Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
There are pastas, and then there are PASTAS. This Cheesy Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta doesn’t just show up to the meal prep game- it drops in like a flavor nuke. We’re talking juicy seared chicken, sun-dried tomatoes bursting with umami, and a thick, creamy mozzarella sauce that coats every bite of pasta like a warm hug from Nonna. Except Nonna lifts and cares deeply about protein-to-carb ratios.
Prep Time
30 Minutes
Cook Time
25 Minutes
Per Serving – Makes 4
997 Calories
71g P | 59g C | 51g F
How to make chicken & Sun-DRIED TOMATO PASTA
Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 2 lbs raw chicken breast cubed into ½-inch pieces
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the Sauce:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 6 oz sun-dried tomatoes drained from oil
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tbsp fresh basil finely chopped
- ½ tbsp red pepper flakes optional, for spice
- ½ tsp salt to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper
For the Pasta:
- 8 oz penne pasta or pasta of choice
- ¼ cup Reserved pasta water optional, for thinning the sauce
Instructions
- Dice the chicken into ½-inch cubes. Season with salt, paprika, and black pepper.2 lbs raw chicken breast, ½ tsp salt, ½ tbsp paprika, 1 tsp black pepper
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions. Reserve about ¼ cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and set it aside.8 oz penne pasta
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Sear the chicken cubes for 2–3 minutes per side until cooked through. Avoid crowding the skillet—work in batches if necessary, adding more olive oil as needed.2 tbsp olive oil
- Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet to a plate & cover the mixture.
- Mince the garlic and finely chop the fresh basil. Drain the sun-dried tomatoes from their oil.
- In the same skillet that you cooked the chicken in, add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté for 1–2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant.1 tbsp olive oil, 6 cloves garlic, 6 oz sun-dried tomatoes
- Remove garlic & sun dried tomatoes from skillet to a plate & cover the mixture.
- In the now-empty skillet, add the heavy cream and shredded mozzarella. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer, stirring constantly until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is creamy.1 cup heavy cream, 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Stir in fresh basil, red pepper flakes (optional), and additional salt and pepper to taste. Take this as an opportunity to express your creativity & make a banger pasta sauce that fits your specific tastes.1 tbsp fresh basil, ½ tbsp red pepper flakes, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper
- Return the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and cooked chicken to the skillet with the sauce. Stir to combine.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss everything together until well coated. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a little at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.¼ cup Reserved pasta water
- Divide the pasta into meal prep containers or serve immediately. Enjoy your creamy, protein-packed pasta masterpiece!
Nutrition
Click Here For Recipe Notes & Meal Prep Tips
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Approx. 26 WW Points per serving, depending on your specific plan.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
This Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta is the kind of meal prep that feels aggressively indulgent in the best possible way. You get creamy mozzarella sauce, juicy chicken, garlic, basil, spicy red pepper flakes, rich sun-dried tomatoes, and perfectly coated pasta all combining into something that tastes much closer to restaurant comfort food than “meal prep.”
The sauce is absolutely the centerpiece here. Between the heavy cream, melted mozzarella, garlic, basil, and concentrated sweetness from the sun-dried tomatoes, every bite feels rich, savory, and ridiculously satisfying.
If you enjoy hearty pasta meal prep with huge protein numbers, there are plenty of similar ideas throughout these high-protein chicken recipes. Chicken breast works especially well in creamy pasta dishes because it absorbs sauce and seasoning aggressively while still keeping the protein extremely high.
This recipe also firmly belongs in the “serious fuel” category. At nearly 1,000 calories with 71 grams of protein, it fits naturally alongside these high-calorie meal prep recipes when you need meals that actually support heavy training, bulking phases, or just surviving a day that feels like a boss fight.
The sun-dried tomatoes completely change the flavor profile too. They bring concentrated sweetness and acidity that cuts through the creamy sauce and keeps the pasta from feeling one-dimensional or overly heavy.
Ingredient Substitutions & Customizations
This Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta recipe is extremely flexible depending on your preferences and current macro goals.
Chicken breast keeps the protein sky high while staying relatively lean, but chicken thighs also work beautifully if you want slightly richer flavor and texture.
If you enjoy creamy garlic-heavy pasta dishes like this, there are plenty of similar ideas throughout these Italian-inspired meal prep recipes. Garlic, basil, cheese, and tomato combinations consistently work well because the flavors continue developing during meal prep storage.
The pasta itself is also flexible. Penne works especially well because the sauce clings inside the tubes, but rotini, fettuccini, rigatoni, or protein pasta all work nicely too.
The cheese blend can also be adjusted depending on your preferences. Mozzarella creates that smooth creamy texture, but Parmesan or provolone can add even deeper savory flavor.
The spice level is easy to customize too. The red pepper flakes bring noticeable warmth, but reducing or omitting them creates a much milder creamy tomato pasta.
The pasta and sun-dried tomatoes also help this recipe qualify alongside these high-fiber meal prep recipes, which honestly feels impressive considering this recipe tastes like something that should come with garlic bread and questionable life decisions.
Expert Tips for Perfect Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
The biggest key to good creamy pasta is heat control. Once the heavy cream and mozzarella go into the skillet, avoid blasting the sauce with excessive heat or it can separate instead of staying smooth and creamy.
Cooking the chicken in batches is another underrated detail. Overcrowding the skillet traps moisture and prevents proper browning, which means less flavor overall.
The garlic and sun-dried tomatoes only need a short sauté before moving on. Garlic burns surprisingly quickly, and burnt garlic can completely overpower the sauce in a bad way.
If you enjoy rich comfort-food meal prep that still comes together relatively quickly, this recipe fits naturally alongside these stovetop meal prep recipes.
Reserved pasta water is also extremely useful here. The starch helps loosen the sauce while still keeping it silky and cohesive instead of watery.
Another underrated trick is letting the sauce simmer gently for a minute or two after combining everything together. That extra time helps the pasta absorb flavor while thickening the sauce slightly.
The basil also matters more than people think. Even a relatively small amount helps brighten the entire sauce and balances the richness from the cream and cheese.
If you’re someone who likes meal prep that feels genuinely indulgent while still delivering absurd protein numbers, this recipe absolutely belongs in rotation.
Serving Suggestions & Storage Tips
This Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta already works perfectly as a standalone meal prep, but there are several easy ways to customize it throughout the week.
Extra basil, Parmesan cheese, cracked black pepper, garlic bread, or roasted vegetables all pair naturally with the creamy tomato sauce.
If you enjoy hearty comfort-food pasta meal prep with layered sauces and high protein, you’ll probably also enjoy these high-protein pasta meal prep recipes. Pasta-based meal prep tends to reheat especially well because the sauces help preserve moisture and flavor.
Store everything in airtight meal prep containers for up to 4 days in the fridge. The sauce thickens slightly during storage, which honestly makes the leftovers even more satisfying in some ways.
For reheating, microwave in shorter intervals and stir halfway through so the sauce heats evenly. If needed, adding a splash of milk or water helps loosen the sauce back up.
The chicken also stays surprisingly tender throughout the week because the creamy sauce protects it from drying out too aggressively.
This is one of those meal prep recipes that genuinely feels like comfort food all week long instead of slowly degrading into sad leftovers by day three.
FAQs
Can I use another pasta shape?
Absolutely. Penne, rigatoni, rotini, fettuccini, or protein pasta all work very well in this recipe.
Do sun-dried tomatoes make a big difference?
Yes. They add concentrated sweetness and acidity that balances the rich cream sauce extremely well.
Can I make this recipe less spicy?
Definitely. Simply reduce or omit the red pepper flakes.
Does creamy pasta reheat well for meal prep?
Yes, especially when reheated gently in shorter intervals with a splash of liquid if needed.
Why reserve pasta water?
The starch in the pasta water helps loosen the sauce while keeping it creamy and cohesive instead of watery.
I built this one to feel like restaurant pasta without blowing up your week. It earned its spot in the rotation.
This was an explosion of flavor, and one I would love to cook again!