Some weeknight dinners look impressive but take almost no effort to pull off, and this is exactly that kind of recipe. Chicken cutlets get seared golden in a hot skillet, then nestled back into a rich, silky sun-dried tomato cream sauce built right in the same pan. The whole thing is on the table in under 20 minutes, and it tastes like something you would order at a restaurant.
The secret is using the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar to sear the chicken. That oil is already loaded with concentrated tomato flavor, and it goes straight into the base of the sauce. Shallots and garlic deepen everything, chicken stock builds body, and a splash of heavy cream pulls it all together into something genuinely luxurious. No wine needed.
If you enjoy easy skillet chicken dinners, the Chicken Marsala on the site follows a similar one-pan method and is just as weeknight-friendly. For something a little different with chicken cutlets, the Stuffed Chicken Rollups are a fun option that the whole family loves.
What You Need for This Recipe
This is a short, focused ingredient list with nothing obscure and nothing that will sit in your pantry unused.
Chicken cutlets are thin-sliced chicken breasts, which means they cook fast and stay juicy. If you can only find whole chicken breasts, slice them horizontally through the middle to create two even cutlets per breast.
Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes are the star here, and the jarred oil does double duty as the cooking fat. Do not substitute dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes for this recipe. They will not have the oil, and the flavor will not be the same. Slivered or julienne-cut work best for even distribution throughout the sauce.
Shallots bring a milder, slightly sweet onion flavor that works beautifully in cream sauces. If you are in a pinch, finely minced yellow onion will work, but shallots are worth using here.
Chicken stock deglazes the pan and picks up all those browned bits from searing. That is where a lot of the flavor lives. Low-sodium stock gives more control over the final salt level.
Heavy cream finishes the sauce with richness and body. See the FAQ below if you would like to try a lighter swap.
A reliable 12-inch cast iron skillet is ideal for this recipe. It holds heat evenly for a proper sear and transitions smoothly to the lower-heat sauce-building steps. An instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out of knowing when the chicken has hit 165°F.
How to Make Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Cutlets
This recipe moves quickly once you start, so read through all the steps before you turn on the heat.
Step 1: Season and sear the chicken. Pat the cutlets dry and season both sides with half the salt and pepper. Warm the sun-dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken and sear without moving it for about 3 minutes until golden, then flip and cook another 3 minutes until it reaches 165°F internally. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil to rest.
Step 2: Build the sauce base. With the heat still on medium, add the sun-dried tomatoes and shallots directly to the skillet. Stir and cook for about a minute until they are fragrant and the shallots have softened slightly. Add the garlic and cook for just 30 seconds. Garlic burns fast, so keep it moving and pull it back the moment it smells fragrant.
Step 3: Deglaze with chicken stock. Pour in the chicken stock and turn the heat up to high. Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen all the browned bits. That is flavor you do not want to leave behind. Let it reduce for about 2 minutes.
Step 4: Finish the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium and whisk in the heavy cream along with any resting juices from the chicken plate and the remaining salt and pepper. Let it simmer gently for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon.
Step 5: Return the chicken and serve. Nestle the seared cutlets back into the sauce and spoon it generously over the top. Scatter fresh parsley over everything and serve warm.
Tips for the Best Results
Dry the chicken before searing. Moisture is the enemy of a good crust. Pat the cutlets dry with paper towels before seasoning. This makes the difference between golden-brown and steamed-grey.
Do not crowd the pan. If the cutlets overlap or sit too close together, they will steam instead of sear. Cook in batches if needed, and let the pan come back to temperature between batches.
Rest the chicken before returning it to the sauce. The few minutes the chicken spends tented under foil allows the juices to redistribute. Those juices go back into the sauce in Step 4 and nothing is wasted.
Taste the sauce before you add the chicken back. Cream sauces can sneak up on you with salt once they reduce. Give it a quick taste and adjust if needed before the final step.
What to Serve With It
Mashed potatoes, pasta, steamed rice, or a simple green salad all work perfectly here. The cream sauce needs something to land on, and any of them will do the job well. Go with whatever you have on hand.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The sauce will thicken considerably as it cools. This is normal.
To reheat, warm gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of chicken stock or water to loosen the sauce. Avoid high heat, which can cause the cream sauce to break or the chicken to dry out. The microwave works in a pinch. Cover loosely and heat in 60-second intervals, stirring the sauce between each.
Freezing is not recommended. Cream sauces tend to separate when frozen and thawed, and the texture of the chicken cutlets suffers as well.
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Cutlets
Ingredients
Instructions
Season the chicken cutlets with half the salt and pepper. Warm the reserved sun-dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sear the chicken until golden on both sides and cooked through to 165F internally, about 3 minutes per side. Move to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
Drop the sun-dried tomatoes and shallots into the same skillet and cook, stirring often, for about a minute until fragrant. Stir in the garlic and cook just until it releases its aroma, roughly 30 seconds. Do not let it brown.
Pour in the chicken stock and bump the heat to high, scraping up any browned bits from the pan as it reduces, about 2 minutes.
Lower the heat to medium and whisk in the cream along with any juices from the resting chicken and the remaining salt and pepper. Let it simmer gently for 2 minutes until slightly thickened.
Nestle the chicken back into the sauce, spooning it over the top to coat. Finish with a scatter of fresh parsley and serve warm.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 340kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 22g34%
- Saturated Fat 11g56%
- Cholesterol 120mg40%
- Sodium 310mg13%
- Total Carbohydrate 8g3%
- Dietary Fiber 1g4%
- Sugars 3g
- Protein 28g57%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
