Prep the chicken. Pat the chicken dry and slice thicker breasts horizontally into cutlets if needed. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and a light sprinkle of smoked paprika.

Sear for color. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Sear chicken 3–4 minutes per side until golden. Remove to a plate. The chicken doesn’t need to be fully cooked yet.

Build flavor. Lower heat to medium. In the same pan, add garlic and shallot. Sauté 30–60 seconds until fragrant. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and Italian seasoning for another 30 seconds.

Deglaze and simmer. Pour in chicken broth and scrape up browned bits. Simmer 2–3 minutes to reduce slightly. Reduce heat to medium-low.

Make it creamy. Whisk in half-and-half and Parmesan. Simmer gently until the sauce thickens a bit, 2–3 minutes. Avoid a hard boil to prevent curdling later.

Add the yogurt smartly. In a small bowl, whisk Greek yogurt with a few spoonfuls of warm sauce to temper. Then stir the yogurt mixture into the pan. Keep heat low and stir until smooth.

Finish the chicken. Return chicken and its juices to the pan. Simmer gently 4–6 minutes, flipping once, until the chicken reaches 165°F internally.

Brighten it up. Stir in lemon zest, a squeeze of lemon juice, and fresh basil. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. The sauce should be balanced—savory, a little tangy, and lightly spicy.

Optional protein boost. For extra protein, whisk a small amount of sauce with unflavored whey isolate or blended cottage cheese, then stir it back in off heat. Add gradually to keep the sauce silky.

Serve. Spoon the sauce over the chicken. Great with whole-wheat pasta, cauliflower mash, zucchini noodles, or a garlicky farro or quinoa side.