Creamy one pot chicken spinach pasta with sun-dried tomatoes

Creamy chicken spinach pasta with sun dried tomatoes is a crowd pleaser every single time. This comforting and delicious 30 minute meal is full of flavor, and because it is made in one pot, the cleanup is quick and easy.

I’ll give you variations and substitutions where I can, plus helpful tips and tricks for success. Read on for this info as well as the recipe. If you’d like to skip straight to the recipe, use the jump to recipe button at the top of the post.

You may also be interested in my roasted vegetable pasta and my cheesy taco pasta recipes. For ease of browsing, you can find all of my one pot meals in one place.

Pook’s Pantry participates in affiliate programs. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I may earn a small commission. For more information, please see my disclosure policy.

Creamy sun dried tomato chicken pasta

We all need quick and easy recipes that we can make without much fuss. This is that kind of meal. It’s comfort food that tastes amazing, everyone will eat it without complaint and it’s really easy to make and clean up. For me, I can’t ask for anything more.

One pot creamy sun dried tomato and spinach pasta with chicken is perfect for family dinner, but it is also something I’d serve to friends for a dinner party. It’s rustic and delicious.

Life can get pretty hectic and we all need to an easy win sometimes. This one pot meal comes together in under a half hour and delivers an incredibly tasty victory.

What you need to know

This chicken sun dried tomato spinach pasta is one of those easy weeknight dinners that I really love. Sometimes easy can translate into not so delicious, but this friends, is so full of flavor! The sauce is incredible and we eat every last bite of it.

The recipe calls for puréed sun dried tomatoes. Please don’t skip this step. By pureeing the tomatoes, they become part of the sauce and that my friends, is gold! The cream, tomato purée and parmesan are a combination that is heavenly. I have a mini food processor that is perfect for blending up small amounts like this.

If you can’t find shallots in your market, red onion is a great substitute. The shallot is a milder flavor, which is nice here. I prefer them in dishes that call for a mild onion flavor. 

Ingredients

• Chicken – I used boneless, skinless chicken breast. You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer.
• Short pasta – For this chicken sun dried tomato pasta, use short pasta such as penne, fusilli, ziti, farfalle, etc.
• Chicken stock – Low sodium stock or broth is a good option.
• Cream – Light cream or half and half will give you the best results.
• Sun-dried tomatoes – Look for the sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, not dried. The dried variety won’t yield the same results.
• Garlic and shallot – These aromatics give our meal tons of flavor.
  • Substitute: Red onion is a good substitute for shallots.
• Butter – Unsalted butter will help you control the amount of salt.
• Spinach – Baby spinach is my preference, because it is tender and it works really well here.
• Cheese – Grated or shredded parmesan cheese adds great flavor.
• Salt and pepper – All food needs to be seasoned.

How to make

Here’s a quick summary of how to make one pot chicken spinach pasta. Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe. 

1. Brown – Melt butter in a large skillet, then brown the chicken. Flip the chicken over, add in shallots and garlic.
2. Add – When the shallots begin to soften, add stock, cream, tomato puree and pasta. Stir, then cover and let it cook until pasta and chicken are cooked through.
3. Remove – Take the chicken out of the pan and let it rest for a few minutes. Add spinach to the pan and let it wilt.
4. Slice – Slice the chicken breasts and add them back to the chicken spinach pasta, top with cheese and serve.

Chicken spinach pasta FAQ’s

Variations and substitutions

• Spicy – Add in a pinch of chipotle or ancho chili powder to give it a spicy, smoky kick.
• Chicken thighs – Use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts.
• Olive oil – Swap out the butter with olive oil, if you prefer.

Helpful tools and equipment

• 12 inch skillet with lid – You’ll need a wide pan with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.
• Pasta bowls – I like to serve this in wide, shallow pasta bowls.

Please share

If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars!

I hope you love this chicken spinach pasta recipe as much as we do! Please consider rating and/or commenting.

Your shares help this site to grow and I appreciate it so much. Do you know someone who would like this? I’d love it if you would share it on Facebook or pin it to your favorite recipe board.

One pot chicken spinach pasta with sun-dried tomato sauce

Cheryl Bennett

Fast, easy, and delicious, creamy one pot chicken spinach pasta with sun-dried tomatoes is perfect for weeknight cooking.

4.96 from 23 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course One Pot Meals

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Calories 569 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast 454g
• ½ lb. short pasta penne, fusilli, ziti, farfalle / 227g
• 2 cups chicken stock or broth 500ml
• ½ cup light cream or half and half 125ml
• 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained, pureéd
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 large shallot diced (or 1/2 of a red onion)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 cups baby spinach lightly packed / 90g
• ½ cup grated or shredded parmesan cheese 50g
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons Italian parsley chopped, for garnish, optional

Instructions

 

• In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Season chicken with half of the salt and pepper, add to pan and cook until golden brown (about 6-8 minutes). Flip chicken over.
• Add the shallots and garlic, cook until softened. Add chicken stock, cream, sun dried tomato puree and pasta. Stir to combine.
• Cover, lower heat to medium low, and cook until pasta is al dente. (The cooking time for your pasta will vary depending on the type of pasta – check the box for cooking times)
• Remove from heat, take chicken out of the pan and set aside.

  Add spinach, the remaining salt & pepper, and half of the cheese. Stir and cover to wilt spinach. Slice the chicken into thin, even pieces.
• Add sliced chicken back to the pan and sprinkle with remaining cheese, and herbs, if desired.

Notes

• If you do not have a small food processor, you can very finely chop the sun-dried tomatoes instead. Then proceed with the recipe as written.

*Exact nutritional information will depend on the specific brands used. The information provided is an estimate.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 569kcalCarbohydrates: 67gProtein: 44gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 99mgSodium: 1483mgPotassium: 1795mgFiber: 6gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 2615IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 192mgIron: 5mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

​Buy me a coffee? If you ever wondered how you can lend a hand, show a little support or just say “thanks” for the recipes? You can “buy me a coffee” to help me keep the free recipes coming.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a delicious day 🙂

Questions? Send me an email, I’m happy to help. I’d love to send you weekly tips and recipes, so you can get updates about what’s happening in the kitchen!

Hello! All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my photos or recipe (other than for personal use) without prior written permission. Thank you!

Originally published 2/5/17. Most recent update 4/17/25.