Sun-dried Tomato Chicken

Golden, crisp-skinned chicken is roasted in a rich sun-dried tomato cream sauce, then served over pasta to soak up every drop. The sauce is savoury, silky, and balanced with garlic and parmesan, making this an easy yet impressive dinner for any night of the week.

Sun-dried Tomato Chicken

Golden chicken, creamy sauce, bold flavour.

Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
Serving Size: 4-6

Ingredients

4 chicken drumsticks, skin on

4 chicken thighs, skin on

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup chicken stock

½ cup heavy cream

4 oz sun-dried tomatoes

10 oz pasta, cooked (or grain of choice)

¼ cup parmesan

1 tbsp chopped basil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 190 C (375 F).

2. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium to high heat. Season your chicken generously with salt and pepper. Add one tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Once hot, carefully place the chicken, skin down, into the skillet and cook undisturbed until golden brown and the skin releases itself, around 5-6 minutes. Flip the chicken over and cook for an additional 4 minutes. Using tongs, remove the chicken from the skillet and place it on a plate or cutting board.

3. Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium and add the minced garlic. Stir until fragrant, 30 seconds to one minute. Add chicken stock, heavy cream, and sun-dried tomatoes to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Stir once, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to create a simmer. Reduce the liquid by half, around 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat, add the chicken back into the skillet and spoon some of the sun-dried tomatoes over the chicken. Transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 165 F), 15-20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, boil pasta (or other grain) according to the directions.

5. Once the chicken is cooked, remove the skillet from the oven. Using tongs, once again, transfer the chicken onto a plate or cutting board. Add the pasta (or other grain) and parmesan into the skillet and toss with the sauce, allowing the cheese to melt. Place the chicken back into the skillet on top of the pasta, and, finally, sprinkle with chopped basil. Serve in the skillet, family style.

Notes & Tips

1. Get a proper sear. Let the chicken cook undisturbed skin-side down so it crisps properly and releases naturally from the pan.

2. Use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes. They’re softer and more flavourful than dry-packed varieties.

3. Reduce the sauce properly. Allowing the cream and stock to reduce by half intensifies flavour and thickens the sauce naturally.

4. Check internal temperature. Chicken should reach 75°C internally (165°F) before serving.

5. Make it lighter. Swap heavy cream for cooking cream or half cream/half stock for a lighter version.