Marry Me Chicken Pasta

Marry Me Chicken Pasta is calling…do you answer? This one-pot pasta recipe is filled with tender chicken breast, al dente noodles, and a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce. But the best part? It comes together in 30 minutes, start to finish. And it just might end up in a marriage proposal 😉

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Marry Me Chicken Pasta took social media by storm, and for good reason. It’s just about the easiest one-pot pasta recipe out there, pairing bite-sized pieces of juicy chicken and pasta with a rich, flavorful sun-dried tomato sauce so good you’ll want to soak up the last drops with a chunk of crusty bread or homemade dinner rolls.

This Marry Me pasta recipe is my go-to for just about everything – romantic date nights in, dinner parties with friends and family, and even quick and easy dinners on busy weeknights. And to any single ladies out there reading this, as legend has it, it just might end up in a marriage proposal! Hence the name… 

But you don’t have to be seeking a big ring to make Marry Me chicken and pasta. It’s a great dish to gather loved ones around, romantic and platonic alike. All you need is a large skillet and about 30 minutes. The definition of high-impact, minimal effort. Enjoy! 

For more hearty pasta dishes, check out my Pasta al Salmone, Date Night Shrimp & Scallop Pasta, and Sausage and Veggie Pesto Pasta. 

Important Ingredients

The best recipes are the ones with simple, easy ingredients. These chicken pasta ingredients may already be right in your pantry, which makes it the perfect thing to add to the dinner rotation.

• Chicken Breasts - Chicken is at the heart of any Marry Me Chicken Pasta recipe, and it’s part of what makes the dish so convenient. It’s economical and really easy to cook directly in the skillet. My recipe calls for boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but if you prefer, you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. It’s also a great recipe to use up leftover chicken!
• Pasta - My favorite is bowtie, so that’s what I’m using in this recipe! But really any short pasta, like rigatoni or penne pasta, will do the job. The important part is that there’s pasta in there, right?!
• Seasonings/Flavor Enhancers - We can’t forget flavor! Grab some salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, and one shallot to make the taste pop.
• Olive Oil and Butter - We’re using both butter and olive oil to cook up the ingredients in the pan and to add richness to the pasta dish.
• Flour - To coat the shallots while cooking. This gets them extra crispy and helps to thicken the sauce, making it silky and luxurious.
• Chicken Stock - We’re using this as the base of the rich pasta sauce that any Marry Me chicken recipe with pasta is known for. It’s thicker and more savory than chicken broth, which helps make the sun-dried tomato sauce that much more decadent! You can definitely use chicken broth if that’s what you have on hand; it will just have a lighter consistency.
• Heavy Cream - A splash of heavy cream is a small but essential step to make the sauce as thick and luscious as possible. You really don’t need much, but it’s absolutely key. 
• Parmesan Cheese - Freshly grated, to be specific. It’ll melt right into the sauce and pasta for truly remarkable flavors!
• Sun-dried Tomatoes - You’ll get a burst of zesty flavor in each bite of Marry Me chicken and pasta with sun-dried tomatoes! If possible, use a bag of sun-dried tomatoes instead of a jar with sun-dried tomato oil. While that might sound amazing, it’s just too much oil and weighs down the dish. 

Step by Step Instructions

​This super easy meal is done in just a few steps. Here's how to make it:

1. Step 1: In a small bowl, mix together the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Season the chicken with this mixture and set it aside.

2. Step 2: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente according to the package directions. 

3. Step 3: While the pasta cooks, add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken on one side for 5 minutes until golden brown.

4. Step 4: Flip the chicken over and continue cooking for an additional 5-7 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove the chicken and set it aside.

5. Step 5: Add the butter and sliced shallot to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes. Be sure to scrape up the brown bits of chicken left in the bottom of the pan—they're full of flavor! 

6. Step 6: Sprinkle in the all-purpose flour and stir to coat the shallots in the flour. Once coated, pour in the chicken stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring in between for 2-3 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken up. 

7. Step 7: Stir in the sundried tomatoes and Italian seasoning.

8. Step 8: Reduce to medium heat and then stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese and stir until the cheese is melted. 

9. Step 9: Add pasta to the dish and toss to combine.

10. Step 10: Top with the cooked chicken and some fresh basil

Recipe Variations

Why not switch things up? Get creative with this pasta dish. I bet you’ll find a version you absolutely love. 

• Rotisserie Chicken: This saves time! Just skip the meat searing step, and add the chicken with the sundried tomatoes and Italian seasoning. The dish will taste absolutely scrumptious!
• Nutritious Vegetables: Tossing in a handful of spinach, some grilled mushrooms, or even chopped, roasted asparagus is an effortless way to get some extra nutrients. 
• Gluten-Free: Use your favorite gluten-free pasta noodles and all-purpose gluten-free flour if you have a gluten sensitivity or allergy. Keep an eye on the noodles while boiling – they *might* require just a little extra time to cook up.
• Vegetarian: Yes, you can indeed make a vegetarian version of this Marry Me pasta recipe! Instead of chicken breasts, use a plant-based chicken alternative, and swap out the chicken stock for vegetable broth.

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📖 Recipe

Marry Me Chicken Pasta

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

25 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 Servings

Author: Sara Ayesh

Equipment

• ▢
  1 large skillet

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
• ▢ 16 oz bowtie pasta
• ▢ 2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pepper
• ▢ 2 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon paprika
• ▢ 2 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoon butter
• ▢ 2 tablespoon flour
• ▢ ½ cup heavy cream
• ▢ 2 cups chicken stock
• ▢ ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• ▢ ½ cup sundried tomatoes
• ▢ 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
• ▢ 1 shallot

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Instructions

• In a small bowl mix together the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Season the chicken with this mixture and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and prepare the pasta according to package directions.
• While the pasta cooks, add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken on one side for 5 minutes.
• Flip the chicken over and continue cooking for an additional 5-7 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
• Remove the chicken and set aside. Add the butter to the pan along with the slilced shallot and cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Sprinkle the flour in and stir to coat the shallots in the flour.
• 1 cup at a time add the chicken stock in, stirring in between for 2-3 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken up.
• Stir in the sundried tomatoes and Italian seasoning.
• Turn the heat off and then stir in the heavy cream and parmesean cheese and stir until the cheese is melted.
• Add the pasta to the dish and toss to combine.
• Top with the cooked chicken and enjoy!

Notes

Storage Directions: Keep leftover pasta in a completely sealed, airtight container in the fridge. It’ll stay fresh for up to 5 days. To freeze the leftovers, cool them to room temperature before storing them in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw the pasta in the fridge overnight until defrosted.

Recipe Tips

• Is your sauce too thick? Easy fix – add a splash of the pasta water to thin it out. The added flavor makes the pasta and juicy chicken taste that much better. 
• Sear the chicken well! This is a win for two reasons: First, it’s a great way to cook the meat. Second, you get those crispy brown bits in the pan that add the best flavor. Heat up the pan with olive oil and season the chicken before searing it. Only flip it once the bottom is golden brown. 
• Reduce the heat to medium or lower when it’s time to mix in the heavy cream. Too hot a skillet will make the cream curdle. Bleh!
• Opt for freshly grated Parmesan cheese only. Trust me, this makes a huge impact. The pre-shredded/grated cheese has anti-caking agents in it, which prevent it from melting smoothly. And we want a good melt here!

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