savory mix of herbs, garlic, onion, and pepper that pairs perfectly with creamy sauces and sun-dried tomatoes.
- Kosher salt: Helps season the chicken and balance the cream sauce.
- Fresh cracked black pepper: Adds a little bite and depth to the finished dish.
- Olive oil: Used to sear the chicken. Oil from the sun-dried tomato jar is a great option for extra flavor.
- Unsalted butter: Creates a rich base for sautéing the onion and garlic.
- Yellow onion: Adds sweetness and depth to the cream sauce. A shallot can also be used.
- Garlic: Fresh minced garlic gives the sauce its signature savory flavor.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes add a slightly tangy, concentrated tomato flavor. Cherry tomatoes can be substituted for a lighter, fresher version.
- Heavy cream: Creates the rich, silky texture of the Tuscan-style sauce. Half-and-half can be used for a lighter option.
- Parmesan cheese: Adds saltiness and nutty flavor while helping thicken the sauce. Freshly grated melts best.
- Fresh thyme: Optional garnish that adds a subtle herb note and a little color to the finished dish.
How to Make The Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Let’s talk a little about how to make the Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes (The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Quick overview:
- Season chicken breasts, pan sear, finish in oven.
- Saute onions, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes, make sauce.
- Cook pasta, slice chicken, combine everything.
- Garnish and enjoy.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over hihg heat. Cook linguine noodles according to package directions, reserve 1/2-1 cup of pasta water for the sauce.
- Heavily season the chicken with salt, pepper, and Tuscan Garden blend. Rub seasoning in to evenly coat. Heat olive oil or sun-dried tomato oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.
- Pan fry the chicken breast, 3-4 minutes per side or until a nice crust forms. Transfer chicken to the oven to finish cooking. Chicken needs and internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Once the chicken has cooked through, remove from oven and let rest before slicing.
- In the same saute pan as used for the chicken over medium heat, add in the butter and let melt. Add in the diced onion and saute for 3-4 minutes or until the onions begin to soften. Add in the minced garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and Tuscan Garden Blend.
- Keeping the heat on medium, stir in 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water and allow to simmer for a few minutes. Pour in the heavy cream and shredded parmesan cheese. Stir until combined. If the sauce is too thick, add in a bit more of the reserved pasta water.
- Toss the cooked linguine with the cream sauce, slice the Tuscan chicken and serve over top the pasta. Garnish with fresh thyme and enjoy!
Perfect Pairing:
Tuscan Garden Blend
The Tuscan Garden Blend works especially well in this recipe because it brings together the same warm, savory flavors that are often found in classic Tuscan-style cooking. The blend of herbs, garlic, onion, sun-dried tomato powder, and black pepper complements the richness of the cream and Parmesan while pairing naturally with the sun-dried tomatoes. Instead of pulling out several individual spices, the blend seasons the chicken in one step and builds a balanced, layered flavor that carries through the entire dish without overpowering the sauce.
Rachel’s Chef Tips
• Get a good sear: Let the chicken cook undisturbed for a few minutes in the pan before flipping. This creates that golden crust, the chicken will release naturally when it’s ready to flip.
• Finish in the oven: After searing, finishing the chicken in the oven helps it cook through gently while staying juicy.
• Let the chicken rest: Rest the chicken for a few minutes before slicing so the j.uices stay in the meat
• Use the same pan: Those browned bits left in the skillet from the chicken add a lot of flavor. Sauté the onion, tomatoes, and garlic right in the same pan for a richer sauce.
• Reserve some pasta water: If the sauce gets too thick when tossing the pasta, add a splash of the pasta cooking water to loosen it and help the sauce cling to the noodles.
• Thin the sauce when reheating: Cream sauces thicken in the fridge. Add a splash of milk, cream, or broth when reheating to bring the sauce back to a silky texture.
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 ounces Linguine noodles, cooked according to package directions, reserve 1/2 cup pasta water
For the chicken:
- 4 medium Boneless skinless chicken breasts , pounded out slightly
- 2 tbsp Tuscan Garden Blend
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- Fresh cracked black pepper
- 2 tbsp Olive oil, or oil from sun-dried tomatoes
For the sauce:
- 3 tbsp Unsalted butter
- 1 medium Yellow onion, finely diced
- 2-3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 6 ounces Oil packed sun-dried tomatoes , drained
- 1 tbsp Tuscan Garden Blend
- 1/2 cup Reserved pasta water
- 1/2 cup Heavy cream
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- Fresh thyme , for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over hihg heat. Cook linguine noodles according to package directions, reserve 1/2-1 cup of pasta water for the sauce.10 ounces Linguine noodles, cooked according to package directions
- Heavily season the chicken with salt, pepper, and Tuscan Garden blend. Rub seasoning in to evenly coat. Heat olive oil or sun-dried tomato oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.4 medium Boneless skinless chicken breasts , 2 tbsp Tuscan Garden Blend , 1/2 tsp Kosher salt, Fresh cracked black pepper, 2 tbsp Olive oil
- Pan fry the chicken breast, 3-4 minutes per side or until a nice crust forms. Transfer chicken to the oven to finish cooking. Chicken needs and internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Once the chicken has cooked through, remove from oven and let rest before slicing.
- In the same saute pan as used for the chicken over medium heat, add in the butter and let melt. Add in the diced onion and saute for 3-4 minutes or until the onions begin to soften. Add in the minced garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and Tuscan Garden Blend.3 tbsp Unsalted butter, 1 medium Yellow onion, 2-3 cloves Garlic, 1 tbsp Tuscan Garden Blend
- Keeping the heat on medium, stir in 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water and allow to simmer for a few minutes. Pour in the heavy cream and shredded parmesan cheese. Stir until combined. If the sauce is too thick, add in a bit more of the reserved pasta water.1/2 cup Reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup Heavy cream
- Toss the cooked linguine with the cream sauce, slice the Tuscan chicken and serve over top the pasta. Garnish with fresh thyme and enjoy!Fresh thyme
Notes
- Use good-quality sun-dried tomatoes: Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes bring the best flavor and texture to this sauce. The oil can be used for cooking as well.
- Don’t overcook the chicken: Searing the chicken first creates a nice crust, finishing it in the oven keeps it tender. Pull the chicken when it reaches 165°F and let it rest a few minutes before slicing.
- Salt the pasta water well: This helps season the pasta from the inside so the finished dish tastes balanced.
- Reserve a little pasta water: If the sauce becomes too thick add a splash of pasta water to loosen.
- Seasoning substitute: If you don’t have my Tuscan Garden Blend, you can season the chicken with a mix of Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Make it with other pasta: While linguine works beautifully here, fettuccine, penne, or even rigatoni also hold the creamy Tuscan sauce well.
Nutrition
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Video How-To
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. While linguine works beautifully with the creamy sauce, fettuccine, spaghetti, penne, or rigatoni will all work well.
Sure. Cherry tomatoes can be used for a lighter, fresher version of the dish. Sun-dried tomatoes give a more concentrated flavor, while cherry tomatoes add brightness.
Yes. You can cook the chicken and sauce ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator. When reheating, add a splash of cream, milk, or broth to loosen the sauce since cream sauces tend to thicken when chilled.
Searing the chicken first and finishing it in the oven helps keep it tender. Letting the chicken rest for a few minutes before slicing also helps retain the juices.
You can substitute a mix of Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. The Tuscan Garden Blend simply combines those flavors into one balanced seasoning.
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know what you thought by leaving a comment below and sharing your final dish on Instagram, Facebook, & Pinterest!
Cheers!
-Rachel
