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Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta with fresh basil is positively packed with rustic flavor and is ready in under 40 minutes for a delicious weeknight meal! This easy to prepare comfort food is easy enough to make any night of the week but fancy enough for a special occasion.

Stainless steel skillet with chicken pasta with sun dried tomato cream sauce.

This gluten-free dairy-free creamy sun-dried tomato chicken pasta is my latest obsession!

Lusciously creamy and tangy sun-dried tomato sauce swaddles the chicken pasta in the most glorious rustic vibes.

It is bright and tangy, rich and decadent with an herb booster and a tiny kick of heat for the most well-rounded palate-pleasing experience. One of those pasta dishes the whole family will love!

In addition to being quick and easy to prepare, this healthy chicken pasta recipe leaves you feeling energized (and full) without putting you into a pasta coma. Flavorful chicken in a delicious cream sauce for busy weeknights? What could be better?

This simple pasta recipe requires few ingredients yet has such a big bold flavor, you’d never guess it!

Two white bowls of pasta with a golden fork and fresh basil to the side.

Here are its glowing characteristics.

Recipe Highlights:

  • Gluten-Free
  • Dairy-Free
  • Ready in 40 minutes
  • Few ingredients
  • Easy prep for weeknight meals
  • Rich and decadent

Let’s discuss the simple ingredient list for this tasty meal! Everything can be found at any grocery store.

Ingredients for Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta:

Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce: Onion, plenty of garlic, full-fat canned coconut milk, sundried tomatoes, tomato sauce, sea salt, red pepper flakes, black pepper.

This combination of ingredients for the creamy sauce results in such a flavorful sauce that is rich and creamy and full to the brim with sun-dried tomato flavor. 

If you aren’t dairy-free you can replace the canned coconut milk with 2 cups of heavy cream. You can also use half & half but would then need to thicken the sauce using flour or tapioca flour.

Whole Chicken Breasts: Boneless skinless chicken breasts get chopped into bite sized pieces to bring filling lean protein to the pasta. Chicken cutlets, chicken filets and chicken tenders also work. Use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken for the quickest method.

You can easily use boneless chicken thighs if you prefer them over breasts or even swap it for ground turkey or ground beef.

Pasta: Use your favorite shape and brand of pasta noodles. I use Gluten-Free Brown Rice Penne Pasta, but any type of pasta will work.

You can also use grain-free pasta noodles made with cassava flour or chickpea pasta if you eat a grain-free diet or regular pasta noodles if you aren’t gluten-free.

Fresh Basil: A little fresh basil brings a bright sweetness to the pasta to offset the otherwise tangy flavor. It adds a well-rounded balance to the meal, giving it a fresh lightness.

Close up photo of sun-dried tomato chicken pasta.

Optional Additions:

  • Add 2 to 5 ounces of fresh spinach to the pasta for additional greens.
  • Stir in fresh mozzarella balls for chicken mozzarella pasta.
  • For herby flavor, add 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning or dried herbs of choice to the sauce.
  • Add 1/4 cup of dry white wine to the sun dried tomato pasta for more depth of flavor.
  • Now that we’ve covered the ingredients list, let’s make sun-dried tomato pasta!

How to Make Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta:

Cook the Noodles:

Prepare the noodles according to the instructions on the package. My gluten-free penne noodles require 12 minutes of cooking, leaving plenty of time to multi-task and prepare the rest of the recipe.

Cooked pasta noodles in a colander.

I typically cook my pasta for a couple of minutes less time than the package indicates for al dente noodles. Once the noodles have finished cooking, strain them into a colander, immediately rinse them with cool water and set aside until ready to use.

Prepare the Sauce: 

While the noodles are cooking, prepare the sauce. 

Heat the avocado oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally until the onion begins turning golden-brown. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant.

Onion sautéing in a stainless steel skillet

Add all of the ingredients for the sun-dried tomato sauce (including the sauteed onion and garlic) to a blender. Note: If you’d like to reserve 1/4 cup of sun-dried tomatoes for serving the pasta for some texture, feel free to do so! This is what I do. 

Blend until the sauce is completely smooth. Set aside until ready to use.

Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce blended up in a blender

If you don’t care about the sauce being ultra creamy, you can skip the blending process and simply add all of the sauce ingredients to the skillet to heat up.

Cook the Chicken:

Chop the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces on a cutting board.

Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil or avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped chicken and allow it to cook untouched for 3 minutes. Stir the chicken and continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes, until much of the liquid has leached out and the chicken is cooked through.

Chopped chicken cooking in a skillet

Stir in the sun-dried tomato sauce and bring the mixture to a full but controlled boil. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 10 minutes, until everything is piping hot and the sauce is fragrant. The sauce will want to spatter so be sure the heat isn’t too high that the sauce is splashing out of the skillet. 

Pouring sundried tomato sauce into the skillet with the chicken.
Chicken and sun-dried tomato pasta sauce in a skillet.

Stir the cooked pasta noodles into the skillet and continue cooking until everything is hot and well combined.

Skillet with chicken and sauce with pasta poured on top

Just before serving the pasta, stir in the fresh basil.

Serve creamy sun-dried tomato chicken pasta in big bowls and enjoy! If you do cheese, shower the pasta in freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Horizontal top down photo of a skillet of chicken pasta.

Store any leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This delicious pasta recipe is even better the next day! If you’re able to make it ahead of time, the pasta becomes even more flavorful as it sits.

Angled shot of Stainless steel skillet with chicken pasta with sun dried tomato cream sauce.

And that’s it! The most comforting creamy pasta recipe that comes together lightning quick! Whip it up any night of the week or for serving guests for any occasion.

This sun-dried tomato chicken pasta recipe comes together in a flash on any given day for a healthy dinner.

If you love pasta, also check out these reader favorites!

More Healthy Pasta Recipes:

Make this gluten-free dairy-free pasta as a meal prep recipe to enjoy throughout the week or on a whim any time the pasta craving strikes!

I hope you love this creamy chicken pasta recipe as much as I do!

Stainless steel skillet with chicken pasta with sun dried tomato cream sauce.

Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta

Luscious, tangy, creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta made gluten-free and dairy-free for a delicious cozy dinner! This easy healthy pasta recipe is the ultimate comfort food!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
5 Servings

Ingredients

Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce:

  • 2 Tbsp avocado oil
  • 1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (15-oz) can full-fat coconut milk*
  • 1 cup tomato sauce**
  • 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained
  • 1 ½ tsp sea salt, to taste
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, optional

Chicken Pasta:

Instructions

Cook the Noodles:

  • Prepare the noodles according to the instructions on the package. Once the noodles have finished cooking, strain them into a colander, immediately rinse them with cool water and set aside until ready to use.
    Cooked pasta noodles in a colander.

Prepare the Sauce: 

  • Heat the avocado oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally until the onion begins turning golden-brown. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant.
    Onion sautéing in a stainless steel skillet
  • Add all of the ingredients for the sun-dried tomato sauce (including the sauteed onion and garlic) to a blender. Note: If you’d like to reserve 1/4 cup of sun-dried tomatoes for serving the pasta for some texture, feel free to do so! This is what I do. Blend until the sauce is completely smooth. Set aside until ready to use.
    Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce blended up in a blender
  • Note: Skip the blending process if you don't care about the sauce being ultra creamy.

Cook the Chicken:

  • Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil or avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped chicken and allow it to cook untouched for 3 minutes. Stir the chicken and continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes, until much of the liquid has leached out and the chicken is cooked through.
    Chopped chicken cooking in a skillet
  • Stir in the sun-dried tomato sauce and bring the mixture to a full but controlled boil. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 10 minutes, until everything is piping hot and the sauce is fragrant. The sauce will want to spatter so be sure the heat isn’t too high that the sauce is splashing out of the skillet. 
    Pouring sundried tomato sauce into the skillet with the chicken.
  • Stir the cooked pasta noodles into the skillet and continue cooking until everything is hot and well combined.
    Skillet with chicken and sauce with pasta poured on top
  • Just before serving the pasta, stir in the fresh basil. Serve creamy sun-dried tomato chicken pasta in big bowls and enjoy! If you do cheese, shower the pasta in freshly grated parmesan cheese.
    Horizontal top down photo of a skillet of chicken pasta.

Notes

*If you aren't dairy-free, you can replace the coconut milk with 1 2/3 cups of heavy cream.
**I use marinara sauce or tomato basil sauce. You can use 1 (8-oz) can of tomato sauce or pick your favorite tomato-based pasta sauce.
***Use any type (regular, gluten-free, grain-free) and shape of pasta noodle you like!
Store any leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This delicious pasta recipe is even better the next day! If you're able to make it ahead of time, the pasta becomes even more flavorful as it sits.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving (of 5)Calories: 769kcalCarbohydrates: 69gProtein: 39gFat: 37gFiber: 5gSugar: 10g
Course: Pastas
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: creamy chicken pasta, creamy sun-dried tomato pasta, dairy free pasta recipe, gluten free pasta recipe, healthy pasta recipes, sun-dried tomato chicken pasta
Servings: 5 Servings
Calories: 769kcal
Author: Julia

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