Marry Me Chicken Pasta

a skillet of chicken pasta garnished with basil

Marry me chicken pasta combines tender chicken, penne pasta, and a rich, creamy sauce made with parmesan cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s an easy and flavorful dish perfect for weeknights or special occasions.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe

Servings:

Calories: 702kcal

Ingredients

½ pound penne pasta, cooked and drained according to package directions
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch bite sized pieces (approximately 1 ½ pounds)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
8.5 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, julienne cut and packed in oil, oil drained (approximately 1 cup)
1 teaspoon italian seasoning blend
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons fresh chopped basil leaves, divided (2 tablespoons mixed into sauce and 1 tablespoon for garnish)

Instructions

In a large pot of water, cook the penne pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. While the pasta is cooking, you can make the rest of the recipe.
To a large (12 inch) skillet, over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the boneless skinless chicken pieces in a single layer. Cook and brown the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and no pink remains. The internal temperature of the chicken pieces should reach 165°F to be cooked through. Transfer the browned chicken to a clean plate and set aside.
Turn the heat to the skillet down to medium and add the unsalted butter. Once the butter has melted, add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute or just until the garlic is tender and fragrant.
Add the all-purpose flour to the skillet and stir into the melted butter until no dry pockets of flour remain. Cook for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
Slowly add the chicken broth to the skillet, while whisking constantly, being sure to not allow any lumps to form. Allow the mixture to bubble and thicken slightly for 1-2 minutes.
To the skillet, add the heavy cream, grated parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, italian seasoning blend, salt, smoked paprika, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine. Allow the sauce to bubble and thicken for 2-3 minutes while stirring often to avoid lumps from forming in the sauce.
Once the sauce has thickened, add the drained penne pasta, browned chicken pieces and 2 tablespoons of the chopped fresh basil. Gently stir to combine, being sure all the pasta is coated with the sauce.
Remove the skillet from the heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh basil, to garnish the marry me chicken pasta, before serving.

Notes

Any short pasta will work well in this recipe as a substitute for the penne pasta.
I do not recommend substituting the heavy cream as the fat, and richness, of the heavy cream is essential for the final texture and taste of the sauce.
If you cannot find sun-dried tomatoes already cut into julienne slices, you can slice them yourself with a sharp knife. Be sure to drain them well of the oil they are packed in before slicing them.
If you can not find sun-dried tomatoes packed in an herb oil, you can increase the amount of dried italian seasoning blend to ¾ teaspoons in the recipe.
If substituting with low, or no, sodium chicken broth, be sure to taste the sauce before serving and adjust the added amount of salt if needed.
When choosing a pre-grated parmesan cheese brand, be sure to choose a high quality one that doesn't add any other ingredients to the cheese. This will ensure your cheese melts well in the sauce when added. Alternatively, you can finely shred a block of fresh parmesan cheese for best melting and flavor for your marry me chicken pasta.

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