Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Marry Me Chicken Pasta is a creamy and flavorful dish featuring tender chicken thighs simmered in a rich, sun-dried tomato and parmesan cream sauce, served over pasta. This impressive meal is named for its exceptional flavor, rumored to be so good it could inspire a marriage proposal!
Marry Me Chicken
Marry Me Chicken – a chicken dinner so good that you might just get a marriage proposal after serving it to your lover! And just so you know, it goes for men and women alike. So all of you men – make this for your girl and watch her swoon!
While the original dish was for chicken topped with creamy parmesan sauce, this one includes pasta. Feel free to use any kind of pasta you like best. We tend to keep rigatoni stocked but penne, cavatappi, gemelli, fusilli, ziti, or orechiette would also be perfect in this dish.
Looking for another date night meal? We love our Pan Seared Sea Bass with a simple Caesar salad and a side of veggies!
Why This Recipe Works:
- DATE NIGHT RECIPE – Making this pasta dish will save your pocketbook from dwindling, and date night at home is fun. This simple dish will wow your loved one, trust me!
- FULL OF FLAVOR – We’re packing this chicken pasta dish with flavor – perfectly spiced chicken thighs, tender rigatoni, and creamy parmesan sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. Plus – lots of love!
- GREAT MEAL PREP – Serve this Marry Me Chicken Pasta for two and then pack up the extras for lunches throughout the week. It’s even more flavorful the next day!
What You’ll Need:
- Avocado Oil – or olive oil
- Chicken Thighs – or use chicken breasts
- Seasonings – a combo of oregano, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper
- Pasta – you could use any short pasta you like best
- Unsalted Butter
- All-Purpose Flour
- Chicken Broth (lower sodium)
- Half and Half
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Parmesan Cheese – use freshly shredded parmesan cheese
- Spinach Leaves
- Fresh Basil
How to make Marry Me Chicken Pasta:
Step 1
Prep chicken. Slice the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. Remove visible fat. Then add seasonings – oregano, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper – and mix to combine.
Step 2
Cook chicken. Heat a stock pot to medium-high heat. Add avocado oil and when the pan is hot, add the chicken. Cook chicken, flipping as needed, until nearly done (close to 165 degrees on a digital thermometer). The chicken will continue to cook in the sauce later.
Step 3
Cook pasta. Meanwhile, heat a large pot of water until boiling. Then add the pasta and plenty of salt. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve some pasta water and strain the pasta. (DO NOT RINSE PASTA.)
NOTE: Rinsing pasta washes away the starch on the surface of the pasta. This starch helps sauces adhere to the pasta, making the dish more cohesive and flavorful. Without the starch, the sauce may slide off, leading to a less integrated dish.
Step 4
Make sauce. In the same pot you cooked the chicken in, heat again to medium heat. (Keep the leftover brown bits and juices.) Add the butter and when melted, add the flour and stir constantly for a minute or two. Then add the chicken broth and half and half. Turn up the heat and cook until the sauce is thickened – about 5-7 minutes.
Step 5
Add remaining sauce ingredients. Then add the sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and cooked chicken thighs. Simmer for another 5-6 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and chicken is completely cooked. Finally, add the spinach leaves and stir until wilted.
NOTE: Dark meat can be cooked to an internal temperature of 175°F to 185°F (79°C to 85°C). This higher temperature helps render the fat and connective tissue, resulting in tender, juicy meat. White meat should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Cooking it beyond this temperature can lead to dryness and toughness.
Step 6
Add pasta. Add the cooked pasta to the pot and stir. Heat for a few more minutes until everything is hot.
Step 7
Serve. Serve pasta with extra parmesan cheese, freshly ground black pepper, and fresh basil.
What to serve with Marry Me Chicken Pasta:
While this could be a full meal, here are a few sides that pair nicely with chicken pasta.
- A simple side salad with homemade dressing. Try our Spinach Salad Dressing, Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette, Caesar Salad Dressing without Anchovies, or Creamy Italian Dressing.
- Green Veggies – Try our Roasted Asparagus with Prosciutto, Green Bean Almondine with Bacon, or Wasabi Aioli and Asparagus.
- Bread – Start with our Italian Herb Bread, Chewy French Bread, or Garlic Sourdough Bread.
Recipe FAQs:
You can add extra vegetables to this dish like mushrooms or onions. Try chicken breasts instead of thighs (but be careful to avoid overcooking). Use a different type of pasta – any will work! Replace some of the chicken broth with white wine when making the sauce.
Store leftover chicken pasta in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Add a splash of chicken broth to leftovers and heat in a glass bowl in your microwave until warm.
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
For the chicken/pasta:
- 2 Tablespoons avocado oil – or olive oil
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs – cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon EACH oregano, garlic powder, red pepper flakes
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- 12 oz. rigatoni – or any pasta
For the sauce:
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups lower-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup half and half
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- 7 oz. sun-dried tomatoes – drained and chopped
- 4 oz. parmesan cheese – freshly shredded
- 2 cups spinach leaves – optional
- fresh basil
Instructions
- Prep chicken. Slice the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. Remove visible fat. Then add seasonings – oregano, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper – and mix to combine.
- Cook chicken. Heat a stock pot to medium-high heat. Add avocado oil and when the pan is hot, add the chicken. Cook chicken, flipping as needed, until nearly done (close to 165 degrees on a digital thermometer). The chicken will continue to cook in the sauce later.
- Cook pasta. Meanwhile, heat a large pot of water until boiling. Then add the pasta and plenty of salt. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve some pasta water and strain the pasta. (DO NOT RINSE PASTA.)
- Make sauce. In the same pot you cooked the chicken in, heat again to medium heat. (Keep the leftover brown bits and juices.) Add the butter and when melted, add the flour and stir constantly for a minute or two. Then add the chicken broth and half and half. Turn up the heat and cook until the sauce is thickened – about 5-7 minutes.
- Add remaining sauce ingredients. Then add the sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and cooked chicken thighs. Simmer for another 5-6 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and chicken is completely cooked. Finally, add the spinach leaves and stir until wilted.
- Add pasta. Add the cooked pasta to the pot and stir. Heat for a few more minutes until everything is hot.
- Serve. Serve pasta with extra parmesan cheese, freshly ground black pepper, and fresh basil.
Notes
- VARIATIONS: You can add extra vegetables to this dish like mushrooms or onions. Try chicken breasts instead of thighs (but be careful to avoid overcooking). Use a different type of pasta – any will work! Replace some of the chicken broth with white wine when making the sauce.
- STORING: Store leftover chicken pasta in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- REHEATING: Add a splash of chicken broth to leftovers and heat in a glass bowl in your microwave until warm.
Tastes amazing. The cast iron skillet is a pro level tip!
Even though I am already married, happily, I decided to try this. 😉 Both myself and my husband loved it. I used chicken breasts and it still turned out very well. I love the addition of sun dried tomatoes for an extra zing. I will be making it again for sure.
Yay! I’m so happy to hear this, Shari! 🙂