Step 1

Brine the chicken: Combine the warm water, salt, Italian seasoning, and smashed garlic in a bowl just large enough to hold the chicken breasts. Stir to dissolve the salt. Add the chicken breasts; they should be completely submerged. (If not, add more warm water as needed.) Let the breasts soak in the brine for 20 minutes at room temperature and up to 4 hours refrigerated.

Step 2

Meanwhile, or when ready to cook, preheat the Traeger to 250°F with the lid closed; this should take about 15 minutes.

Step 3

Smoke the chicken: Remove the chicken breasts from the brine and throw away the brine. Pat the breasts dry with paper towel (do not rinse). Insert a leave-in meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thickest breast. Place the breasts directly on the grill grates and smoke until the internal temperature reaches 145°F, about 35 minutes. (The time will vary depending on your grill, the size of the breasts, and the weather.)

Step 4

Sear the chicken: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat on the grill’s side burner or on the stove. Reduce the heat to medium, add the smoked chicken breasts and sear, flipping once, until the internal temperature is 165°F and the breasts are nicely browned, about 6 minutes total. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Do not wipe out the pan.

Step 5

Make the sauce: Reduce the heat under the skillet to low and add the butter. Once melted, add the minced garlic, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring to combine, for 1 to 2 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and add the chicken stock. Bring the stock to a simmer and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to dislodge any tasty stuck-on bits. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

Step 6

Add the cream and cook, stirring constantly until it thickens, about 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir in the Parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes, adding more cream if necessary to loosen.

Step 7

Return the chicken to the pan to warm through in the sauce, about 5 minutes. Serve the chicken, sliced or whole, with the sauce and garnished with fresh basil, if desired.