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Chicken cutlets with sundried tomato cream sauce is a dream-come-true recipe for busy cooks. It is a ridiculously easy dish with concentrated tomato flavor that requires minimal ingredients, and it all gets assembled in just one pan and is ready to eat in under 1 hour. You’ll love its indulgent cream sauce, sweet-and-tangy sun-dried tomatoes, and tender chicken.
Love easy dinners? Try these recipes for creamy tomato and sausage penne and baked salmon with parsley pesto.
Quick Look: Chicken Cutlets with Sun-dried Tomato Sauce Recipe
- ⏲️ Prep Time: 20 minutes
- ⏲️ Cook Time: 30 minutes
- ⏲️ Total Time: 50 minutes
- 👨👩👧👦 Servings: 4 servings
- 🌽 Cuisine & Heritage: American
- 🍽️ Calories: 589 calories per serving (more nutritional info in recipe card)
- 🥦 Dietary Info: Gluten Free; can be made Dairy Free
- 🟢 Difficulty: Easy
- 🔥 Cooking Method: Stovetop
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: creamy, sweet, tart, and delightfully chewy.
- 🔑 Top Tip: Reduce the pan sauce slightly before adding the cream for a smooth result.
- 🍷 Drink Pairings: Cook and serve with a crisp, dry white wine, like Pinot Grigio, to complement the tanginess in the finished sauce and to cut through the richness of the dish. Alternatively, try a buttery Chardonnay or with a beer, such as a crisp Pilsner, lager, wheat beer, light-bodied Saison, or amber ale.
- ❄️ Storage: Leftovers should be placed into a container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerated up to 3 days. Do not freeze.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Comfort Food Vibes: The sundried tomato cream sauce and juicy chicken offer a comforting and satisfying meal.
- Incredible Flavor: This sundried tomato cream sauce isn’t average; it is built layer by layer from intensity developed through a simple sauté featuring assiduous, jammy sun-dried tomatoes. It’s sweet and tart, with a delightful chewiness.
- Beginner-Friendly: The recipe typically uses simple ingredients and straightforward steps, making it achievable for even those new to the kitchen.
- Impressive Presentation: The creamy sun-dried tomato sauce and fresh basil chiffonade create a visually appealing dish worthy of serving company.
“Wow! That sauce with the sun dried tomatoes really hit the spot! Thank you for this delicious recipe!”
Table of Contents
- Quick Look: Chicken Cutlets with Sun-dried Tomato Sauce Recipe
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients
- Substitutions and Variations
- How to Make Chicken Cutlets with Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce
- Recipe FAQs
- Serving Suggestions
- Expert Tips
- Other Tomato Recipes You’ll Love
- Chicken Cutlets with Sundried Tomato Cream Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
Sun-dried tomatoes pack a taste punch! The oil they’re packed in eliminates the need for additional seasonings and ingredients. Just offer Parmesan cheese when serving for the win!
- Chicken Breasts: You’ll need two chicken breasts, which yield 4 cutlets. Increase the amount of chicken here if you prefer.
- Oil-Packed Sun-Dried Tomatoes: After a summer of enjoying my homegrown tomatoes in every way imaginable, I experimented with drying my tomatoes in the oven, and these sweet oven ‘sun-dried’ tomatoes are the star of this dish! Feel free to use oil-packed store-bought ones too.
- Tomato Oil from the Jar: The tomato oil is as important as the tomatoes. It’s seasoned with everything there is to love about summer tomatoes including garlic, basil, and oregano.
- Shallots: Somewhere in between garlic and yellow onion lives the shallot, its mild flavor unmatched by really anything else in the allium family. I am using a combination of French Grays and Echalion.
- Dry White Wine: To cook with AND to enjoy with this dish.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Spinach or Whole-Leaf Basil: Toss a little into the sauce at the end for a bit of fiber and bright color.
- Cognac or Vermouth: Use in place of dry white wine for a sweeter finished dish.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Add some for a little heat!
How to Make Chicken Cutlets with Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce
Scroll down for the full printable recipe or stick around for the step-by-step breakdown with photos to walk you through every delicious detail.
1
Prep the Chicken
To turn a chicken breast into two chicken cutlets, lay the breast on a flat surface. (I like damp paper toweling because it won’t slip.) Place your palm flat on the thick end of the chicken. Use a large kitchen knife to run the blade parallel to your palm lengthwise through the chicken.
Separate the halves and continue with the remaining breasts. Sprinkle chicken on one side with half the salt and pepper.
2
Brown the Chicken
Add 2 tablespoons of oil from the jar of tomatoes to a large skillet. Heat on medium-high heat until shimmering. Add each cutlet, seasoned side down, into the oil. Reduce the temperature to medium. Sprinkle chicken with remaining salt and pepper.
Sauté, turning once until browned, about 2 minutes per side. You want some visible bronzing going on. Transfer to a rimmed plate to catch any liquid that will naturally accumulate. Cover with foil to keep warm. (Chicken will not be cooked fully but will be finished at a later step during the simmer.)
3
Cook Aromatics & Deglaze
Add 1 cup chopped shallots and 1 tablespoon fresh thyme to the pan. Stir, cooking for 1 minute. Add 1 cup of sun-dried tomatoes and cook 1 minute more.
Remove the hot skillet from the heat source and add 1 cup of wine. Return to the heat source and increase heat to medium-high, scraping up the brown bits and fond on the bottom of the skillet. Cook until the liquid has mostly evaporated, about 2 minutes.
4
Add Cream & Chicken
Reduce heat to medium and stir in the heavy cream and any accumulated juices from the chicken. Whisk to incorporate well. Reduce heat to low.
Add a tablespoon of butter to the pan and stir to give the sauce a luxurious sheen. Simmer for 2 minutes before returning the chicken to the pan and turn to coat with the sauce. Lower the temperature and simmer for an additional 5 to 8 minutes, until the sauce is nicely thickened and the chicken is cooked through.
5
Serve & Enjoy
Scatter fresh basil chiffonade and minced parsley into the skillet. Serve immediately alongside risotto, potato gratin, penne (or other favorite pasta) with plenty of fresh Parmesan cheese.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe is specifically written for sun-dried tomatoes; using fresh would make this into a marinara sauce.
If you are avoiding alcohol, opt for chicken broth instead.
Yes, leafy greens like fresh spinach and fresh chopped kale are fabulous in this dish. Dried and reconstituted mushrooms (for that smoky flavor) are also a winner.
Serving Suggestions
Think beyond pasta and serve over risotto or gratin potatoes. Try either my sweet potato and muenster gratin or endive gratin with ham and smoked gruyere. If pasta is the preferred starch, then by all means penne or angel hair served alongside the chicken with heaps of the sauce is fabulous. I rather like it over a lightly dressed mesclun salad best in the summer months. Serve with apple cheese Danish or apple strawberry crisp with oatmeal crumble for dessert.
Expert Tips
- Deglaze for depth. After searing the chicken, use white wine and heat to scrape up browned bits, adding richness to the sauce.
- Reduce the pan sauce slightly before adding cream to ensure a smooth and thickened result.
- Adding a pinch of crushed red pepper adds a subtle kick.
- Spinach or kale wilts perfectly into the creamy sauce for a veggie boost.
Other Tomato Recipes You’ll Love
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Chicken Cutlets with Sundried Tomato Cream Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 2 large chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons oil from packed tomatoes
- 1 cup finely chopped shallots
- 4 tablespoons thyme, parsley, or basil, minced or chiffonade
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, oil-packed
- 1 cup dry white wine, may also use Cognac or Vermouth; substitute chicken broth if required
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
Browning the Chicken Cutlets
- Add ½ teaspoon of Kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper to a tiny bowl and mix them. Set aside.
- Lay chicken on a flat surface and place your palm flat on the thick end. Use a large kitchen knife to run the blade parallel to your palm lengthwise through the chicken. Separate the halves and continue with the remaining breasts. Sprinkle chicken on one side with half the salt and pepper.
- Add 2 tablespoons of oil from the jar of tomatoes to a large skillet and heat on medium-high heat until shimmering. Add each cutlet, seasoned side down, into the oil and lower to medium. Sprinkle chicken with remaining salt and pepper.
- Sauté, turning once until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a rimmed plate and cover with foil to keep warm. (Chicken will not be cooked fully but will be finished at a later step during the simmer.)
Making the Cream Sauce
- Add 1 cup chopped shallots and 1 tablespoon fresh thyme to the pan. Stir, cooking for 1 minute. Add 1 cup of sun-dried tomatoes and cook 1 minute more.
- Remove the hot skillet temporarily and add 1 cup of wine. Return to the heat. Increase heat to medium-high and scrape the fond on the bottom of the skillet. Cook until the liquid has mostly evaporated, about 2 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium and stir in the heavy cream and any accumulated juices from the chicken. Whisk to incorporate well. Reduce heat to low.
- Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan and stir. Simmer for 2 minutes before returning the chicken to the pan. Turn to coat with sauce. Lower the temperature and simmer for an additional 5 to 8 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thickened.
- Scatter fresh basil chiffonade and minced parsley into the skillet. Serve immediately alongside risotto, penne, or your favorite pasta and plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Deglaze for depth. After searing the chicken, use white wine and heat to scrape up browned bits, adding richness to the sauce.
- Reduce the pan sauce slightly before adding cream to ensure a smooth and thickened result.
- Adding a pinch of crushed red pepper adds a subtle kick.
- Spinach or kale wilts perfectly into the creamy sauce for a veggie boost.
- Leftovers should be placed into a container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerated up to 3 days. To reheat, place contents in a small skillet or saucepan and heat over medium-low heat. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of chicken broth if sauce is too dense.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Wow! That sauce with the sun dried tomatoes really hit the spot! Thank you for this delicious recipe!
Ned, you are MOST WELCOME! There is no question that this sauce is kind of killer, but I may be biased 😉 Jenny
This sounds and looks amazing! I’m pretty sure I already have all these ingredients on hand too! Pinned.
This sounds so tasty!! Pinned – Thanks so much for sharing at the Lazy Gastronome’s What’s for Dinner party! Have a fabulous weekend and hope to see you on Sunday!
Great midweek meal recipe, I know my family are going to love this #FullPlateThursday
Joe’s father was a Jersey tomato farmer! Nothing better in the world! He also grew asparagus, peppers, some corn and watermelons…
Oooooh, fresh asparagus! Renee, ask Joe where his father farmed in New Jersey. I am always interested. Would love to know where it was! I plan to ask my Aunt if they can bring some tomatoes with them if they come over the summer. I’d give anything for some rhubarb, too, but that’s just about done in Jersey for the season now. If you and I end up cooking together at some point, LOOK OUT WORLD!