Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe

Our Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe is full of seasoned, golden brown boneless chicken breast and perfectly cooked pasta in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce. This easy meal is ready in under 30 minutes and perfect for the entire family on busy weeknights.

This creamy chicken pasta boasts a flavourful sauce and perfectly seasoned chicken that will be sure to leave mouths watering. This dish is not just a family favorite — when you friends get word of how delicious it is, they will be waiting for the invite to dinner.

What is Marry Me Chicken Pasta?

Marry Me Chicken is a classic dish consisting of a rich and creamy sauce, filled with sun-dried tomatoes, and chicken breast seasoned in various Italian spices. The addition of pasta makes it a complete meal that may leave you on the receiving end of a marriage proposal!

Why You Will Love Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe

• 30-Minute Meal: Quick meals are a must, especially for those busy weeknights.
• Classic Combination: The addition of pasta puts a twist on this traditional chicken dish.
• Minimal Mess: Aside from cooking the pasta, this dish comes together effortlessly in one pan.
• Full of Flavor: The creamy sun-dried tomato sauce is packed with flavor.

Ingredients

Grab a large pan from your kitchen and boil some pasta water. You're already well on your way to getting this simple, family favorite, marry me chicken with pasta ready for the table.

See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.

• Penne Pasta: A hearty pasta noodle that will pick up the sauce, but many varieties work well.
• Vegetable Oil: A neutral oil great for sautéing chicken, but olive oil is fine to use as well.
• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast: A nice tender option, but if you have boneless skinless chicken thighs you could substitute if needed.
• Italian Seasoning: This seasoning blend adds so much flavor all at once.
• Sea Salt: Enhances all the other flavors in the dish.
• Garlic Powder: A nice, concentrated flavor of roasted garlic to add to the chicken.
• Unsalted Butter: Controls the salt content, but salted works if you prefer that.
• Garlic Cloves: Fresh garlic adds a punch of garlicky heat.
• Yellow Onion: A mild onion flavor that adds additional substance to the final dish.
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Add a sweet and tangy flavor.
• Tomato Paste: Concentrated tomato flavor that improves the sauce by adding some acidity.
• 10% Cream: Thickening agent in the sauce. For an even richer flavor, you can use heavy cream.
• Chicken Stock, Low Sodium: Reinforces the chicken flavor in the sauce without adding too much salt.
• Parmesan Cheese: A sharp, salty and nutty cheese to reinforce the thickness of the sauce.

For this recipe, you'll want to have on hand a mixing bowl, large skillet, spatula, measuring cups and spoons, and large pot and strainer.

Substitutions and Variations

Love our Marry Me Chicken Pasta recipe but want to make it your own? Here are some helpful ideas to try.

• Dairy-Free: For a dairy-free marry me chicken you can use dairy-free cream.
• Spinach: Add in a couple handfuls at the end for a marry me chicken with spinach variation, and to add in more vegetables.
• Gluten Free: Substitute the pasta for your favorite rice or chickpea pasta to make a gluten free marry me chicken pasta dish. We love this corn, rice and quinoa blend.
• Add Some Heat: Season with ½ teaspoon (or more) red pepper flakes to the final dish.
• Chicken Thighs: Use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts.
• Vegetarian: Swap the chicken for some tofu in this dish.
• Heavy Cream: For a richer sauce, you can use heavy cream instead of 10%.

How to Make This Easy Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe

Check out the images below to see how easy it was to make easy pasta recipe.

In a medium bowl add bite-sized pieces of chicken and coat evenly with Italian seasoning, salt and garlic powder.

Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat and add vegetable oil. Cook the chicken fully through, flipping to ensure both sides are golden brown. Set aside to rest, then chop into smaller pieces or strips.

Meanwhile, start cooking your pasta in a large pot of salted water to al dente. Reserve at least ½ cup of pasta water to use to thin the sauce later (if desired).

Add butter and onion to the large skillet and cook for about 5 minutes and reduce to medium heat, scraping down any brown bits. Then cook the garlic for 1 minute before adding in the sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 tablespoon or so of the sundried tomato oil and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Pour in chicken stock and cream and bring to a low boil. Add parmesan cheese and incorporate.

Add the cooked pasta into the pan and mix well, then place the chicken in and combine.

Serve warm and garnish with fresh basil, parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes if desired.

Hint: You can cut your chicken up before cooking, as this can help it cook more evenly.

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How to Store Our Marry Me Chicken With Pasta

Pasta dishes are perfect for storing and pulling out at a moment’s notice.

• Refrigerator: Once cooled, place in an airtight container and store for 3 to 4 days.
• Freeze: You can freeze in individual portions to reheat one at a time. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
• Reheating: In the microwave or the stovetop, you can heat this dish up with a little milk, cream or leftover stock on medium-low heat.
• Make Ahead: This is a perfect dish to make ahead. You can make your pasta and chicken in advance and store in the fridge. When you are ready to cook you can just skip those steps and add them in when needed.

What to Serve with Marry Me Chicken

This dish packs so much flavor and is a great balance of protein and carbohydrates, so sides are not a necessity, but here are a few options.

• Simple Salad: This is a perfect dish to make ahead. You can make your pasta and assemble your favorite salad as a starter or a side for a well-balanced meal.
• Vegetables: A simple steamed vegetable is a nice side to go with this flavorful sauce.
• Fresh Bread: In traditional Italian fashion, grab yourself some fresh bread to soak up the cream sauce at the end.
• Garnishes: Red pepper flakes, freshly grated parmesan cheese, fresh black pepper or freshly torn basil.

Top Tip

Cooking the dish in the same pan that you cooked the chicken in will add another layer of depth to this flavorful sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions About Marry Me Chicken Pasta

Do you have questions about cooking marry me chicken pasta recipe?

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Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe

Eva Filer

Our Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe is full of seasoned, golden brown boneless chicken breast and perfectly cooked pasta in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce. This easy meal is ready in under 30 minutes and perfect for the entire family on busy weeknights.

5 from 6 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Mains

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 672 kcal

Equipment

• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Medium Bowl
• Large Skillet
• Large Pot and Strainer
• Spatula

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 pound boneless and skinless chicken breasts about 2-3 breasts
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 8- ounce penne pasta dry measured (about 3 cups)
• 2 tablespoon butter unsalted
• 1 yellow onion, medium minced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• ½ cup sun-dried tomato halves chopped (reserve some oil)
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup chicken stock low sodium
• ½ cup 10% cream
• ½ cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

 

• In a medium bowl add bite-sized pieces of chicken and coat evenly with Italian seasoning, salt and garlic powder.
• Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat and add vegetable oil. Cook the chicken fully through, flipping to ensure both sides are golden brown. Set aside to rest, then chop into smaller pieces or strips.
• Meanwhile, start cooking your pasta in a large pot of salted water to al dente. Reserve at least ½ cup of pasta water to use to thin the sauce later (if desired).
• Add butter and onion to the large skillet and cook for about 5 minutes and reduce to medium heat, scraping down any brown bits. Then cook the garlic for 1 minute before adding in the sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 tablespoon or so of the sundried tomato oil and cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Pour in chicken stock and cream and bring to a low boil. Add parmesan cheese and incorporate.
• Add the cooked pasta into the pan and mix well, then place the chicken in and combine.
• Serve warm and garnish with fresh basil, parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes if desired.

Notes

• Penne can easily be substituted for a different pasta shape that holds sauce well, like rigatoni or fettuccine.
• If you would like to thicken your sauce, let it simmer for longer to reduce or add extra parmesan cheese.
• We highly recommend not skipping on adding fresh basil or parsley to garnish your pasta — it adds a burst of colour, flavor, and freshness.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 672kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 41gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 130mgSodium: 1649mgPotassium: 1265mgFiber: 5gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 1008IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 239mgIron: 4mg

Keyword 30-Minute Meal, Chicken, Chicken Breast, Dinner, Mains, Pasta, Sun-Dried Tomatoes

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