Chicken thighs with sun-dried tomato and basil sauce

Chicken thighs cooked in a luscious, gluten-free creamy sun-dried tomato and basil sauce. Served with rice, it is the perfect fuss-free dinner.

We’ll get to these uh-mazing Chicken thighs in a moment but first: Today in a week, I’ll be 30. Thirty. Three Oh. And to be honest, I thought I would be experiencing more emotion. Sadness, fear, euphoria. Something. But instead, I’m just kinda meh about it. Is that normal? Is it normal to not really care that your turning an age that so many people (read: The Media) make such a big deal over. Search for “Turning 30” on Google and you have a plethora of websites telling you how to celebrate it, what you should own by 30 and that it’s ok that you haven’t accomplished whatever you haven’t accomplished.

But I don’t really care about all of that. In fact, I’m quite excited at the thought of getting older. Not so excited about the few grey hairs and fine lines I have noticed, but I will never forget my mom telling me that her 30’s were her absolute favourite years. She said that she finally felt like she had come into her own, she felt comfortable and happy. I mean, I’m pretty happy already but things can only get better, right? Wow, what a tangent I just went off on. Let’s get back to this delectable chicken dish, shall we?

I made this chicken recipe a few nights ago when I was in a hurry and was craving something rich, creamy and comforting. The cold has set in around us and we are experiencing beautiful crisp, clear days and very chilly evenings. The fire gets lit every night and we all snuggle under blankets while watching TV so it’s obvious that comfort food will reign supreme around these parts for a while still.

These chicken thighs however, scream Summer with their bright, vibrant sun-dried tomato and basil flavours. I also love that this recipe is completely gluten-free. I am by no means following a gluten-free lifestyle but just as I’ve tried to minimise the amount of meat I consume, I’ve done the same with foods containing gluten. Of course, if you serve this with pasta, that goes out the window but believe me, this is the perfect recipe to be served on top of al dente linguini.

If you want to keep things gluten free, simply mash up some steamed cauliflower. Serve the chicken thighs on top and allow the fluffiness to soak up all the gloriously creamy sauce. Alternatively, make a zesty green salad and call it a day. Either way, you’ll have a meal fit for a king.

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4.88 from 8 votes

Chicken thighs with sun-dried tomato and basil sauce

Chicken thighs cooked in a luscious, gluten-free creamy sun-dried tomato and basil sauce. Served with rice, it is the perfect fuss-free dinner.

Course Chicken, Dinner, Gluten free

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 4

Author Alida Ryder

Ingredients

• 8 chicken thighs
• 1 onion thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves crushed
• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, sliced
• 1 cup basil leaves
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup cream
• 2 teaspoons corn flour mixed with 1 tablespoon milk
• juice of ½ lemon
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

• Heat a large, deep pan over medium-high heat and add a splash of oil.
• Brown the chicken thighs on both sides until they turn a deep golden brown and are cooked 3/4 way through.
• Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
• Add a bit more oil to the pan if necessary then saute the onion until soft and glossy.
• Remove the stalks from the basil leaves and chop finely. Reserve the leaves for later.
• Add the basil stalks and garlic to the onions and saute for 30 seconds before adding the sun-dried tomatoes. Saute for another minute then pour in the chicken stock and cream.
• Allow to come to a simmer then place the chicken back in the pan and cover.
• Allow to simmer for 10-20 minutes, checking regularly to make sure the liquid hasn't cooked away (top up with more stock if necessary), until the chicken is cooked through.
• At this stage, the sauce will probably have reduced but if you want more sauce (to serve with rice, for example), add another cup of stock (and more cream if you wish) then add the cornflour and milk mixture. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes until thickened.
• Slice the basil leaves and add them to the chicken along with the lemon juice, salt and pepper before serving.

More creamy chicken recipes you will love:

Creamy chicken and mushroom pasta with basil pesto 

Roasted chicken breasts with mustard cream sauce