Some weeknights call for a dinner that tastes like you fussed over it for an hour — but you only had twenty minutes. This sun-dried tomato chicken skillet is that dinner. Golden chicken breasts simmer in a silky garlic cream sauce studded with sweet-tart sun-dried tomatoes, wilted spinach, and a snowfall of Parmesan, all in one pan. It is rich without being heavy, and it comes together faster than delivery could ever arrive.

The first time I made this sun-dried tomato chicken skillet, I was clearing out the pantry and found a jar of sun-dried tomatoes I had almost forgotten about. One bite of the finished sauce — sweet, tangy, garlicky, impossibly creamy — and it became a permanent part of our weeknight rotation. My family now asks for it by name, and I never argue, because it is genuinely one of the easiest impressive dinners I know.

Why You’ll Love This Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Skillet

• Ready in 20 minutes. The chicken sears in minutes, the sauce comes together in the same pan, and dinner lands on the table before anyone has time to get hangry.
• One pan, easy cleanup. Everything — the chicken, the sauce, the spinach — happens in a single skillet. One pan to wash, and that is it.
• Big flavor from pantry staples. A jar of sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, cream, and Parmesan do all the heavy lifting. No special shopping trip required.
• Restaurant-level comfort. Silky, garlicky, and rich, this sun-dried tomato chicken skillet tastes like something you would pay for — but you made it in your own kitchen.
• Easy to adjust. Swap the spinach for kale, add mushrooms, or make it lighter with half-and-half. This sun-dried tomato chicken skillet bends to whatever your pantry and your people need.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, for serving
• Extra Parmesan, for serving

Ingredient Tips

• Chicken: Pound the breasts to an even 3/4-inch thickness so they cook at the same speed and stay juicy. Thin-sliced chicken cutlets work beautifully too and sear even faster.
• Sun-dried tomatoes: The oil-packed kind in a jar are what you want here — they are soft, sweet, and ready to use. Dry-packed tomatoes need a 10-minute soak in hot water first. Save a spoonful of the oil from the jar; it adds lovely flavor to the sauce.
• Heavy cream: This is what makes the sauce silky and keeps it from splitting. Half-and-half works in a pinch, but the sauce will be thinner and a little less rich.
• Parmesan: Grate it fresh if you can. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that can make the sauce grainy instead of smooth.
• Spinach: Baby spinach wilts down to almost nothing in the hot sauce, so three cups sounds like a lot and is exactly right. A big handful of chopped kale works too — just give it an extra minute to soften.

How to Make Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Skillet

1. Season the chicken. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels — dry chicken sears, wet chicken steams. Season both sides generously with the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
2. Sear the chicken. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through — the USDA recommends 165°F at the thickest part, and a quick thermometer takes the guesswork out of this sun-dried tomato chicken skillet. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
3. Bloom the garlic and tomatoes. Lower the heat to medium. Melt the butter in the same skillet, scraping up the browned bits from the chicken — that is pure flavor. Add the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and tomato paste and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant and the tomato paste darkens a shade.
4. Build the sauce. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pan to release every browned bit. Stir in the heavy cream and red pepper flakes, if using. Bring to a gentle simmer — never a hard boil, which can split cream sauces — and cook 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
5. Add the cheese. Reduce the heat to low and sprinkle in the Parmesan a handful at a time, stirring until each addition melts before adding the next. Taste and add salt and pepper until the sauce is rich and balanced.
6. Wilt the spinach. Stir in the baby spinach a handful at a time, letting each handful wilt before adding the next. It takes about 2 minutes for all of it to collapse into the sauce.
7. Bring it all together. Slide the chicken and any juices back into the skillet. Spoon the sauce over the top and simmer 1 to 2 minutes so the chicken warms through and soaks up the sauce. Shower with fresh basil and extra Parmesan, and serve right away while the sauce is at its silkiest.

Pro Tips for the Best Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Skillet

• Do not crowd the pan. A single layer of chicken with space between the pieces is the difference between golden, juicy breasts and pale, steamed ones. Work in two batches if your skillet is small.
• Keep the sauce at a simmer. Cream sauces turn grainy when they boil hard. Medium-low heat and patience give you a smooth, glossy finish every time.
• Taste before you salt. Sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan are both salty on their own. Season the sauce at the end, after the cheese goes in.
• Pound the chicken evenly. A breast that is thick on one end and thin on the other cooks unevenly — dry on the thin end, underdone on the thick one. Two minutes with a rolling pin fixes it.
• Rest the chicken before slicing. Give it three minutes under the foil tent. The juices settle back into the meat instead of running all over the cutting board.

Variations

This sun-dried tomato chicken skillet is flexible — here are my favorite ways to change it up.

• Add mushrooms: Slice 8 ounces of cremini mushrooms and cook them with the garlic and tomatoes. They soak up the sauce beautifully.
• Make it Tuscan-style: Stir in a can of drained white beans with the spinach for a heartier, fiber-rich version.
• Lighter version: Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and cut the butter to 1 tablespoon. The sauce will be a little thinner, so simmer it an extra minute or two.
• Extra heat: Double the red pepper flakes or add a pinch of cayenne with the garlic. A few dashes of hot sauce at the table work too.
• Chicken thighs: Boneless, skinless thighs stay juicy even if they cook a minute too long. Sear them the same way — about 5 minutes per side.
• Dairy-free: Use full-fat coconut milk in place of the cream and a dairy-free Parmesan-style cheese. The sauce will be a touch sweeter, but still delicious.

What to Serve With Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Skillet

This sun-dried tomato chicken skillet is a full meal on its own, but a simple side makes it feel like a proper dinner. Crusty bread is my first choice — you will want something to mop up every drop of that sauce. Buttered pasta or fluffy rice both work beautifully underneath it. If you want something green and easy, a crisp salad with lemon vinaigrette cuts through the richness, and roasted green beans are ready in the same twenty minutes.

Storage and Reheating

Store leftover sun-dried tomato chicken skillet in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Cream sauces thicken as they sit, so reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of milk or chicken broth, stirring until the sauce loosens and turns silky again. I do not recommend freezing this one — cream-based sauces can split and turn grainy after thawing.

More 20-Minute Dinners You’ll Love

If this sun-dried tomato chicken skillet earned a spot in your rotation, you will love these other quick dinners from my kitchen. My 20-Minute Chicken Alfredo Pasta is the creamy classic this recipe was inspired by. For another one-pan chicken favorite, try my One-Pan Lemon Herb Chicken and Rice. And if you want a lighter, brighter pasta night, my Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta comes together in just 15 minutes.

FAQ

Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts in this sun-dried tomato chicken skillet?

Yes, and they are actually more forgiving. Boneless, skinless thighs stay juicy even if they cook a minute too long. Sear them the same way, about 5 minutes per side, until they reach 165°F inside.

What kind of sun-dried tomatoes should I use?

Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes in a jar are best — soft, sweet, and ready to slice. Dry-packed tomatoes work too, but soak them in hot water for 10 minutes first so they soften up before they hit the pan.

Can I make this sun-dried tomato chicken skillet ahead of time?

You can season the chicken and slice the tomatoes up to a day ahead and keep them in the fridge. The sauce itself is best made fresh — cream sauces thicken and can turn grainy when reheated, so I recommend cooking it just before serving.

How do I keep the cream sauce from splitting?

Keep the heat at a gentle simmer, never a rolling boil, and add the Parmesan off the highest heat a handful at a time. If the sauce does look grainy, a splash of chicken broth and a good stir usually brings it back together.

What can I serve with sun-dried tomato chicken skillet?

Crusty bread for mopping up the sauce is my favorite, but buttered pasta, fluffy rice, or mashed potatoes all work. A crisp green salad or roasted green beans on the side rounds out the plate.

Is this sun-dried tomato chicken skillet gluten-free?

Yes — every ingredient in the recipe is naturally gluten-free. Just double-check that your Italian seasoning blend and chicken broth are certified gluten-free, and serve it with a gluten-free side.

20-Minute Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Skillet

Golden chicken breasts simmered in a silky garlic-Parmesan cream sauce with sweet-tart sun-dried tomatoes and wilted spinach — a rich, restaurant-style dinner from one pan in 20 minutes.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Calories: 520

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts 680 g, pounded to even thickness
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil drained and sliced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil for serving
• Extra Parmesan for serving

Method

 

1. Season the chicken. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels — dry chicken sears, wet chicken steams. Season both sides generously with the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
2. Sear the chicken. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through — the USDA recommends 165°F at the thickest part, and a quick thermometer takes the guesswork out of this sun-dried tomato chicken skillet. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
3. Bloom the garlic and tomatoes. Lower the heat to medium. Melt the butter in the same skillet, scraping up the browned bits from the chicken — that is pure flavor. Add the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and tomato paste and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant and the tomato paste darkens a shade.
4. Build the sauce. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pan to release every browned bit. Stir in the heavy cream and red pepper flakes, if using. Bring to a gentle simmer — never a hard boil, which can split cream sauces — and cook 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
5. Add the cheese. Reduce the heat to low and sprinkle in the Parmesan a handful at a time, stirring until each addition melts before adding the next. Taste and add salt and pepper until the sauce is rich and balanced.
6. Wilt the spinach. Stir in the baby spinach a handful at a time, letting each handful wilt before adding the next. It takes about 2 minutes for all of it to collapse into the sauce.
7. Bring it all together. Slide the chicken and any juices back into the skillet. Spoon the sauce over the top and simmer 1 to 2 minutes so the chicken warms through and soaks up the sauce. Shower with fresh basil and extra Parmesan, and serve right away while the sauce is at its silkiest.

Notes

Pound the chicken to an even thickness so it cooks evenly and stays juicy. Taste the sauce before adding salt — sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan are both salty on their own.