Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (medium-sized)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped (plus 1 tbsp oil from jar)
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil, to finish
Instructions
- Pound chicken breasts to an even ½-inch thickness. Season both sides with salt and pepper, then dust lightly with flour.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken 5–7 minutes per side until golden and internal temp reaches 165°F. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining olive oil and sun-dried tomato oil. Sauté garlic for 60 seconds. Stir in red pepper flakes, thyme, oregano, and tomato paste. Cook paste 1–2 minutes.
- Add chicken broth and scrape up all pan bits. Reduce 2 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and sun-dried tomatoes. Simmer 3–4 minutes until sauce thickens.
- Stir in Parmesan until melted. Nestle chicken back into sauce, spoon sauce over top, and simmer 2–3 minutes. Finish with fresh basil and serve.
Notes
Use freshly grated Parmesan — pre-shredded won’t melt smoothly and makes the sauce grainy. Always pound the chicken to even thickness for juicy results. The oil from the sun-dried tomato jar adds incredible depth to the sauce — don’t skip it. Check internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer for food safety.