This is the kind of weeknight meal I want in my rotation: comforting, fast, and reliably delicious. The sauce feels indulgent—rich and silky—without any dairy because full‑fat coconut milk does the heavy lifting. Sun-dried tomatoes give it a concentrated tomato punch and a sweet-tart backbone that pairs beautifully with tender chicken.
It’s straightforward to assemble from pantry staples and a few fresh items. The recipe scales easily if you’re cooking for two or a crowd, and the gluten‑free pasta keeps it accessible for folks avoiding wheat. No special technique required—just steady heat, a blender, and a skillet.
I like serving this with a simple green salad and a lemon wedge. The bright acid cuts through the creamy sauce and keeps the whole meal lively. Below you’ll find the exact ingredients and step-by-step directions, plus practical notes that prevent common mistakes and help you customize it safely.
What Goes Into Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
Here’s what you’ll need and why each item matters. I list the ingredients exactly as the recipe uses them, with short notes so you know their role in the dish.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil — used for sautéing the onion and building the first flavor layer.
- 1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped — sweetness and base aromatics; chop finely so it blends smoothly into the sauce.
- 5 cloves garlic, minced — brings savory depth; add with the onion so it softens without burning.
- 1 (15-oz) can full-fat coconut milk* — the dairy-free creamy base that makes the sauce silky and rich.
- 1 cup tomato sauce** — tomato backbone for the sauce; adds body and acidity.
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained — concentrated tomato flavor and chew; drain if packed in oil or rehydrate if dry.
- 1 ½ tsp sea salt — seasons the sauce and brings out flavors; adjust to taste at the end.
- ¼ tsp black pepper — gentle spice and warmth.
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional) — adds a hint of heat if you like a little kick.
- 12 ounces gluten-free pasta noodles*** — the vehicle for the sauce; cook according to package directions for best texture.
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil — for searing the chicken so it gets a light crust without sticking.
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts, chopped — protein; cut into uniform pieces so it cooks evenly and quickly.
- ½ cup fresh basil, chopped — stirred in at the end for bright herbal lift and color.
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta Made Stepwise
- Prepare the gluten-free pasta according to the package instructions. When the pasta is done, drain it in a colander, rinse with cool water to stop the cooking, and set aside.
- In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 Tbsp avocado oil. Add 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to turn golden brown.
- Add 5 cloves minced garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes more, until the garlic is fragrant. Remove the onion and garlic from the skillet and transfer them to a blender.
- To the blender with the sautéed onion and garlic, add 1 (15-oz) can full-fat coconut milk, 1 cup tomato sauce, 1 cup drained sun-dried tomatoes, 1 1/2 tsp sea salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional). If you prefer some texture, reserve a small portion of the sun-dried tomatoes before blending. Blend until the sauce is completely smooth. (Use caution when blending hot liquids—allow to cool slightly or vent the blender lid.)
- Set the blended sun-dried tomato sauce aside.
- Wipe the skillet clean if desired. Heat 1 Tbsp avocado oil in the same large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 lbs chopped chicken breasts in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 3 minutes.
- Stir the chicken and continue cooking another 2 to 3 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center.
- Pour the blended sun-dried tomato sauce into the skillet with the cooked chicken. Stir, bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 10 minutes until the sauce is hot and slightly thickened. Reduce the heat if the sauce is splattering.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss or stir until the pasta is well coated and heated through.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil. Taste and adjust seasoning with more sea salt or pepper if needed. Serve immediately.
Why It Deserves a Spot
This dish hits several boxes: comforting creaminess, a bright tomato note, and a fast cook time. The sun-dried tomatoes add concentrated umami and sweetness that you don’t get from fresh tomatoes alone. Using coconut milk keeps richness without dairy, so it works for those with lactose intolerance or who avoid dairy on principle.
It’s forgiving. If you’re short on time, the sauce can be made ahead and reheated with the chicken. The recipe comes together in roughly 30–40 minutes from start to finish, and it presents well for casual dinners or an easy date-night meal.
International Equivalents
Many cuisines use tomatoes and cream (or a cream alternative) with chicken and pasta-like starches. Think of this as an Italian‑inspired, dairy-free creamy tomato pasta. You could swap the pasta for rice noodles for a Southeast Asian nod, or serve the sauce over polenta for a rustic Mediterranean touch.
In Middle Eastern or North African kitchens, sun‑dried tomatoes and coconut milk aren’t traditional together, but the idea of a tomato-based creamy sauce with chicken is familiar—so the flavor profile translates well if you adapt starchy sides and regional spices cautiously.
Kitchen Gear Checklist
- Large nonstick skillet — for sautéing and finishing the sauce in one pan.
- Blender (or immersion blender and a heatproof container) — to make the sauce smooth. If using a blender, vent hot liquids carefully.
- Colander — for draining pasta.
- Sharp knife and cutting board — for uniform chicken and onion pieces.
- Wooden spoon or spatula — for stirring the sauce and tossing pasta.
- Measuring spoons and cups — to keep seasoning consistent.
Watch Outs & How to Fix
- Overcooking the chicken — cut the chicken into even pieces and watch the skillet. If it dries out, add a splash of reserved pasta water or more coconut milk to soften it.
- Grainy sauce after blending — if the sauce seems grainy, blend longer or strain it. Let very hot liquids cool slightly before blending to avoid steam pressure pushing the lid off.
- Gummy gluten-free pasta — don’t overcook. Rinse with cool water after draining as the recipe instructs to halt cooking and prevent sticking.
- Sauce too thin — simmer a bit longer to reduce, or stir in a small spoonful of cornstarch slurry (1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp cold water) and heat gently until it thickens.
- Too salty — add a splash more coconut milk or a peeled, chopped potato simmered in the sauce briefly; remove potato before serving. Or add extra pasta to balance the salt.
Make It Diet-Friendly
It’s already gluten-free and dairy-free as written. To lower calories, reduce the coconut milk amount slightly and add more tomato sauce or use light coconut milk (note: lighter coconut milk thins the sauce and reduces richness). To increase protein, add another 1/2 lb of chicken or stir in white beans at the end. For a lower-carb option, serve the sauce over spiralized zucchini or spaghetti squash instead of pasta; toss quickly so the vegetables hold their texture.
Pro Tips & Notes
- Reserve pasta water — even though this recipe rinses the pasta, if you prefer not to, save 1/4 cup of hot pasta water before draining to loosen the sauce if needed.
- Sun‑dried tomato texture — if your sun-dried tomatoes are packed in oil, drain them well. If they are the dry variety, soak briefly in warm water to rehydrate before blending.
- Blending hot liquids — always vent the blender lid slightly or use a towel over the top and blend in short pulses. Hot liquid can expand quickly and push the lid off.
- Fresh basil at the end — add fresh basil off heat to preserve flavor and color. Basil wilts fast when exposed to high heat.
- Make-ahead sauce — you can blend the sauce and refrigerate up to 2 days. Reheat gently and add to cooked chicken, or cook chicken directly in the sauce from chilled, increasing simmer time until hot throughout.
Storage & Reheat Guide
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Coconut-milk-based sauces can firm up when chilled; reheat gently over low heat on the stovetop, stirring and adding a splash of water or coconut milk to loosen if needed. If you froze the dish, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat until the chicken reaches a safe internal temperature. Avoid microwave reheating at very high power — it can overcook the chicken and make the sauce separate. Reheat in short bursts, stirring in between.
Troubleshooting Q&A
- Q: My sauce separated when reheating. A: Reheat slowly over low heat and whisk or stir constantly. If separation persists, add a splash of fresh coconut milk and whisk to re-emulsify.
- Q: The pasta stuck together after rinsing. A: Toss the cooled pasta with a tiny drizzle of avocado oil right after rinsing to keep strands separate, or heat briefly with the sauce to loosen them.
- Q: The chicken browned unevenly. A: Make sure chicken pieces are similar size and the skillet is hot enough. Don’t overcrowd the pan; cook in batches if necessary.
- Q: The sauce is too thin. A: Simmer a bit longer to reduce, or mix a small cornstarch slurry and stir in until it thickens.
- Q: I don’t have a blender. A: Use an immersion blender right in a heatproof bowl or cook the onion and garlic longer and finely mince the sun-dried tomatoes to achieve a chunkier texture; the result will be less smooth but still tasty.
The Last Word
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta is a weeknight winner: quick, flexible, and packed with bold, comforting flavors without dairy or gluten. Keep quality sun-dried tomatoes and a good can of full‑fat coconut milk on hand, and this dish becomes a reliable go-to. Make the sauce ahead if you want a truly stress-free finish when dinner time rolls around. Simple swaps let you adapt it to whatever you have in the pantry, but follow the core steps and you’ll land a silky, flavorful plate every time.
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 Tbspavocado oil
- 1 cupyellow onionfinely chopped
- 5 clovesgarlicminced
- 1 15-oz canfull-fat coconut milk*
- 1 cuptomato sauce**
- 1 cupsun-dried tomatoesdrained
- 1 1/2 tspsea saltto taste
- 1/4 tspblack pepper
- 1/4 tspred pepper flakesoptional
- 12 ouncesgluten-free pasta noodles***
- 1 Tbspavocado oil
- 1 1/2 lbschicken breastschopped
- 1/2 cupfresh basilchopped
Instructions
Instructions
- Prepare the gluten-free pasta according to the package instructions. When the pasta is done, drain it in a colander, rinse with cool water to stop the cooking, and set aside.
- In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 Tbsp avocado oil. Add 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to turn golden brown.
- Add 5 cloves minced garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes more, until the garlic is fragrant. Remove the onion and garlic from the skillet and transfer them to a blender.
- To the blender with the sautéed onion and garlic, add 1 (15-oz) can full-fat coconut milk, 1 cup tomato sauce, 1 cup drained sun-dried tomatoes, 1 1/2 tsp sea salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional). If you prefer some texture, reserve a small portion of the sun-dried tomatoes before blending. Blend until the sauce is completely smooth. (Use caution when blending hot liquids—allow to cool slightly or vent the blender lid.)
- Set the blended sun-dried tomato sauce aside.
- Wipe the skillet clean if desired. Heat 1 Tbsp avocado oil in the same large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 lbs chopped chicken breasts in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 3 minutes.
- Stir the chicken and continue cooking another 2 to 3 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center.
- Pour the blended sun-dried tomato sauce into the skillet with the cooked chicken. Stir, bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 10 minutes until the sauce is hot and slightly thickened. Reduce the heat if the sauce is splattering.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss or stir until the pasta is well coated and heated through.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil. Taste and adjust seasoning with more sea salt or pepper if needed. Serve immediately.
Equipment
- large nonstick skillet
- Colander
- Blender
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.
