Roast Chicken with Sundried Tomato Cream Sauce (dairy-free option!)

If there's anything better than straight-up roast chicken, it's roast chicken with a sauce. And if that's Roast Chicken with Sundried Tomato Cream Sauce? Well … that's the way to do dinner!

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The best part of this recipe is that it's quick because you use chicken pieces rather than a whole chicken. Definitely doable on a weeknight in that case, right?

I use both chicken thighs and chicken breasts because while I like dark meat, there's a certain someone in my house who likes white! I cut the chicken breasts in half to make them more the size of the thighs to make the cook time more equitable.

Heat the oven to 400°F. Brown the seasoned chicken pieces in a high-heat oil (like avocado oil) in an oven-proof skillet over medium to medium high heat. Remove the chicken to a platter (it will be browned, but not fully cooked) and add chopped garlic and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Let it cook till it becomes fragrant... only about 30 seconds.

Add in fresh herbs … basil, oregano, and thyme (you can use dried if you don't have fresh) … then add the sundried tomatoes and deglaze the pan with chicken broth.

Oven-proof skillet procedure:

If you're using an oven-proof skillet, nestle the chicken pieces back in and put the skillet in the oven for 20-30 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer reads 165°F. It will continue to cook after it comes out of the oven so take it out earlier than you think you should. If you're cooking in a cast-iron skillet, it will hold the heat for a long time!

Baking dish procedure:

If you don't have an oven-proof skillet, brown the chicken, then place it in an oven-proof baking dish. Pour the chicken broth and herbs over the chicken and put it in the oven.

Remove from the oven and slowly add warmed cream (or cashew cream - see the recipe card for instructions - for a non-dairy option) to the skillet or baking dish. The heat of the skillet or baking dish will sufficiently heat the cream and thicken it slightly.

How to serve Roast Chicken with Sundried Tomato Cream Sauce

Finish the skillet off with fresh parsley and a fresh grating of parmesan cheese. Serve with a carb like rice or fusilli pasta if you're into carbs, or serve with spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles, wilted spinach, or cauliflower rice if you are cutting the carbs. I think green peas are also a nice bright addition to the meal.

Other recipes you might like:

• Pork Chops with Marsala Fig Sauce
• Chicken Piccata
• Roasted Tomato Soup
• Fennel Braised Sausages
• Braised Greens with Bacon

Recipe

Roast Chicken with Sundried Tomato Cream Sauce (dairy-free option!)

Tammy Circeo

I first saw the idea for this recipe at lacremedelacrumb.com and knew it would be delicious! Unlike the original recipe, I changed it up to include a dairy-free option with homemade cashew cream, eliminated the parmesan cheese,  used fresh herbs and red pepper flakes, and bone-in chicken. I hope you try it and enjoy it! 

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Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  

• 4-6 chicken pieces bone-in, skin-on (I use 4 chicken thighs and 1 chicken breast, cut in half)
• Salt and pepper for seasoning
• Oil for browning Use a high-heat oil, like avocado oil
• 3 teaspoons of chopped garlic
• ½  teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons fresh basil or ½ teaspoon dried
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried
• 2 teaspoons fresh oregano or ½ teaspoon dried
• ½  cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 cup chicken broth
• ½  cup heavy cream or cashew cream for a dairy free option see below for instructions
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese omit for dairy free
• Fresh herbs for topping before serving

Instructions

 

• Heat oven to 400°F.
• Heat a large, oven-proof skillet over medium to medium-high heat. When hot, add oil for browning, then add the seasoned chicken pieces skin side down. Allow to brown till golden, then brown the other side. Remove from the skillet to a platter or a baking dish if your skillet isn't oven-proof.
• Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the skillet and allow them to become fragrant. It will only take about 30 seconds. Add the fresh herbs, sundried tomatoes, and deglaze the skillet with the chicken broth. Nestle the chicken pieces back in, place the skillet in the oven, and bake until the temperature reads 165° or 170°. If you leave it in the oven until it reaches the recommended 180°, it will end up being dry and chalky. Allow the residual heat to continue to cook the meat after it's been removed from the oven and while it rests. If you are using a baking dish, pour the chicken broth and herbs over the chicken and place in the oven.
• After the chicken is removed from the oven, warm the cream to approximately the same temperature as the chicken, and add it slowly to the skillet. It will warm and thicken slightly from the heat of the skillet. It's a gentle cream sauce.
• To make cashew cream, blend 1 cup of soaked cashews with 2 ½ cups of water in a high-powered blender. In a pinch for time, you can make the cream without soaking the cashews, but the cream will potentially not be as smooth as if you had soaked them for at least an hour. You can soak them overnight as well. Cashew cream can be sweetened with the addition of a date, but when I'm using it for a savory recipe, I leave it unseasoned so that the flavors of the dish aren't compromised.
• Top with a sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan cheese, if desired, and some fresh herbs.
• Serve with a carb like rice or fusilli pasta if you're into carbs, or serve with spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles, wilted spinach, or cauliflower rice if you are cutting the carbs.
• Bon Appétit!