Our top chicken pasta recipes include classics such as Chicken Stroganoff and Chicken Bolognese, and this recipe for Marry Me Chicken Pasta is so simple, yet hearty, that it’s sure to become a timeless favorite among their ranks.
The elevated finished dish, as you’ll see in the photos below, is also a worthy chicken pasta recipe for your next date night. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, be sure to bookmark this for your romantic menu.
Ingredients and Substitutions
In this Marry Me Chicken Pasta recipe, you’ll be combining the ingredients from the main Marry Me Chicken recipe with your choice of pasta, and a luscious Marry Me pasta sauce. These basic ingredients can be easily sourced ahead of time from any mainstream grocer, allowing you to throw this impressive meal together in around 30 minutes on any busy weeknight.
- Pasta: We found that the best pasta for Marry Me Chicken is penne pasta, as we feel it holds the sauce well. However, any short pasta, such as Fusilli or Cavatappi, would also work. For those looking for a gluten free version of this recipe, feel free to substitute in the GF pasta of your choice.
- Chicken: While boneless skinless chicken breasts are ideal for this Marry Me Chicken with pasta, you can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs if that’s your preference. Whichever one you choose, cut them into bite-sized pieces to make the cooking process faster.
- All purpose flour: In this recipe, the flour is used as a thickening agent. If you are following a gluten free diet, any 1 to 1 gluten free flour will be an acceptable substitution.
- Oil: Our Marry Me Chicken recipe with pasta uses olive oil and feels like a pleasantly decadent dish. If you’d like to swap in avocado oil, it will feel a little lighter and change the flavor slightly. And if you’d like to up the creaminess factor, swapping the olive oil out with ghee or unsalted butter will do the trick.
- Garlic: In our recipe testing, we found that fresh garlic was best for the deep flavor we were seeking, but in a pinch, garlic powder can be used.
- Chicken Stock: In general, in our chicken and pasta recipes, we prefer to use homemade chicken stock, as the savory notes can’t be beat. However, you’re also welcome to use storebought chicken broth—just be sure you grab the low-sodium version.
- Heavy cream: Heavy cream makes the pasta sauce gorgeously creamy, however, if you’re looking for a lighter version of this dish, you may swap in half and half. Keep in mind, though, that the sauce made with half and half won’t be as thick as the heavy cream version.
- Sundried tomatoes: This is the essential ingredient to bring out that irresistible umami flavor of this chicken and pasta recipe. You will get the most flavorful punch by using sundried tomatoes in oil (sold in jars)—just be sure to drain the oil before you use them in the recipe. While you can find sundried tomatoes in stores that are not in oil (usually sold in bags), we do not recommend you use them for this dish.
- Parmesan cheese: I prefer to buy a block of Parmesan cheese and grate it myself to ensure maximum freshness and nutty, buttery flavors. However, you can also purchase pre-grated versions to cut down on prep time.
- Herbs: We use a combination of both dried and fresh herbs for this recipe. Dried oregano and dried thyme are used in our Marry Me pasta sauce, and fresh basil is used to finish off the end dish at serving time. If you’d prefer to not use the individual dried herbs, you’re welcome to substitute in an Italian seasoning blend.
- Lemon juice: You may be tempted to skip the final step of squeezing in a little fresh lemon juice (watch those seeds!), but it’s actually a key ingredient. Fresh lemon juice really brightens up the flavors in our Marry Me pasta—you may even want to add a little more, depending on your taste.
- Seasonings: Beyond the fresh and dried herbs, this recipe calls for a simple combo of Kosher salt and finely ground black pepper. Don’t mind a little heat? Then sprinkle in some red pepper flakes for an added pop.
How to Make Marry Me Chicken Pasta?
Weeknight dinners don’t have to be boring thanks to this easy pasta recipe. If you’re organized, this meal comes together in 30 minutes, so you can enjoy a plated dish that didn’t come from the freezer! Here are a few simple steps to accomplish this meal:
- Cook your pasta of choice. In a large pot, bring your salted water to a boil, add the pasta of your choosing, and cook it al dente, according to the package directions. Don’t forget to reserve ½ cup of pasta water for the pasta sauce. Then, drain the noodles and set them aside.
- Prepare your chicken breasts. While the pasta is cooking, take out your uncooked chicken breasts and pat them dry. Cut each breast into 1-inch cubes, then place them in a bowl with Kosher salt, black pepper, and all-purpose flour. Toss the chicken cubes thoroughly to ensure they are well-coated in the mixture.
- Saute the chicken. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm up 2 tablespoons of olive oil until it shimmers. Then, shaking off any excess flour, drop your chicken cubes into the skillet, being careful not to crowd them together. Depending on the size of your skillet, you may need to saute your chicken in two separate batches. Cook the chicken until the pieces are all lightly browned—about 2-3 minutes per side. Once they are cooked through, transfer them onto a plate, cover with foil, and set them aside.
- Prepare your Marry Me pasta sauce. In the same skillet, turn the heat down to medium-low, allowing it to cool off slightly. Then, add the remaining one tablespoon of olive oil and minced garlic. Saute, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Slowly pour in the chicken stock and heavy cream, mix together evenly, then add in the sundried tomatoes. Allow the liquid to come to a low boil and simmer it for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the chicken. Take the still-warm chicken and add it to the sauce. You will want to simmer it for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, or until slightly thickened. At this point, it should still be quite thin, but if yours gets too thick, add in some reserved pasta water, one tablespoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency. Next, stir in the Parmesan cheese, oregano, thyme, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes, if using. Take a taste, and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce. Once combined, allow the full dish to simmer for 3-4 minutes to ensure it is thoroughly warmed.
- Serve: Distribute the pasta evenly into bowls, topping with some additional Parmesan and torn fresh basil leaves.
Leftovers, Storage, and Reheating
While this easy Marry Me Chicken Pasta recipe doesn’t tend to have leftovers (in our experience, it was a second-helping kind of dish!), it’s simple enough to store any leftover pasta to enjoy again later.
- Storage: Before storing your Marry Me Chicken and Pasta, allow it to cool down and come to room temperature. You can then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: You can reheat the leftovers on the stovetop in a saucepan. You may need to add in a little water to loosen up the pasta sauce as it heats.
- Freezing: Sorry—this isn’t a dish that freezes well. We do not recommend that you freeze it.
Variations
This recipe, due to being composed of simple ingredients and instructions, lends itself easily to some alterations, depending on your dietary needs and/or preferences. Here are the most common ingredient swaps and additions that we came across as we were working on this recipe:
- A Dairy-Free Marry Me Chicken and Pasta: If you’d like to remove the dairy in this recipe, you can use cashew cream in place of the heavy cream, vegan butter in place of the unsalted butter/ghee, and nutritional yeast in place of the Parmesan cheese. Please just note that in making these changes, while it will be dairy-free, you will ultimately be changing the flavor profile of the finished dish.
- Marry Me Chicken with Rotisserie Chicken: If you’re looking to streamline your cooking time, rotisserie chicken pasta definitely saves you some stovetop minutes. While the consistency of the dish will be altered, you can swap in the same quantity of rotisserie chicken in place of the chicken breast cubes.
- A High Protein Chicken Pasta: Looking to up the overall protein content of your dinner? You can easily make a high protein pasta sauce by using cottage cheese in a similar fashion to how we did in our Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese. Note: just be careful not to overcook your pasta sauce if you’re adding cottage cheese.
- Add a handful of Spinach: Adding more greens is one way to make a bit healthier. You can do this by tossing a handful of spinach leaves into the finished pasta. The spinach also adds a pleasing pop of color alongside the fresh basil leaves.
What to Serve it With?
Beyond a crisp glass of white wine (because that’s our top pairing!), you can also pair this chicken and penne pasta recipe with a couple of side dish options to round out your dinner table. Here are our top suggestions:
- A green salad: For a salad to complement the big flavors of this pasta dinner, we recommend keeping it simple with either our Spring Mix Salad or our Classic Caesar Salad.
- A vegetable side dish: The veggie we love most to savor alongside this iconic pasta is definitely asparagus. Try either our Sauteed Asparagus and Mushrooms or our Oven Baked Asparagus.
- Garlic bread: What is Marry Me Pasta without garlic bread? Truly, we think they shouldn’t be allowed to exist without one another! Our go-to is our Air Fryer Garlic Bread, which you can make while the pasta is cooking in 15 minutes!
FAQs
What is Marry Me Pasta Chicken?
Marry Me Chicken a viral recipe that gained massive popularity on social media, especially on TikTok. It features tender chicken simmered in a rich and creamy sun-dried tomato sauce. The name comes from the sauce’s indulgent flavor, said to be so irresistible it could inspire a marriage proposal. As Marry Me Chicken became a sensation, creative variations emerged, including this version with pasta. Over time, it has become so popular that many now refer to it as “Engagement Chicken Pasta.”
What type of pasta should I use?
We found that the best pasta for Marry Me Chicken is penne pasta, as we feel it holds the creamy sauce well. However, any short pasta such as Fusilli, rigatoni or Cavatappi would also work. For those looking for a gluten free version of this recipe, feel free to substitute in the GF pasta of your choice.
Other Pasta Recipes You Might Like
If you make your own Marry Me Chicken Pasta following our recipe, I would greatly appreciate it if you could take a minute to rate it and leave a comment below. It is a great way to support this website and help those planning to make it. Also, if you took pictures, I’d love to see them. Share your creations on Instagram using #foolproofeats so I can share them with the Foolproof Living community.
Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe
This Marry Me Chicken Pasta is not only the latest viral sensation on social media but also a modern-day comfort food classic—a 30-minute weeknight chicken and pasta dinner so irresistible it might just get you a proposal.
Ingredients
For The Pasta:
- 8 ounces pasta, a short pasta like penne, fusilli or Cavatappi would all work
- Water & salt
For The Chicken:
- 1 ½ lbs chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced finely or pressed
- 2 cups chicken stock, or storebought low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream, or half and half*
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes , packed in oil, drained, and finely chopped
- ⅔ cup Parmesan cheese , plus more for topping
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, torn
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add 8 ounces of dried pasta, and cook al dente according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water and drain. Set it aside.
- While the pasta is cooking, pat dry and cut 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes. Place it in a bowl with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon of black pepper, and 4 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Toss to coat thoroughly.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
- Place the prepared chicken, shaking off any excess flour, in the skillet, making sure not to overcrowd. You may need to saute in two batches. Cook until lightly golden browned, for 2-3 minutes per side, adjusting the heat as necessary to ensure they are evenly browned and register 165 degrees F when inserted with a meat thermometer. Transfer them onto a plate, cover with foil, and set aside.
- Add the remaining one tablespoon of olive oil and 3 cloves of minced garlic in the now-empty skillet over medium heat. Saute, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Slowly pour 2 cups of chicken stock and 1 cup of heavy cream, then add ½ cup of sun-dried tomatoes. Stir, scraping the brown bits at the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the reserved chicken and simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently until slightly thickened. At this point, it should still be quite thin, but if yours gets too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water (or one tablespoon at a time) until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Stir in ⅔ cup Parmesan cheese, ¼ teaspoon of oregano, ¼ teaspoon of thyme, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes, if using. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss well to combine. Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes to warm thoroughly.
- When serving, sprinkle with additional Parmesan and torn basil.
Notes
- Yields: This recipe makes about 7 cups of chicken and pasta, ideal for 6 normal servings or 4 generous servings. Below nutritional values are per serving of 6 servings.
- Do not skip browning the chicken: This step of the recipe is imperative when it comes to depth of flavor. If you don’t brown your chicken as you saute it (which can happen from either crowding the chicken pieces in the skillet or not cooking them long enough), then you will miss out on the rich, caramelized crust that adds both flavor to the chicken and a savory base for the sauce.
- The chicken must be cooked thoroughly in the sauteeing stage: When it comes time to add the chicken to the sauce, it must be cooked all the way through, as it will only be simmering in the pasta sauce for a short time before serving.
- Don’t forget to reserve some pasta water before draining your noodles: We use the reserved pasta water to even out the consistency of the sauce as needed. You may not need all of it but it is good to have it as a backup. And I love this tip on an easy way to reserve pasta water.
- Give the final dish a taste before serving: You may find yourself wanting to add a little bit more lemon juice than this recipe calls for, which adds a zesty brightness most people love.
- Storing and reheating leftovers: Bring the pasta to room temperature and then store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat, place the pasta and chicken in a large skillet and add a splash of chicken stock or water if the sauce is too thick.
Nutrition
Calories: 581kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 852mg | Potassium: 804mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 896IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 186mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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