This is the pasta I make when I want something that tastes like a restaurant meal but only have 35 minutes. Spaghetti in a garlic and Parmesan cream sauce, with chopped sun-dried tomatoes for sweetness and sliced pan-seared chicken on top. It isn’t one of Gordon Ramsay’s own dishes, but it leans on two things he always stresses: building a sauce on the browned bits left in the pan, and loosening it with starchy pasta water instead of more cream.
If you’ve made my Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta, this is its brighter, tangier cousin.
Ingredients
- 12 oz (340 g) spaghetti
- 1 1/2 lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup (90 g) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (100 g) freshly grated Parmesan, plus more to serve
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
A note on the sun-dried tomatoes
Use the ones packed in oil. They’re soft and ready to use, and a spoonful of that oil can replace some of the olive oil for searing, which adds extra flavor. If you only have dry-packed tomatoes, soak them in warm water for 10 minutes, drain them well and chop them.
Method
Cook the pasta first
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti for 1 minute less than the package says. Before draining, scoop out 1 cup of the cooking water and keep it. That cloudy water is what makes the sauce silky later, so don’t skip it. Don’t rinse the pasta either; the starch on the outside helps the sauce cling.
Sear the chicken
Pat the chicken dry and season it with 3/4 tsp salt, the pepper and the Italian seasoning. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Sear the chicken for 5–6 minutes per side, until deep golden and 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part. Move it to a plate and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing across the grain, so the juices stay in the meat.
Build the sauce in the same pan
Turn the heat down to medium. Add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes to the pan drippings and cook for 1–2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits, until fragrant and the tomato edges start to caramelize.
Pour in the cream and bring it to a gentle simmer. Whisk in the Parmesan a handful at a time until it melts. Grate your own Parmesan here: pre-shredded cheese is coated to stop it clumping, and it won’t melt smoothly. Add the red pepper flakes if you like some heat, plus the remaining 1/4 tsp salt.
Toss, then serve
Add the spaghetti to the skillet and toss it with tongs, adding pasta water a splash at a time until every strand is glossy. The sauce should coat the pasta, not pool at the bottom of the pan.
Twirl the pasta into warm bowls, fan the sliced chicken on top and finish with extra Parmesan and parsley. Serve straight away; cream sauces thicken as they sit.
Swaps and leftovers
- Chicken thighs: boneless, skinless thighs work well and stay juicy even if slightly overcooked. Sear them about 5 minutes per side.
- Different pasta: penne or rigatoni hold this sauce just as well as spaghetti.
- Add greens: stir two handfuls of baby spinach into the sauce just before the pasta goes in.
Leftovers keep for 3 days in the fridge. Reheat gently over low heat with a splash of milk or cream to bring the sauce back.
Gordon Ramsay Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta Recipe
Al dente spaghetti tossed in a silky garlic-parmesan cream sauce with sweet-tart sun-dried tomatoes, crowned with juicy golden-seared chicken breast. One skillet, one pot, 35 minutes.
10 minutes
25 minutes
35 minutes
4 servings
Ingredients
Instructions
Chef Tips
- Salt the pasta water like the sea — it is the only seasoning the noodles get, and it flavors every bite.
- Never rinse the pasta. The starch clinging to the strands is what makes the cream sauce grip instead of sliding off.
- Grate your own Parmesan. Pre-shredded cheese is coated to prevent clumping, which means it will not melt into the silky sauce you want.
- Rest the chicken for 5 minutes before slicing so the juices stay in the meat instead of running over the cutting board.
More weeknight dinners
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