Creamy Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe
There are some dishes that just feel like a warm hug in a bowl, and this Marry Me Chicken Pasta is precisely that. It’s a recipe that has gained a bit of a legendary status online, and for very good reason. Imagine tender, pan-seared chicken breast nestled in a rich, velvety cream sauce studded with sun-dried tomatoes, fragrant garlic, and a generous helping of Parmesan cheese, all tossed with perfectly cooked pasta. The idea for this combination sparked after a memorable meal in a Tuscan trattoria, where a simple chicken dish had the most incredible sauce. I knew I had to recreate that feeling at home, but with the added comfort of pasta.
What makes this dish so special is the beautiful balance of flavours. The sauce is the star: it’s savoury from the chicken stock and Parmesan, slightly sweet and tangy from the sun-dried tomatoes, and wonderfully aromatic from the herbs and garlic. It coats every single piece of pasta and chicken, ensuring each mouthful is utterly satisfying. This is the kind of meal that works beautifully for a quiet date night in, but it’s also straightforward enough to make when you simply want to treat yourself and your family to something a little bit decadent during the week. It always gets compliments in my house, and I have a feeling it will in yours, too.
Recipe Overview
This Marry Me Chicken Pasta recipe brings together succulent chicken and a luxurious sun-dried tomato cream sauce in one pan. The flavours are rich and deeply savoury, with a hint of sweetness from the tomatoes and a nutty depth from the Parmesan. After testing this recipe five times, I finally landed on the perfect ratio of cream to stock, which keeps the sauce light enough to not be overwhelming but still wonderfully indulgent. It’s a dish that looks and tastes impressive, yet it comes together in about 40 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Servings: 4 people
- Difficulty: Medium
Why You’ll Love This Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe
- Genuine Flavour: The sauce is incredibly layered. You get a savoury base from the chicken stock, a creamy texture from the double cream, a tangy bite from the sun-dried tomatoes, and a wonderful aromatic warmth from the garlic and oregano.
- Ready in Under 45 Minutes: From start to finish, you can have this stunning pasta dish on the table in about 40 minutes, which makes it achievable even on a busier evening.
- Flexible Recipe: Don’t have chicken breasts? Thighs work wonderfully. You can also add a handful of fresh spinach at the end for extra greens or swap the chicken for juicy king prawns. For a similar dish with prawns, check out my Classic Shrimp Scampi Recipe.
- Great for a Special Occasion: This meal feels elevated and is ideal for a romantic dinner, an anniversary, or when you’re hosting friends and want to serve something that truly impresses without spending hours in the kitchen.
- Family Tested: My husband asks for this dish constantly! It’s one of those recipes that everyone seems to love, from picky eaters to the most discerning palates in my family.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For this recipe, using good quality ingredients will make a real difference, especially for the sauce. I always recommend using a block of Parmesan and grating it yourself; it melts into the sauce so much better than the pre-grated kind. I often use Mutti sun-dried tomatoes as they have a fantastic, intense flavour.
- 2 large chicken breasts (about 500g total), sliced in half horizontally to create 4 thinner fillets
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 25g unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 small shallot, finely diced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, adjust to your taste)
- 250ml chicken stock, preferably low-sodium
- 150ml double cream
- 80g sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and roughly chopped
- 70g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus extra for serving
- 300g dried pasta (tagliatelle, penne, or rigatoni work well)
- A small handful of fresh basil leaves, torn
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Elena’s Tip: Don’t throw away the oil from your jar of sun-dried tomatoes! Use a tablespoon of that instead of the olive oil to pan-fry your chicken. It adds an incredible layer of extra flavour right from the start.
How to Make Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe
The process for this recipe is quite straightforward. We’ll cook the pasta and the chicken separately before bringing everything together in that glorious, creamy sauce. This method ensures the chicken is perfectly cooked and the pasta is al dente.
- Prepare the Pasta: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Just before draining, reserve about 250ml (a mugful) of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Cook the Chicken: While the pasta is cooking, pat the chicken fillets dry with a paper towel and season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil (or sun-dried tomato oil) in a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken fillets and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through. Avoid overcrowding the pan; cook in batches if necessary. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it on a plate to rest.
- Sauté the Aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter to the same pan. Once melted, add the finely diced shallot and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes (if using). Cook for another minute until fragrant, being careful not to let the garlic burn. I find stirring constantly for that minute is the best way to prevent any bitterness.
- Build the Sauce: Pour in the chicken stock to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon – this is where so much flavour lies! You can learn more about the technique of deglazing here. Bring the stock to a simmer and let it reduce by about a third, which should take 3-4 minutes.
- Make it Creamy: Lower the heat and stir in the double cream, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and the grated Parmesan cheese. Stir gently until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth and has thickened slightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remember the Parmesan is salty, so taste before adding too much salt.
- Combine Everything: Slice the rested chicken into strips. Add the cooked pasta and sliced chicken back into the pan with the sauce. Toss everything together until the pasta and chicken are well-coated. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Serve: Stir through the torn fresh basil leaves. Serve immediately, garnished with a little extra grated Parmesan and a crack of black pepper.
Tips From My Kitchen
- Temperature Control: Once you add the double cream and Parmesan, keep the heat low. Boiling the sauce can cause it to split or become grainy. A gentle, confident simmer is all you need to bring it together.
- The Secret Step: Don’t skip reserving the pasta water. I learned that the starch in the water is a fantastic emulsifier. It helps the sauce cling to the pasta beautifully and gives it a silky, glossy finish without having to add more cream.
- Make-Ahead: You can prepare the sauce (up to the point of adding the chicken and pasta) a day in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Gently reheat it on the hob, thinning it with a little stock or milk if needed, before adding freshly cooked pasta and chicken.
- Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a pan over low heat, adding a splash of milk or chicken stock to loosen the sauce as it will thicken upon cooling.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overcrowding the pan: When searing the chicken, make sure each piece has enough space. If the pan is too crowded, the chicken will steam instead of brown, and you’ll miss out on the delicious golden crust that adds so much flavour. Cook in two batches if your pan isn’t large enough.
- Wrong temperature: Searing the chicken on a medium-high heat is key for a good crust. However, when you make the sauce, especially after adding the cream, the heat must be low. A high heat will cause the cream to separate.
- Skipping the rest time: Letting the chicken rest for a few minutes before slicing is crucial. It allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring every bite is tender and succulent. If you slice it immediately, the juices will run out onto your cutting board.
Delicious Variations to Try
One of the best things about this recipe is how easily it can be adapted. Here are a few of my favourite ways to change things up:
- Spicy Version: If you like more heat, increase the red pepper flakes to a full teaspoon, or add a finely chopped fresh red chilli along with the garlic.
- Vegetarian Option: Omit the chicken and use 400g of sliced chestnut mushrooms instead. Sauté them until golden brown before building the sauce. A tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed, also works as a great protein source.
- Different Protein: This sauce is fantastic with seafood. Try swapping the chicken for 400g of raw king prawns. Add them to the sauce just before the pasta and cook for 3-4 minutes until pink and opaque. It creates a dish similar to my Savory Garlic Butter Shrimp but with a creamy tomato twist.
What to Serve With Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe
This dish is quite rich and satisfying on its own, so I like to keep the side dishes simple and fresh to provide a nice contrast.
- A Simple Green Salad: A crisp salad of rocket and mixed leaves with a sharp lemon vinaigrette cuts through the richness of the creamy sauce perfectly.
- Crusty Garlic Bread: An absolute must for mopping up every last bit of that incredible sauce from the plate.
- Wine Pairing: A dry, crisp white wine like a Pinot Grigio or a Sauvignon Blanc works wonderfully here. Its acidity balances the creamy sauce without overpowering the dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Prepare the Pasta: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Just before draining, reserve about 250ml (a mugful) of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Cook the Chicken: While the pasta is cooking, pat the chicken fillets dry with a paper towel and season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil (or sun-dried tomato oil) in a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken fillets and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through. Avoid overcrowding the pan; cook in batches if necessary. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it on a plate to rest.
- Sauté the Aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter to the same pan. Once melted, add the finely diced shallot and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes (if using). Cook for another minute until fragrant, being careful not to let the garlic burn. I find stirring constantly for that minute is the best way to prevent any bitterness.
- Build the Sauce: Pour in the chicken stock to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon – this is where so much flavour lies! You can learn more about the technique of deglazing here. Bring the stock to a simmer and let it reduce by about a third, which should take 3-4 minutes.
- Make it Creamy: Lower the heat and stir in the double cream, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and the grated Parmesan cheese. Stir gently until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth and has thickened slightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remember the Parmesan is salty, so taste before adding too much salt.
- Combine Everything: Slice the rested chicken into strips. Add the cooked pasta and sliced chicken back into the pan with the sauce. Toss everything together until the pasta and chicken are well-coated. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Serve: Stir through the torn fresh basil leaves. Serve immediately, garnished with a little extra grated Parmesan and a crack of black pepper.
Notes
I really hope you give this Marry Me Chicken Pasta recipe a try. It has become a true staple in my kitchen for those nights when we want something that feels a little bit special without a huge amount of effort. It’s a dish filled with warmth and flavour, perfect for sharing with people you love. If you do make it, I would be thrilled to hear how it turned out for you in the comments below!
Happy cooking,
Elena
