How to Make the Perfect Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Italian-American · Medium · 35 min · 4 servings
Marry Me Chicken earned its name because the creamy sun-dried tomato and parmesan sauce is supposedly so good it will inspire a marriage proposal at the dinner table. This pasta version of the TikTok sensation adds rigatoni to make it a complete one-pan meal that lives up to every bit of its romantic reputation.
Why this recipe works
This Marry Me Chicken Pasta recipe has been crafted to deliver restaurant-quality results in your home kitchen. At just 35 minutes from start to finish, it fits perfectly into a busy schedule without sacrificing flavor. Each serving comes in at 720 calories with 45g of protein, making it a balanced choice for any meal.
What you will need
This recipe uses 6 simple ingredients that you can find at any grocery store:
- 600 g boneless skinless chicken breasts butterflied
- 350 g rigatoni pasta
- 100 g sun-dried tomatoes in oil drained and sliced
- 300 ml heavy cream
- 80 g freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic minced
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Sear the Chicken
Season the butterflied chicken breasts generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil from the sun-dried tomato jar in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
Step 2: Build the Sauce
In the same skillet reduce heat to medium and add the minced garlic to the remaining oil. Cook for 60 seconds until fragrant then add the sun-dried tomatoes and stir for another minute. Pour in the heavy cream and stir to combine scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Step 3: Finish the Sauce
Reduce the cream sauce for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly thickened then stir in the grated parmesan until fully melted and smooth. Slice the rested chicken and return it to the sauce. Meanwhile cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente and reserve one cup of pasta water before draining.
Step 4: Combine and Serve
Add the drained pasta directly to the sauce in the skillet and toss everything together over low heat adding pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce coats every piece of rigatoni. Serve immediately topped with extra parmesan and fresh basil leaves.
Easy substitutions
Missing an ingredient? Here are some swaps that work perfectly:
- heavy cream → full fat coconut cream for a dairy-free version with a subtle sweetness
- chicken breasts → boneless chicken thighs for a juicier more forgiving result that is harder to overcook
Common mistakes to avoid
Watch out for these pitfalls that can affect your results:
- Adding the parmesan to cream that is still at a rolling boil which causes the cheese to seize up and clump instead of melting smoothly into the sauce
- Not letting the seared chicken rest before slicing which causes all the juices to run out leaving the meat dry and tough in the final dish
Nutrition facts
Per serving: 720 calories, 45g protein, 62g carbs, 32g fat, 3g fiber.
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