A luscious pasta dish where tender chicken, sun‑dried tomatoes, kale, and creamy goat cheese sauce combine into a tangy, savory, satisfying dinner you can prepare in about half an hour.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Goat cheese gives a tangy creaminess distinct from typical mozzarella or Parmesan.

• Sun‑dried tomatoes bring intense tomato flavor and richness, plus their oil adds a fragrant boost.

• Kale adds color, nutrition, and a leafy texture contrast to the softness of pasta and sauce.

• Seasonings like garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika add warm flavor without overpowering the core ingredients.

• Fast cooking—ideal for weeknight dinners, but with flavors that feel special enough for guests.

Creamy Goat Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

This creamy goat cheese and sun-dried tomato pasta brings together bold Mediterranean flavors and comforting textures in one harmonious dish. It’s the kind of pasta you can whip up on a weeknight but still feel like you’re enjoying a meal worthy of a special occasion. The sauce is rich and velvety without being heavy, thanks to the tang of goat cheese and the subtle balance offered by half and half. Combined with tender slices of seasoned chicken and the complexity of sun-dried tomatoes, every bite hits multiple notes—creamy, savory, tangy, and herbal.

The process begins with perfectly seasoned chicken breast, cut thin for quicker cooking and better flavor absorption. A trio of simple spices—garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika—infuses the meat with warmth and gentle complexity. Searing the chicken in a bit of oil reserved from the sun-dried tomato jar adds a built-in richness that’s more layered than plain olive oil, intensifying the aroma and overall taste from the very first step.

Sun-dried tomatoes are the flavor powerhouse of this dish. Their sweet, tangy concentration offers sharp contrast against the smooth goat cheese. Using both the tomatoes themselves and their infused oil ensures that their signature taste permeates the entire dish. When you blend some of them into the sauce and keep others whole for texture, the result is balanced and vibrant.

Kale is added not just for color but for its earthy tone and textural variation. Unlike spinach, kale holds its structure slightly during cooking, making it a perfect counterpoint to the creaminess of the sauce and the soft chew of the pasta. Lightly sautéed with garlic and onions, the greens soak up the remaining tomato oil, taking on flavor while keeping their nutrients intact.

The goat cheese sauce comes together effortlessly, especially when the cheese is blended with half and half and a few of the sun-dried tomatoes. This produces a smooth, pink-tinged cream sauce that clings to every curl and twist of the pasta. It’s rich, slightly tangy, and offers just the right amount of fat and flavor to elevate the entire dish without overwhelming the palate.

Using pasta like campanelle or fusilli is key because their twisted shapes are excellent at holding onto sauce. You want each forkful to capture a bit of everything—sauce, chicken, kale, and tomato. Cooking the pasta al dente and reserving a bit of the starchy water helps achieve the right sauce consistency, preventing it from becoming too thick or sticky.

The flavors in this dish are layered and exciting. You get the juicy meatiness of the chicken, the lush creaminess of goat cheese, and the bright, acidic pop of sun-dried tomatoes. Meanwhile, kale grounds the dish with vegetal warmth, and the pasta adds that irresistible bite we all crave.

You don’t need a long ingredient list or complex methods to get this kind of flavor. Everything cooks quickly in succession, and a single skillet handles most of the work, minimizing cleanup. It’s the sort of recipe that becomes part of a rotation not only for its taste but also for how manageable it is.

For those who love customizable meals, this recipe welcomes experimentation. Add mushrooms, use arugula instead of kale, or switch goat cheese for feta if you want a sharper finish. A squeeze of lemon at the end adds a lovely brightness and helps round out the tanginess of the cheese.

When served warm with a glass of lemon water or iced tea, this dish feels both indulgent and refreshing. It strikes the perfect balance between comfort and lightness, which is exactly what you want from a modern pasta dish.

Servings

4 servings

Time

Ingredients

• 1 large chicken breast (about ½ pound), sliced or cut into bite‑size pieces

• 12 oz pasta (campanelle or similar)

• 5 oz goat cheese (soft)

• ½ cup half & half

• One jar (≈ 8‑9 oz) sun‑dried tomatoes in oil, separated into drained tomato pieces + their oil

• ½ cup chopped onion

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 cups kale, roughly chopped

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

• ½ teaspoon onion powder

• ½ teaspoon paprika

• Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve about ½ cup of pasta cooking water, then drain.

2. While pasta cooks, heat a bit of the oil from the sun‑dried tomatoes in a skillet over medium‑high heat. Add seasoned chicken (with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt & pepper), cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Remove chicken, set aside.

3. In the same skillet, add onion and garlic. Sauté until onions are softened and translucent, about 2‑3 minutes. Add kale; cook until just wilted but still vibrantly green.

4. Add portion of drained sun‑dried tomatoes into the skillet. In a small bowl or blender, combine goat cheese + half & half + remaining sun‑dried tomatoes (drained) and blend until smooth.

5. Return pasta to the skillet, pour in goat cheese mixture, stir to coat. Add chicken pieces. If sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water little by little until desired consistency achieved.

6. Taste and adjust seasoning: more salt, pepper, or even a bit of lemon juice can brighten flavors. Serve warm.

Tips

• Use good quality goat cheese for best flavor; some are stronger or more crumbly. Soft, creamy goat cheese works well.

• Don’t skip reserving pasta water—it helps smooth out the sauce and prevents it from being overly thick or gluing to the pan.

• If kale seems tough, you can massage it with salt or blanch quickly before adding to skillet.

• For more depth, consider adding a pinch of red pepper flakes or a few drops of balsamic vinegar at the end.

• Serve immediately, as the sauce thickens as it cools; add little extra liquid if reheating.