Marry Me Chicken Pasta
We all need a creamy, one pot, chicken and pasta dish in our life, and this recipe is exactly that. This Marry Me Chicken Pasta is exceptionally delicious, with the tart sundried tomatoes, peppery basil, and nutty parmesan. Everything is tossed and coated in the most delectable cream sauce.
If you don't already know, Marry Me Chicken is a viral recipe that originated at Delish.com. There are many takes on the recipe, including adding pasta to the dish, like my recipe!
Not only is this Marry Me Chicken Pasta recipe super tasty, but it can be made in as little as 30 minutes. It's pretty simple to make, so I consider this recipe a beginner-friendly one.
Ingredients Needed for Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: You need to cut the chicken breasts into bite sized cubes that are roughly the same size, around 1 inch. If you want even tastier and juicier chicken pieces, I suggest using boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- Salt, black pepper, and paprika: Used to season the chicken pieces.
- Olive oil: Used to brown and cook the chicken pieces.
- Pasta: This recipe calls for penne pasta, however any cylindrical pasta works great, such as rigatoni. With this shape, the sauce coats in and around the pasta, so every bite is filled with creamy goodness.
- Unsalted butter: Used to sauté the garlic and sundried tomatoes, and adds richness + body to the sauce.
- Garlic: Adds flavour.
- Sundried Tomatoes: Adds a sweet and tart tomato flavour to the overall dish, so delicious!
- Chicken stock: This makes the flavourful base of the creamy sauce.
- Heavy cream: Adds to the sauce to make it thickened and creamy.
- Dried oregano, dried thyme, and chili flakes: These herbs/spices together add so much flavour to the dish.
- Parmesan cheese: Adds to the creaminess of the sauce.
- Fresh basil: Gives a beautiful freshness to the dish with its peppery flavour.
How to Make this Delicious Recipe
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with salt, pepper, and paprika. Sear and cook the chicken in heated olive oil for 5-7 minutes. Remove from pan.
- In same pan, melt unsalted butter and cook garlic and sundried tomatoes for 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and scrape stuck pieces off bottom of pan.
- Stir in heavy cream, dried oregano, dried thyme, and chili flakes. Bring to a simmer and cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Add parmesan cheese and stir until melted. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.
- Add cooked chicken, pasta, and fresh basil and mix to combine everything. Serve immediately.
Tips for Making Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- Do not cook the chicken for more than 5-7 minutes. Overcooked chicken will be hard and chewy and will not be pleasant. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken has been cooked through to 165°F (74°C).
- I suggested cylindrical shaped pasta that the sauce will be able to coat better, but you can use any pasta that you have on hand.
- Although there is already basil in the recipe, serving basil sprinkled over the dish will take it up a notch.
Storing Leftovers
You can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Easily reheat leftovers in the microwave or stovetop. If the sauce is too thick, add some heavy cream to thin it out a bit.
If you're looking for more chicken recipes, try my Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos
Pasta, chicken, sundried tomatoes, basil, and parmesan cheese, all tossed in the creamiest, mouthwatering sauce.
- 285 g (10 oz) pasta, penne
- 1 1/2 lb chicken breast, boneless & skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, drained & sliced
- 1 1/2 cup (355 mL) chicken stock
- 1 1/2 cup (355 mL) heavy cream
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
Boil pasta to al dente, according to package directions. Drain.
While pasta is cooking, season chicken with salt and black pepper to taste, and paprika. In a large pan or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, cook chicken pieces for 5-7 minutes total (do not overcrowd pan, cook in batches if needed). Be sure the chicken develops a golden brown colour on each side.
Remove chicken from pan onto a plate.
In the same pan without washing, melt unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and sundried tomatoes and cook down for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the chicken stock to the pan. Stir and scrape bottom of pan to lift all the flavour that's stuck down.
Add the heavy cream, dried oregano, dried thyme, and chili flakes, and stir well.
Bring this to a simmer and let cook for about 4-5 minutes.
Add parmesan cheese and stir until melted. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.
Add cooked chicken, pasta, and fresh basil, and stir until combined. Serve immediately with extra fresh basil as garnish.
