Creamy, rich, and packed with bold Italian flavor, our Marry Me Chicken Pasta is a total showstopper of a weeknight dinner. It’s fast, indulgent, and absolutely bursting with sun-dried tomatoes, tender chicken, and a cream sauce that sparks pure joy at the table.
Home-cooked flavor is so downright dreamy that it should come with a ring.
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Marry Me Chicken started sizzling its way into kitchens back in 2016 when Delish’s Lindsay Funston whipped up a creamy skillet chicken in their test kitchen. Someone took one bite and joked, “I’d marry you for that chicken,” and just like that, the name stuck.
That delicious recipe went viral in every direction, turning up in Instant Pots, slow cookers, and even cozy soup bowls.
Our Marry Me Chicken Pasta keeps the heart of the original but takes it one step further with penne pasta, a velvety cream sauce, and sun-dried tomatoes that bring big flavor to the table without any fancy ingredients or fuss.
Even if it’s your first time making a cream sauce, our easy recipe is foolproof, coming together in one large skillet with just a good stir and a little patience.
And it works just as well with rotisserie chicken if you’re short on time or don’t feel like cooking meat.
For a complete meal that truly delivers, pair it with our Cheesy Garlic Bread, where every slice is buttery, golden, and piled high with gooey, bubbling cheese. Then bring it all home with our Oven-Roasted Asparagus, roasted to perfection with a hint of char and a whole lot of fresh flavor.
Ingredients
Gather the ingredients to prepare our Marry Me Chicken Pasta recipe. Culinary professionals call this the “Mise en Place,” which means “everything in its Place.”
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also ensures you have all the necessary ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
Can I Change Up the Recipe?
Absolutely, it’s a great base recipe that’s flexible, forgiving, and happy to work with whatever’s in your fridge.
We made the recipe with penne pasta, but you can use fusilli, rigatoni, or even shells if that’s what you have on hand. Just make sure to cook it al dente, so it holds up in the sauce.
For a little extra punch, try folding in artichoke hearts, sautéed red onions, or an extra pinch of chili flakes if you like more heat.
And if you want to riff on the sauce, tossing in a handful of spinach or adding a splash of white wine will work beautifully.
How to Make Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Follow along with my simple step-by-step instructions to learn how to make marry me chicken pasta in your home kitchen.
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside until needed.
- Reserve ½ cup of the hot pasta water to use as needed to thin the sauce.
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces (about 1 inch) and season with salt and black pepper.
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the seasoned chicken.
- Cook for 6-8 minutes, turning to sear all sides until the chicken is no longer pink and cooked through.
- When cooked, transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside until needed.
- Add the butter to the skillet.
- When it’s melted, add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds until fragrant
- Add the flour to the pan.
- Stir to combine and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. This is the roux to make the sauce.
- Add the chicken stock to the roux.
- Whisk to combine.
- Add the heavy cream and whisk until well combined.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, sweet paprika, and red pepper flakes to the sauce.
- Stir to combine.
- Let the sauce cook for about 5 minutes until it starts to thicken. If the sauce is too thick at this point, add additional chicken broth.
- Add the chicken and cooked pasta to the sauce.
- Stir to combine and increase the heat to medium-high.
- When the mixture is hot, remove the pan from the stove and add the parmesan cheese.
- Stir to combine, taste, and reseason with salt or black pepper if needed.
This is the kind of pasta dish you break out for a cozy family dinner or when you really want to impress your guests. You’ll know it’s a hit when they’re still talking about it on the ride home!
How to Store and Reheat
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
For best results, reheat it gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water or chicken broth, stirring until smooth and creamy.
Alternatively, you can microwave it by covering it loosely with plastic wrap and heating it in short bursts, stirring in between until warmed through. The sauce may lose some of its silky texture, but the flavor will still remain intact.
Freezing isn’t the best option, as the cream sauce can separate and lose its smooth, creamy consistency when reheated.
Recipe FAQs
You can. It won’t be quite as rich, but it still makes a beautiful sauce. Just keep the heat low so it doesn’t split.
If it’s too thin, let it simmer a little longer to reduce. If it’s too thick, stir in a splash of chicken broth or pasta water until it loosens up.
Yes, you can. You can use pulled pork, sausage, or ground beef to make the recipe. To keep it meatless, add vegetables to the dish, such as mushrooms, zucchini, spinach, or artichoke hearts.
Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces penne pasta or pasta shape of your choice
- 1¼ lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into small bite-sized pieces about 1 inch
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons fresh garlic -finely minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes -cut in pieces
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes you can add more if you like a spicier dish.
- ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese -plus more for serving
- ½ cup reserved pasta water if needed
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil -chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside until needed. Reserve ½ cup of the hot pasta water to used if needed.
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces (about 1 inch) and season with salt and black pepper.
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the seasoned chicken and cook for 6-8 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink and cooked through. When cooked, transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside until needed.
Sauce
- Add the butter to the skillet. When it's melted, add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds until fragrant. Then add the flour to the pan and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. This is the roux to make the sauce.
- Add the chicken stock to the roux, whisking to combine.
- Add the heavy cream and whisk to combine.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, sweet paprika, and red pepper flakes to the sauce. Stir to combine. Let the sauce cook for about 5 minutes until it starts to thicken. If the sauce is too thick at this point, add additional chicken broth.
- Add the chicken and cooked pasta to the sauce. Stir to combine and increase the heat to medium-high.
- When the mixture is hot, remove the pan from the stove and mix in the parmesan cheese.
- Taste and reseason with salt or black pepper if needed.
- Serve immediately and garnish with basil and additional parmesan cheese.
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