Marry me chicken pasta is the viral crowd pleasing recipe everyone loves! Juicy chicken pieces are cooked with creamy sauce flavored with sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil and Parmesan Cheese. Ready in under 20 minutes, it's equally good for date night or family dinner.
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Marry me chicken recipe is a dish that became popular thanks to social media -you may have seen it on TikTok!
This is the marry me pasta version of that recipe, but you can cook marry me chicken without the pasta. Simply leave the chicken breasts whole and serve them with a few extra veggie sides instead.
You can enjoy my marry me chicken pasta recipe any night of the week. However, this creamy chicken pasta is also a great recipe to serve when you have friends and family round the dinner table, or for any special occasion.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- Marry Me Chicken Ingredients
- How to Make Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Variations & Substitutions
- Expert Tips & Tricks
- How to serve
- Reheating
- Pin This Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe For Later
- What Do You Think?!
- More Easy 30 Minute Meal Ideas
- Printable Recipe
- Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe
- Reader Comments & Ratings
Why You'll Love This Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- There is so much flavor in this creamy chicken pasta dish that it is something the entire family enjoy, which is why it's a regular feature on our family dinner rotation.
- Despite appearances, this is one of those easy pasta recipes that uses simple ingredients and can be prepared, cooked and on the table in just 20 minutes.
- This is a flavorful sauce, as the chicken and pasta sauce are all cooked in one large saucepan, or skillet, you keep all the flavor in the sauce.
- Try some of my favorite pasta recipes
Marry Me Chicken Ingredients
Find the full list and quantities in the recipe card below.
Pasta - I've opted to use farfalle in this recipe, as I prefer short pasta shapes with this creamy pasta sauce. However, use any shape pasta that you enjoy.
Chicken - I've used boneless, skinless chicken breasts which I cut into bite sized pieces.
Sundried Tomatoes - use any variety of sundried tomatoes in this recipe. If using sundried tomatoes in oil, just use a paper towel to remove some of the excess oil.
Wine/Broth - I use white wine in the pasta sauce, but you can use chicken broth if you prefer to make the sauce without alcohol.
How to Make Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Find the full printable recipe below.
Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water until cooked al dente per the package directions. Drain and set aside but make sure to reserve one cup of the pasta water for later.
While the pasta is cooking, add the butter to a large skillet over a medium heat. Add the chicken and stir regularly until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate. Sprinkle the flour over the top of the chicken and allow it to sit.
Make the cream sauce in the same pan. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds then add the tomato paste (tomato puree) and wine, ensuring you pick up all the browned bits. Stir and let it bubble for one minute before whisking in the cream and sun dried tomatoes and red pepper flakes (chili flakes) then the parmesan.
Add the floured chicken back to the pan and cook for a minute or two until the sauce thickens. Taste the sauce and season with sea salt and black pepper as required.
Take the pan off the heat and add the drained, cooked pasta to the skillet and toss in the sauce until coated. Add a splash or two of the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce out if needed.
Top with the chopped basil and extra fresh grated parmesan cheese if desired and serve immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called Marry Me Chicken?
The name for this chicken pasta recipe comes from a comment made to the cook by a video producer who had tasted the dish. After tasting the chicken the producer is believed to have said "I'd marry you for that chicken!" Rest assured it was not a marriage proposal, but an enthusiastic comment on how good the dish was. That comment is what has given this dish its name.
What kind of pasta should I use?
I prefer to use a short pasta, which works really well with the creamy pasta sauce. I've opted to use farfalle (bow tie pasta), but you can substitute this for any other shape of pasta. Use what you have in your kitchen stores at home.
Variations & Substitutions
I've used raw chicken breasts in this recipe but you can swap for boneless, skinless chicken thighs. You could also make this pasta dish with rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken from the weekend's roast dinner.
Add extra veggies to the sauce. Try leafy greens like a handful of fresh spinach, or green beans, red peppers or some fresh tomatoes.
Swap fresh basil for other fresh herbs, try parsley or thyme.
For a gluten free marry me chicken, swap regular pasta for a gluten free pasta like lentil pasta, chickpea pasta or quinoa pasta. Also thicken the sauce with cornflour rather than all purpose flour.
For a vegan version swap the chicken for a variety of vegetables, or try some canned beans like butter beans. Also use vegetable stock rather than chicken stock, and substitute butter for olive oil, heavy cream for coconut milk, and regular Parmesan cheese for a plant based alternative.
Expert Tips & Tricks
When cooking pasta, always hold back a cup of pasta water. This is ideal to add in slow increments to the finished sauce if it's looking a little thick, it also helps the sauce coat the pasta.
This is not a great make ahead dish as the pasta can overcook when being reheated. It is definitely best eaten fresh.
This is a great pasta recipe for a special occasion and can be easily doubled up to feed more people.
How to serve
I always like to add some crusty bread or garlic bread to the table, to help mop up the delicious pasta sauce.
Fresh greens also work nicely here, try lightly sauteed spinach, my Easy Charred Broccolini, Green Beans with Lemon & Almonds, or my Easy Buttered Kale.
You can also serve the marry me chicken sauce without pasta, instead serving it with a side of Crispy Sweet Potatoes Slices and a few extra veggie sides.
Reheating
Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat place the pasta into a large saucepan, over medium heat to warm through to piping hot. If needed, add a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
Can you freeze Marry Me Chicken Pasta?
As the pasta sauce contains heavy cream I prefer not to freeze this pasta dish. Cream can split during the freezing and defrosting process, which will split the pasta sauce.
Pin This Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe For Later
What Do You Think?!
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More Easy 30 Minute Meal Ideas
Printable Recipe
Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 oz Pasta - farfalle or other shape of your choice
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 1½ lbs Chicken Breasts - boneless and skinless, cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 tbsp Flour
- 2 cloves Garlic - minced
- 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
- ⅓ cup White Wine - or chicken broth
- 1 cup Heavy Cream (Double Cream)
- ⅓ cup Sundried Tomatoes - sliced
- ¼ tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- ½ cup Grated Parmesan - plus more for serving
- Small handful Fresh Basil Leaves - chopped
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a pot of salted water until cooked al dente per the packet instructions. Drain and set aside but make sure to reserve one cup of the pasta water for later.
- While the pasta is cooking, add the butter to a skillet over a medium heat.
- Add the chicken and stir regularly until golden brown and cooked through - around 6 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate. Sprinkle the flour over the top of the chicken and allow it to sit.
- Make the sauce in the same pan. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the tomato paste and wine. Stir and let it bubble for one minute.
- Whisk in the cream then stir in the sun dried tomatoes and red pepper flakes.
- Stir in the parmesan.
- Add the floured chicken back to the pan and cook for a minute or two until the sauce thickens.
- Taste the sauce and season with sea salt and black pepper as needed.
- Take the pan off the heat and add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss in the sauce until coated.
- If needed add a splash or two of the reserved pasta cooking water to thin the sauce out a bit.
- Top with the sliced basil and extra parmesan cheese if desired.
- Serve immediately.
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