Chicken with Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breast filets (700–800 g)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 1/4 cups chicken broth (300 ml)
- 200 g container heavy cream
- 65 g sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped (10-12 halves)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (25 g)
- 100 g fresh baby spinach (about 4 handfuls)
Method
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Prepare and sear the chicken: Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and generously season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat the butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear for 3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer to a plate (the chicken will finish cooking in the sauce).
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Build the flavour base: In the same skillet, add the remaining olive oil and reduce the heat to medium. Sauté the shallots for 3–4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
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Make the cream sauce: Pour in the chicken broth. Stir in the heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese. Simmer for 3–4 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly.
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Finish cooking the chicken: Nestle the chicken breasts back into the sauce, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
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Add spinach and serve: Gently stir the baby spinach into the sauce, lifting the chicken to incorporate the greens. Once the spinach is wilted (1 minute), taste the sauce and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve warm, garnished with extra Parmesan if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- If your pan caused some sticking and browned bits remain on the bottom, don’t worry! When adding the chicken stock, use a wooden spoon to gently scrape up the browned bits and incorporate them into the sauce for an extra boost of flavour.
- For fans of lots of sauce: To increase the amount of sauce, simply add an extra ½ cup (125 ml) of chicken broth and 100 g of heavy cream. You can also increase the garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes slightly to keep the flavours balanced. Be sure to adjust the Parmesan and seasoning (salt and pepper) to taste for a perfectly rich and flavourful result.
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