Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken (High-Protein “Tuscan” Skillet)

If you love creamy, garlicky, sun-dried tomato everything… this dinner is about to become a weekly repeat. It’s a one-pan chicken recipe with a silky sauce that tastes restaurant-level, but it’s secretly packed with protein thanks to a blender trick: cottage cheese + bone broth.

It’s cozy, flavorful, and fast enough for a weeknight—without needing a million ingredients.

Why you’ll love it

• High-protein creamy sauce (without relying only on heavy cream)

• One skillet + one blender

• Big flavor: garlic, basil, parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, a little heat

• Meal-prep friendly: reheats like a champ
  

Equipment

• 1 blender

• 1 large skillet

Ingredients

Chicken

• 4 chicken breasts, about 6 oz each (slice 1” thick; or use ~3 large breasts)
  

Sauce + skillet

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• ½ tsp each: salt, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes

• ¼ tsp ground black pepper

• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil or water)

• 1 cup chicken bone broth

• ½ cup heavy cream

• ½ cup cottage cheese

• ½ cup parmesan (grated or shredded)

• ¼ cup basil, chopped and packed

Before you start (tiny things that make it perfect)

• Slice the chicken into 1” thick pieces so it cooks evenly and stays juicy.

• Don’t crowd the pan—brown in batches for better color (and flavor).

• If your sun-dried tomatoes are packed in oil, drain them well (you’ll still get tons of flavor).

Step-by-step instructions

1) Brown the chicken (in batches)

Heat your skillet over medium heat. Add a small amount of butter if you want (or begin with the full butter if you prefer), then add chicken in a single layer.

Brown the chicken on multiple sides, flipping as needed. Remove each piece as it finishes cooking so it doesn’t overcook.

• Pull the chicken at 160°F internal temp (it will finish to 165°F later in the sauce).

• If you don’t have a thermometer: remove once it’s no longer pink inside.

Set chicken aside.

2) Build the garlic + spice base

With the skillet still at medium heat, melt 2 tbsp butter (if you didn’t already use it all).

Add:

• garlic

• salt

• oregano

• crushed red pepper flakes

• black pepper

Sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

3) Blend the sauce until silky

While the chicken is cooking (or right after), add to a blender:

• sun-dried tomatoes

• bone broth

• heavy cream

• cottage cheese

Blend until completely smooth and creamy.

4) Simmer the sauce + finish

Reduce skillet heat to low. Pour the blended sauce into the pan.

Bring it to a low boil (just enough to heat through), then stir in:

• parmesan

• basil

Add the chicken back into the skillet and cook 5 minutes, until everything is hot and the chicken is fully cooked.

Simple swaps

• Chicken thighs instead of breasts: richer flavor, super juicy.

• Lower-cal version: use ¼ cup heavy cream + ¾ cup bone broth (still creamy because of the cottage cheese).

• More heat: add extra crushed red pepper, or a pinch of cayenne.
  

Estimated nutrition (per serving)

Assuming 4 servings; sun-dried tomatoes drained. Nutrition will vary by brands and whether tomatoes are oil-packed.

• Calories: ~450–550

• Protein: ~45–55g

• Carbs: ~4–10g

• Fat: ~22–32g