Italian-American · main

Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta

Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta reads umami 6.6, richness 6.0 and salinity 4.8 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian-American main, about 36 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.3 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.4 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 3.2 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.6 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.6 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.1 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.6 · Richness 6.0 · Salinity 4.8 · Herbaceous 3.5 · Allium 3.4 · Fruity 2.7 · Funk & Ferment 2.6 · Citrus 2.5 · Sourness 2.5 · Sweetness 2.3 · Nutty 2.0 · Floral 1.9 · Earthy 1.4 · Heat 1.4 · Warm Spice 1.4 · Bitterness 1.0

What's in it (14)

• penne pasta — 340 g
• salt — 7 g
• boneless chicken — 680 g
• freshly ground black pepper — 3 g
• olive oil — 41 g
• sun-dried tomato — 241 g
• garlic — 12 g
• red chili flakes — 1 g
• dry white wine — 118 g
• low-salt chicken broth — 296 g
• heavy cream — 237 g
• parmesan cheese — 114 g
• baby spinach — 710 g
• basil — 15 g

Time & effort: about 36 min (31 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 103.8 kcal, 10 g protein, 5.2 g fat, 3.6 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (10 steps)

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Add the penne and cook according to package directions until al dente, 10-11 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
2. Season the chicken cutlets on both sides with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the black pepper.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear the chicken until deeply golden on the first side, 4-5 minutes, then flip and sear until golden and the center reaches 165°F, 4-5 minutes more. Transfer to a plate, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes.
4. Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the sun-dried tomatoes, and sauté until fragrant and starting to caramelize at the edges, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Pour in the wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and simmer until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
6. Stir in the chicken broth and heavy cream; bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring often, until slightly thickened, 3-4 minutes.
7. Whisk in the parmesan a handful at a time until melted into a smooth sauce, then add the spinach and stir until just wilted, about 1 minute.
8. While the sauce simmers, slice the rested chicken into 1/2-inch strips.
9. Return the drained pasta and sliced chicken to the skillet along with a splash of the reserved pasta water; toss over medium heat until the sauce clings to the noodles, adding more pasta water as needed, about 1 minute.
10. Remove from the heat, stir in the basil, and taste for salt. Divide among bowls and top with extra parmesan to serve.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Spicy Sausage Rigatoni — Italian-American
• Spicy Vodka Rigatoni with Burrata — Italian-American
• Roasted Red Pepper and Sausage Rigatoni — Italian-American
• Baked Tortellini in Creamy Tomato Sauce — Italian-American
• Baked Ziti with Sausage and Ricotta — Italian-American

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.