Creamy Marry Me Chicken Pasta
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Marry Me Chicken Pasta is simple enough for busy weeknights, yet fancy enough for company. With tender bites of chicken in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce, this delicious pasta dish is extremely flavorful. Be careful — date night may turn into a marriage proposal! Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you!
Why You’ll Love This Marry Me Chicken Recipe
Check out more of my easy and delicious pasta recipes, like zesty Spaghetti Pasta Salad made with McCormick Salad Supreme, this simple Cherry Tomato Pasta, and fun Rasta Pasta with Jerk chicken!
Ingredient Notes
- Pasta | The textured ridges of rigatoni pasta hold the creamy sauce so well!
- Chicken | I use boneless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized cubes for the perfect fork-full of pasta and chicken each time.
- Flour | Just 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour helps to brown the chicken and add texture.
- Seasonings | Combine paprika, kosher salt, a tiny bit of black pepper, and Italian seasoning for perfectly seasoned chicken.
- Oil | Saute the chicken and more in extra virgin olive oil.
- Onion and garlic | One small white onion and minced garlic add loads of sweet and spicy flavor to the sauce and overall dish.
- Sun-dried tomatoes | I like to add julienned sun-dried tomatoes for the robust flavor and a variation in texture. Use the tomatoes packed in oil, but drain them thoroughly before adding. Plus, have a little more for topping, if desired.
- Broth | Add savory notes to the creamy sauce with chicken broth or chicken stock by deglazing the browned bits from the pan, collecting all the flavor.
- Cream | Heavy cream provides a creamy and rich base for the sauce.
- Cheese | Grated Parmesan cheese brings a tangy and nutty flavor to the recipe.
- Optional garnish | To add a bit more flavor and pops of color, you can sprinkle the final dish with chopped fresh basil and one pinch of red pepper flakes.
How to Make Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe
Make this creamy pasta dish with tender chicken in about 30 minutes with minimal dishes to clean up afterward!
STEP 1 | Boil pasta
First, heat a large pot of salted water on the stovetop, adding the pasta once boiling. Cook it until al dente, following the package instructions. Then, drain the pasta and set it aside.
STEP 2 | Season the chicken
Next, toss the diced chicken with the flour, ½ teaspoon salt, paprika, and pepper until coated well.
STEP 3 | Cook chicken
Now, warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and fully cooked through.
Remove the cooked chicken from the pan and set aside.
STEP 4 | Saute onions and garlic
Add the onion to the pan with the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softening. Then, add the minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and cook for one more minute.
STEP 5 | Deglaze the pan
Next, pour in the chicken broth or stock and deglaze it, scraping all the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the Italian seasoning, and bring the chicken broth to a low simmer.
STEP 6 | Make the sauce
Finally, turn the heat down to medium-low and add the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese to the pan. Stir until the sauce is warm and the cheese is melted.
STEP 7 | Assemble pasta, garnish, and serve
Add the cooked pasta and chicken to the sauce and stir well to combine. Garnish with fresh chopped herbs, red pepper flakes, and additional sun-dried tomatoes, and enjoy!
Tips from the Home Chef’s Kitchen
Variations and Substitutions
- Kinds of Pasta. You can also use ziti, cavatappi, fusilli, or penne pasta.
- Add More Heat. The red pepper flakes add some heat, but you can also add chili flakes to the chicken or sauce for additional spice.
- Chicken Thighs. Skinless chicken thighs are also great for this pasta dish. Just cook it for a little longer than the recommended time of the chicken breasts.
Storage and Reheating Tips
- Once completely cooled, put your leftover food in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To warm it up, heat it gently in the microwave or on the stove with medium-low heat. If it seems dry, you can add a bit of cream for moisture. That’s it!
Frequently Asked Questions
I don’t suggest freezing pasta because it gets mushy when you thaw and heat it up again. But freezing works fine if you need lunch or an easy dinner and you have leftovers. It’s just not as tasty as when it’s fresh or reheated from the fridge.
Chicken cooks fast in a pan, especially when cut into small pieces, like in this recipe. You’ll have it fully cooked in about 5 minutes over medium-high heat.
It’s just a fun and simple name for a recipe — they call it Marry Me Chicken because it’s so tasty that it might just make someone propose to you after they taste it!
Absolutely! For a dairy-free version of Marry Me Chicken pasta, swap in vegan butter, original Nutpods instead of cream, and nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan.
Looking for more Impressive Date Night Dishes?
Create a fancy seafood meal by starting with Grilled Shrimp Salad, then Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp with a chili orange sauce, and end with my Salmon with Dill Sauce entrée – Yum! If you or your date are not seafood fans, try this classic steakhouse meal: a classic Wedge Salad Recipe, tender Grilled Sirloin Steak, and crispy woodshed Fried Potatoes!
What to Serve With Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Serve your chicken dinner with fresh-baked bread and this irresistible Italian restaurant-style Olive Oil Bread Dip, or keep it light with a healthy salad, like my grilled Panzanella and Asparagus Salad.
Love this recipe? Bookmark it for the future!
Simply tap the heart symbol located in the lower right corner of your screen, and the recipe will be securely stored in your own recipe box.
Creamy Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 16-oz. pkg. rigatoni pasta
- 1 lb. chicken breasts cut into bite-sized cubes
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small white onion diced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ½ cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes use the tomatoes packed in oil but drain them thoroughly before adding, plus more for topping (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil optional
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Heat a large pot of salted water on the stovetop. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, following the package instructions. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Toss the diced chicken with the flour, ½ teaspoon salt, paprika, and pepper until coated.
- Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and fully cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Add the onion to the pan with the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and sauté for 3-4 minutes until just starting to soften. Add the minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1 more minute.
- Pour the chicken stock into the pan and deglaze it, scraping all the browned bits off the bottom. Add the Italian seasoning, and bring the chicken stock to a low simmer.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese to the pan. Stir until the sauce is warm and the cheese is melted.
- Add the cooked pasta and chicken to the sauce and stir well to combine. Garnish with fresh chopped herbs, red pepper flakes, and additional sun-dried tomatoes, if desired.
Notes
- Kinds of Pasta. You can also use ziti, cavatappi, fusilli, or penne pasta.
- Add More Heat. The red pepper flakes add some heat, but you can also add chili flakes to the chicken or sauce for additional spice.
- Chicken Thighs. Skinless chicken thighs are also great for this pasta dish. Just cook it for a little longer than the recommended time of the chicken breasts.
- If preferred, deglaze the pan with white wine.
- Once completely cooled, put your leftover food in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To warm it up, heat it gently in the microwave or on the stove with medium-low heat. If it seems dry, you can add a bit of cream for moisture.
Nutrition
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
About Sheila Thigpen
Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, Food Writer
Sheila Thigpen is the publisher of Life, Love, and Good Food — a Southern food blog — and the author of Easy Chicken Cookbook and The 5-Ingredient Fresh and Easy Cookbook. After 20+ years in the publishing industry, she retired in 2018 to focus on her own creative endeavors full time. She and her husband live near the beautiful Smoky Mountains and have a precious little granddaughter who has stolen their hearts. As an influencer, Sheila has collaborated with brands like Creamette, Kroger, HERSHEY’S, Hamilton Beach, Garafalo Pasta, OXO, Smithfield, Valley Fig Growers, and more.
