Add water to a large stock pot over high heat (be sure to salt well). Cook the penne pasta as directed and continue with the recipe below while the pasta is cooking.

Mince garlic cloves, thinly slice drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, and finely grate Parmesan cheese. Set aside.

Cut chicken breasts in half horizontally (also known as butterflying). Pat dry with paper towels. Season all over with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of the chicken in a single layer and sear until browned (3 to 5 minutes per side; the chicken will not be cooked through at this point). Transfer the first round of seared chicken to a large plate, add remaining olive oil to the skillet and cook remaining chicken. (Once finished, transfer to same plate as before.)

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the Parmesan, heavy cream, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, garlic, onion powder, sun-dried tomatoes, and dried Italian seasoning.

Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.

Return the seared chicken (I like to pre-slice prior to adding) along with any accumulated juices on the plate to the pan. Cook until the chicken is fully cooked through (about 4 to 7 minutes, or until registers at least 165ºF on an instant-read thermometer).

Once the chicken is fully cooked, drain the pasta and add it to the cream sauce mixture.