Chicken Bryan Copycat: Sun-Dried Tomato Goat Cheese Chicken

This tender chicken is sautéed and finished with creamy goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, and a bright touch of lemon. It’s an impressive yet easy main course that comes together in about 20 minutes—perfect for busy weeknights or a casual dinner that tastes restaurant-quality.

Update: This copycat recipe was originally published in 2022 and has been republished with all new photos.

This recipe is inspired by Carrabba’s Chicken Bryan, a dish that pairs tender chicken with tangy goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil. To keep the dish lighter and easier to prepare at home, the sauce here is a simple simmer of lemon juice and chicken stock rather than a heavier lemon-butter sauce. The chicken is sautéed for a quick golden sear, making this version suitable year-round and ideal when you want a flavorful meal without a lot of fuss.

If you want fast, flavorful dinners, this Sun-Dried Tomato Goat Cheese Chicken delivers: juicy, thin-cut chicken breasts topped with creamy goat cheese and plenty of sun-dried tomato flavor. It’s easy enough for weeknights but rich enough to feel indulgent—no special occasion required.

Serve it with a green salad, roasted or smashed potatoes, cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, or roasted vegetables. Leftovers keep well for meal prep and reheat easily on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Sun-Dried Tomato Goat Cheese Chicken Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced horizontally into 4 thin cutlets
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ⅓ cup chicken stock (or broth)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ cup jarred sun-dried tomatoes (julienne cut or chopped), drained
• 2 tablespoons oil from the sun-dried tomato jar
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 4 ounces goat cheese, sliced or crumbled
• ½ ounce fresh basil leaves, torn or thinly sliced

How to Make Sun-Dried Tomato Goat Cheese Chicken

1. Slice the chicken breasts horizontally to create thin cutlets. Thinner cutlets cook faster and brown more evenly.

2. Season both sides of each cutlet with oregano, dried basil, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned cutlets, seasoned side down, and sauté until the bottom side is golden brown, about 3–5 minutes. Flip and brown the other side for another 3–5 minutes.

4. Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low. Add the chicken stock, lemon juice, sun-dried tomatoes, two tablespoons of the oil from the jar, and the minced garlic. Gently simmer for about 5 minutes, keeping the liquid at a low simmer so it doesn’t boil away, until the chicken is cooked through.

5. Stir in the fresh basil so it softens. Top each cutlet with an equal portion of goat cheese; the cheese will soften quickly from the heat. Spoon a little of the pan liquid, along with sun-dried tomatoes and basil, over each cutlet when serving.

Can You Grill the Chicken?

Yes. If you prefer grilled chicken, slice the breasts into thinner cutlets as described, grill them until cooked through, then transfer the grilled cutlets to a skillet and continue from step 4 to warm them in the lemon-chicken stock with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and basil before topping with goat cheese.

Which Sun-Dried Tomatoes Work Best?

Jarred sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil (julienne cut if possible) are ideal because the oil adds flavor to the sauce. If you only have oil-free sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrate them briefly in warm water and add a little extra olive oil to the pan to compensate.

How to Store Leftovers

Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over low to medium-low heat or in the microwave until warmed through. The sauce may reduce on reheating, but the flavors will remain pronounced.

How to Serve

This chicken pairs beautifully with a simple green salad, mashed or roasted potatoes, or roasted vegetables. For a lower-carb meal, serve over cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles. Fresh basil and a lemon wedge make great finishing touches.