This is one of the most requested pasta dishes whenever I make dinner: Pasta with Chicken, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Garlic. I prepare it two ways — using a chicken-basil sausage I buy or by making the sauce that recreates that sausage flavor. Either method is quick and deeply satisfying: garlicky, savory, and ready in about 30 minutes. It’s an easy, comforting weeknight dinner that’s become a go-to in my kitchen.
Below I include a step-by-step guide for the garlic and sun-dried tomato sauce. The technique is simple but seeing the process helps, so here we go.
Start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well — the pasta water helps finish the sauce. I recommend a tubular pasta such as rigatoni, penne, or tortiglioni; today I used tortiglioni. Reserve 1/2 to 1 cup of the pasta water before draining.
Pasta with Chicken, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Garlic – Step by step
Ground chicken gives the best texture and even distribution of flavor in this dish. While chopped chicken breast can work, the small pieces of ground chicken blend into the sauce so every bite carries flavor. I recommend using ground chicken for this recipe.
Begin with eight cloves of garlic — it sounds like a lot, but it mellows and balances with the other ingredients. Pulse the garlic in a food processor until finely chopped, then remove and set aside. Next, add the entire jar of sun-dried tomatoes (including the oil) to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Only a few quick pulses are needed; avoid over-processing. With the garlic and tomatoes prepped, you’re ready to build the sauce.
Bringing this flavorful pasta all together
Heat 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and let it sizzle, cooking about 3 minutes — watch carefully so it doesn’t brown. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and sauté together for about 3 minutes to marry the flavors. Add 1 pound ground chicken, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground pepper, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, and 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper. Break up the meat with a spatula and cook until the chicken is thoroughly done.
When the chicken is fully cooked, stir in 1/2 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese, the cooked pasta, and about 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water. Add 1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley and toss until the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce. Adjust seasoning to taste and add more pasta water if you want a looser sauce. Serve with extra Parmesan and parsley on top if desired.
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Garlic in food processor -
Finely chopped garlic -
Sun-dried tomatoes with oil -
Finely chopped tomatoes -
Cooking garlic -
Adding the sun-dried tomatoes -
Adding the ground chicken -
Seasoning and cooking until done -
Add pasta -
Add cheese -
Combine -
Add pasta water and parsley. Toss and serve.
Serve immediately with extra Parmesan and parsley on top. This dish hits all the notes — bright, garlicky, and rich — and is a favorite for good reason.
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and rating to help other readers. We appreciate your feedback!
All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
Pasta with Chicken Sun Dried Tomatoes and Garlic
Ana Coronado
June 16, 2020
Pin Recipe
Equipment
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large skillet
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pot to cook pasta
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food processor
Ingredients
For Pasta
- 1 lb pasta tube shape, rigatoni or penne
- 2 pinch salt be generous
For sauce
- 1 lb chicken ground
- 1 8.5 oz sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 8 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup olive oil extra virgin
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded or grated
- 1/2 cup parsley, Italian chopped
- 2 tsp salt kosher
- 1 tsp pepper ground
- 1/2 tsp red pepper crushed
- 1/2 tsp basil dried
- 1/2 cup pasta water
Instructions
For Pasta
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Start your water with two good pinches of salt.
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Cook pasta according to package instructions.
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Save 1/2–1 cup of pasta water before draining.
For Sauce
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Pulse the garlic in a food processor until finely chopped, then remove and set aside.
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Add the jar of sun-dried tomatoes (with their oil) to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Remove and set aside.
-
Heat 1/2 cup olive oil in a large skillet. Add the chopped garlic and cook about 3 minutes, taking care not to brown it.
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Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and sauté about 3 minutes.
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Add ground chicken, salt, pepper, dried basil, and crushed red pepper. Break up the meat and cook until done.
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Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan, the cooked pasta, and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water.
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Add chopped parsley and toss until the pasta is evenly coated. Top with extra cheese if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated online and should be used as a guide.
All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
Looking for another weeknight pasta? Try Quick Weeknight Baked Pasta or, for a more indulgent option, a rich ragù Bolognese with tagliatelle.
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