Marry me chicken pasta is a 30 minute, one-pan variation of the viral "marry me chicken" recipe. Chicken, penne pasta, and spinach are coated in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce that's packed with flavor.
Why you'll love this recipe
It's quick. You can have a pan ready in 30 minutes or less.
One pan. The entire meal is made in a single sauté pan on the stovetop.
Flavorful. Chicken and pasta are coated in a delicious, creamy sauce that's flavored with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and Italian herbs.
Great for: Weeknight meals, Valentine's Day, or meal prep for the week (it reheats beautifully).
Serve with: Cheesy Garlic Bread or Garden Salad
Similar to: Tuscan Chicken Mac and Cheese or Pesto Chicken Pasta
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Chicken - You'll need thin pieces of chicken to prepare this recipe. I like to buy two larger chicken breasts and slice them in half lengthwise. You may also be able to find thin sliced chicken cutlets that don't need additional prep at your local grocer.
- Pasta - Penne pasta is a great choice but feel free to use your favorite medium pasta shape. Shells, cavatappi, or rotini are great substitutions.
- Sun-dried tomatoes - Julienne cut sun-dried tomatoes in oil work best for this recipe. Julienne cut tomatoes don't require any additional prep work and can go right in the pan. I also like to substitute the olive oil with a bit of oil from the jar for added flavor.
- Seasoning - Minced fresh garlic, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes add savory flavor to the dish. If you're adverse to any type of heat, the red pepper flakes can be omitted entirely. Minced garlic can be substituted with ½ teaspoon of garlic powder if needed.
- Broth - Chicken broth adds savory flavor to your pasta as it cooks. Use regular broth for best flavor. If you must use low sodium broth, increase the seasonings to make up for the lost flavor.
- Heavy cream - Creates that thick and creamy sauce. Don't use lower fat dairy products because your sauce will turn out thin.
- Parmesan cheese - Adds flavor and creaminess to the sauce. Freshly grate your cheese from a block for smooth, even melting. Pre-shredded cheeses are coated in anti-clumping powders that get grainy when melted.
- Spinach - Adds fresh flavor and a pop of color to the finished dish. Spinach only needs about a minute in the pan to wilt down.
How to make marry me chicken
- Thin slice your chicken into ¾ inch pieces. This ensures that they cook quickly on the stovetop.
- Add oil from your sun-dried tomatoes jar and saute your seasoned chicken until cooked through to 165F in the center.
- Add the broth, pasta, and seasoning to the pan. Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low. Follow the times indicated on your pasta's package to cook your pasta to al dente. Meanwhile, slice your chicken into bite size pieces.
- Add the heavy cream, spinach, and parmesan cheese, stirring until the spinach wilts.
Tips and tricks
Use freshly grated cheese - Parmesan grated fresh from a block has a superior flavor and texture when compared to a pre-shredded variety. Many bagged and canister cheeses are coated in anti-clumping powders that add a grainy texture when melted (or prevent the cheese from melting at all).
Use a meat thermometer - An instant-read thermometer is an easy and foolproof way to ensure your chicken is cooked through in the center and doesn't turn out dry.
Properly measure liquids and pasta - Since we're cooking our pasta and making a sauce in the same pan, it's important to measure the pasta and liquids exactly. Too much broth or too little pasta will cause the sauce to turn out runny.
Lots of standing liquid? - After your pasta has finished cooking, check the pan. If there's a significant amount of excess liquid sitting in the bottom, drain some out and leave only about ¼ cup. It's likely that too much broth or too little pasta was added to the pan.
Storage
Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator and reheat well in the microwave.
I don't recommend freezing pasta recipes with a cream based sauce because the sauce tends to break and get watery when thawed.
Frequently asked questions
The original marry me chicken was created by Lindsay Funston at Delish (here's her recipe: The Original Marry Me Chicken). While developing the recipe, a coworker took a bite and loved it so much that she said "I'd marry you for that chicken!" and the name stuck.
Since this is a skillet meal, we're utilizing the starches from the cooking pasta and an exact amount of broth to create a sauce with the heavy cream and parmesan. It's important to not add too much broth or the sauce can turn out thin. If your sauce isn't thickening, allow it to simmer for a minute or two, uncovered. All that steam escaping is moisture from the sauce. Then, remove the pan from the heat and allow it to sit, undisturbed, for about 5 minutes on the countertop. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 16 ounces chicken breasts
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, or oil from the sun-dried tomatoes jar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 16 ounces chicken broth
- 8 ounces penne pasta
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 ounces sun-dried tomatoes in oil, julienne cut, drained
- 2 ounces fresh baby spinach
- 6 ounces heavy cream
- 1 cup (100 g) fresh grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Carefully slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create four thin pieces (as if you were butterflying them, but continue slicing all the way through). Or pound thick chicken breasts down to 1 inch thickness. Season on all sides with salt and pepper.
- In a sauté pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil. When hot, add chicken and cook, flipping halfway through, until cooked through to 165℉. Remove from the pan, loosely cover, and set aside.
- Add minced garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant and beginning to lightly brown.
- Add broth, penne pasta, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes to the pan and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook to al dente according to pasta's package directions.
- Meanwhile, slice cooked chicken into bite size pieces.
- Remove lid and add diced chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, baby spinach, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese. Stir until spinach has wilted. This should take about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and serve. If sauce is looking thin, allow to set for up to 5 minutes to allow sauce to thicken.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Pasta and liquid measurements: It's important to properly measure the broth and pasta for the recipe. There's just enough liquid listed to cook the pasta without making the sauce runny.
- Leftovers: Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator and reheat well in the microwave.
- Want a creamier sauce?: Feel free to add another splash of heavy cream for an extra creamy, rich sauce.
I had so much fun creating this recipe! I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do. If you have a question, check out the post above, which is packed with information about the recipe. Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts — leave a comment and a star rating to share your feedback!