Marry Me Chicken Pasta with tender, juicy chicken and pasta coated in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce and ready to wow in just 30 minutes!
If you love sun-dried tomatoes, you’ll also love this healthy Tuscan chicken pasta!
A simple, restaurant-quality marry me chicken pasta that’ll have you keeping sun-dried tomatoes stocked in your kitchen from now on!
I usually serve marry me chicken with cozy staples like mashed potatoes, rice, or pasta. To make things easier, I turned it into a full 30 minute meal by mixing the chicken, sauce, and pasta in one dish.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simplicity and ease: A quick, no stress dinner that’s perfect for busy nights.
- Gluten free option: Easily adaptable to be gluten free without sacrificing any of the flavor.
- A show-stealing sauce: An easy-to-make, tomato cream sauce that won’t break a sweat.
- Enjoy all year long: Winter or summer, this pasta dish shines all year!
Ingredients for Marry Me Chicken Pasta
It uses a perfect mix of protein, veggies, and spice staples.
- Short pasta: Choose a farfalle, fusilli or penne pasta with plenty of crevices to catch the sauce. You can go gluten free or whole wheat, if you prefer.
- Chicken: Cut into bite-sized pieces. I like boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, but you can use chicken thighs.
- Aromatics: Fresh garlic and onion add a delicious savory base.
- Flour: Helps give the chicken a nice, crispy crust. You can use all-purpose, whole wheat, or gluten-free flour.
- Chicken broth: Use low sodium chicken broth, chicken stock, or vegetable broth for the sauce.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: I used oil packed sun-dried tomatoes this time. If you use dried, you’ll need to soak them in hot water for 5 minutes, then squeeze and slice.
- Heavy cream: Makes the sauce rich and creamy. You can swap in half and half for a lighter option and still get a creamy texture.
- Parmesan cheese: Grab a block of Parmesan and grate it yourself. Store-bought grated cheese just doesn’t have that rich, mature flavor.
- Baby spinach: A subtle touch that brings color, earthy flavor, and a sneaky way to add some greens.
- Spices: Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes give the sauce a perfectly seasoned kick.
- Butter: For frying.
- Fresh herbs: Finely chopped parsley or basil for garnish.
How to Make Marry Me Chicken Pasta
This recipe comes together fast, and clean-up’s a breeze too!
- Cook the pasta: Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente, then drain and set aside.
- Saute aromatics and chicken: While the pasta cooks, heat another large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high and melt some butter. Sauté the onion and garlic for about 3 minutes, then add the chicken and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until browned.
- Make the sauce: Add flour and stir well. Pour in the broth and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring often. Add sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, heavy cream, and Parmesan. Bring to a boil, then cook on low for 10 minutes, stirring now and then.
- Combine it all: Add the spinach and pasta, gently mix, then garnish with parsley or basil. Enjoy!
Tips for Best Results
Follow these simple tips, and your marry me chicken pasta recipe will be a heart-stealer every time!
- Don’t over cook the pasta: It should be al dente, it will continue to cook a bit when mixed with the sauce.
- Grate your own cheese: It melts smoother into the sauce and adds more flavor. Pre-grated Parmesan from a shaker or resealable bag is convenient, but doesn’t taste as fresh as the real deal.
- If not a fan of sun-dried tomatoes: Swap them out for chopped fresh tomatoes or 1/2 cup of canned diced tomatoes.
- Adjust consistency of the sauce: You can add more cream or broth for a thinner sauce, or let it simmer longer to thicken it up.
Serving Ideas
Marry me chicken pasta is not only delicious but also packs 37 grams of protein, so it’s super satisfying on its own.
If you’re looking for a few sides to go with it, here are some simple options:
- Bread: Garlic bread, Greek yogurt bread, or dinner rolls are all great for soaking up that delicious sauce.
- Green salad: A lemon kale salad is perfect for colder months, and a simple spring mix salad hits the spot when it’s warmer.
- Vegetables: Try air fryer broccoli, sauteed zucchini, or roasted asparagus.
- Sauteed spinach: A simple, healthy side dish.
How to Store and Reheat
Store: Transfer your leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
I avoid freezing pasta because I’m not a fan of the texture after it thaws, but if you don’t mind it, it can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Reheat: Add a little extra cream or broth and heat on the stovetop until it’s fully warmed through.
FAQs
The name “marry me chicken pasta” plays on the idea that the dish is so amazing, thanks to the rich creamy sauce and tender chicken, that you might want to marry the chef after tasting it.
Yes. Boneless skinless chicken thighs work perfectly, and you don’t need to make any other changes to the recipe.
You can boost the protein by using high protein pasta like chickpea, lentil, or edamame pasta. Also, I would pulse 1 cup of cottage cheese and a bit of milk and stir it into the cooked pasta dish at the end.
More Marry Me Recipes to Try
More Chicken Pasta Recipes
Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 ounces short pasta with crevices, like farfalle, penne or fusilli
- 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2 inch pieces
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups chicken broth, low sodium
- 1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained and thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, or half and half
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 2 handfuls baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon butter, for frying
- 2 tablespoons parsley or basil, finely chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring large pot with water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and pasta, then cook for 8-10 minutes or until pasta is al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Preheat another large pot on medium-high heat and add butter. Add onion and garlic, saute for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken and saute for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add flour and stir to coat. Add chicken broth and cook until incorporated and smooth, about 3 minutes, stirring often.
- Add sun dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Stir, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add spinach and pasta, then mix gently.
- Garnish with parsley or basil and serve hot.
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: I do not like to freeze pasta because it doesn’t thaw well but you can freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious
This blog is dangerous. It makes me think that I can cook. I’m here reviewing between bites because holy guacamole, it is good! AMAZING, actually.
I decided on this recipe because if anything was going to magically end me up married and make my parents proud of me, this was it. And it lives up to the name. Not that I am now engaged. Quite the opposite. I’m now convinced I can live alone forever with this recipe. Take that, parents! That’s right! I can cook! I won’t starve by myself over a bowl of ramen or easy mac! I’ll be happy and alone, married to this bowl of yummy yummy pasta. 12/10
Olena: I’ll happily tell you that I learned, and actually measured this time. (I know, right?) Also, I keep this blog open as a perma-tab on my phone because I trust these recipes so much more than others I have tried.
You made me smile. So happy to hear you are enjoying cooking with my recipes. Thank you for sharing that with me.
I would give this more than 5 stars if I could! DEEE-Lightful!
Thank you for sharing your review & star rating, it means so much to me!
Delightful recipe! My husband loved it! I used farfalle pasta, chicken thighs instead of breasts, and I actually took the time to shred a wedge of Parmesan cheese (I usually buy already shredded cheese for time saving and ease). It was so good!
I am so happy to hear that! Chicken thighs must have made it even juicier! I am all for convenience too but Parmesan is one of those things that I don’t compromise on, especially when using it in a sauce.