If there’s ONE pasta dish to captivate your taste buds and charm your significant other, this is it!
It all began with Engagement Chicken, which gained legendary status when several women working at Glamour magazine claimed their beaus popped the question after being served this dish.
Then came ‘Marry Me Chicken,’ a recipe developed by the masterful Lindsay Funston in 2016, who at the time was a food editor at Delish. The dish showcases succulent chicken cuts bathed in a scrumptious sun-dried tomato cream sauce.
We’re tipping our hat to this crowd-pleasing viral sensation with our Marry Me Chicken Pasta recipe.
While we can’t promise a marriage proposal, brace yourself for a standing ovation of admiration and compliments at the very least! It’s the crème de la crème of creamy pasta dishes and an enticing homage to creamy Tuscan chicken pasta.
If you love a quick and easy pasta dish as much as we do, have a look at our Mongolian ground beef noodle recipe. Or have a gander at this collection of our favourite pasta recipes.
What’s to love about this recipe
- Easy to make and takes no more than 30 minutes from start to finish. Perfect for busy weeknights, date night or any other special occasion.
- It’s elegant and sophisticated, perfect if you’re out to impress!
- The sauce is rich, creamy and incredibly flavourful.
- Pairs perfectly with a glass of wine, garlic bread and Panzanella Toscana salad.
Key ingredient notes and substitutions
**Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full list of ingredients.
The Pasta
Our preferred choice, Pappardelle, not only looks good but also complements the dish with an added touch of elegance.
Nonetheless, feel free to opt for your favourite pasta – rigatoni, fettuccine or penne pasta all make excellent alternatives.
The chicken
Diced skinless, boneless chicken breasts work well, but feel free to substitute them with skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized chunks.
Sun-dried tomatoes
The sun-dried tomatoes preserved in oil are ideal for this recipe. Make sure to drain them from the oil, though the residual oil clinging to the tomatoes imparts extra flavour and silkiness to the dish.
The herbs
Our recipe calls for both dried basil and dried oregano but experiment with your favourite combination of Italian seasoning, like using all basil or all oregano.
Alternatively, try Herbs de Provence or swap dried herbs for fresh herbs.
Additionally, for a bit of a kick, you can add red pepper flakes too.
The recipe does include a substantial amount of garlic, so consider your in-person meeting schedule for the next day!
Opt for either fresh garlic or save time with garlic paste.
Parmesan
We appreciate that Parmesan can sometimes come with a hefty price tag.
In that case, don’t hesitate to explore alternatives such as Grana Padano, Pecorino Romano, Parmigiano Reggiano or Piave, all of which offer a similar hard and robust cheese flavour.
Don’t shy away from the sachets of pre-grated hard cheese either. They’re cost-effective, get the job done and save you the time and effort of grating.
Helpful tips on cooking pasta well
- Opt for your largest saucepan when cooking pasta. A cramped space may cause the pasta to stick together.
- Ensure the saucepan is filled with ample water. Insufficient water can cause the pasta to stick together and cook unevenly. When in doubt, add more water than you think you need.
- Add a generous amount of salt to the cooking water. For a pound of pasta, aim for at least a tablespoon of salt.
- When cooking strand-like pasta such as Pappardelle, gently separate the pasta ‘nests’ with a fork as soon as they start to soften (approximately 2-3 minutes after reaching boiling point).
Failing to separate the strands at the beginning may result in them sticking together after cooking, which is not very appealing.
- That being said, always give ALL types of pasta a quick stir when the water starts to simmer. This will prevent the pasta from sticking together and it will cook more evenly.
How to make Marry Me Chicken pasta: Step-by-step
- In a large pot of water, cook the pasta following the package directions until al dente. Make sure to generously season the pasta water with salt. As a guide, you will need just under 1 tablespoon of salt for this amount of pasta.
(You can start on the chicken and the sauce while the pasta cooks)
- Drain the cooked pasta thoroughly in a colander.
- Coat the diced chicken pieces with the salt, black pepper and smoked paprika.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan (large skillet) over medium-high heat.
- Sauté the chicken pieces until they are golden brown on all sides and fully cooked, approximately 6-8 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a bowl, cover with foil to keep it warm and set it aside until needed.
- In the same pan, melt the butter and add the chopped onions.
(Yes, the pan will be coated in a vibrant orange oil from the paprika chicken. Don’t pour it out, we need it for flavour and colour)
- Cook the onions over medium-low heat until softened and lightly browned, approximately 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Next, pour in the chicken stock (chicken broth) and allow it to simmer for 1 minute. Scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze, incorporating any flavorful bits of onion and chicken that may be sticking.
- Add the drained sundried tomatoes, dried basil, dried oregano and balsamic vinegar (if you are using the vinegar).
- Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, gently stirring, until the tomatoes start to soften. Gently break the tomatoes into smaller pieces with your spoon as you stir.
- Pour in the heavy cream (double cream) and stir over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until the cream comes to a gentle simmer.
- Sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese and stir it through the sauce.
- Add the cooked chicken from earlier back into the pan and combine it with the sauce. Cook for 1 minute.
- Lastly, tip in the drained pasta.
- Using two forks, gently lift and mix the pasta into the sauce until every strand is covered. Ensure an even spread of chicken and sun-dried tomato pieces throughout the dish.
- Top with torn, fresh basil leaves, an additional sprinkle of Parmesan and a generous grind of black pepper.
Serving suggestions
- Pair with white wine like Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.
- Garlic bread.
- Italian salad like Panzanella Toscana.
- Crusty Italian bread or breadsticks for dipping into the creamy sauce.
- Create a small antipasto platter with olives, artichoke hearts and cured meats for a Mediterranean touch.
- Roasted, fried or grilled vegetables such as fried courgettes and roasted tenderstem broccoli.
Storage and reheating
Allow the pasta to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Store it in the fridge within 2 hours of cooking. It will keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To reheat the pasta, you can use either the microwave or stovetop. If the pasta seems a bit dry, consider adding a splash of water or cream to loosen it up.
When freezing, keep in mind that pasta may become slightly mushy upon thawing. Freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
The Best Marry Me Chicken Pasta (Tuscan Chicken Pasta)
Ingredients
- 400 grams (14oz) pappardelle pasta or pasta of choice, like rigatoni, fettuccine etc
- 600 grams (1.3lb) skinless, boneless chicken breast cut into bite-sized chunks
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons oil for frying
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion roughly 120g/4oz, diced
- 4 teaspoons chopped garlic/garlic paste roughly 6 cloves
- 120 millilitre (½ cup) chicken stock made with one stock cube
- 250 millilitre (1 cup) sun-dried tomatoes in oil roughly 170g/6oz drained
- 1½ teaspoon dried basil
- 1½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (optional)
- 300 millilitre (1 and ¼ cup) double cream or heavy cream
- 70 grams (¾ cup/2½oz) parmesan, grated
- fresh basil for serving (optional)
Instructions
Cook the pasta
- In a large pot of water, cook the pasta following the package directions until al dente. Make sure to generously season the pasta water with salt. As a guide, you will need just under 1 tablespoon of salt for this amount of pasta.(You can start on the chicken and the sauce while the pasta cooks)400 grams (14oz) pappardelle pasta
- Drain the cooked pasta thoroughly in a colander.
Cook the chicken
- Coat the diced chicken pieces with the smoked paprika, salt and black pepper.600 grams (1.3lb) skinless, boneless chicken breast, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan (skillet) over medium-high heat.2 tablespoons oil for frying
- Sauté the chicken pieces until they are browned on all sides and fully cooked, approximately 6-8 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a bowl, cover with foil to keep it warm and set it aside until needed.
Make the sauce
- In the same pan, melt the butter and add the chopped onions. (Yes, the pan will be coated in a vibrant orange oil from the paprika chicken. Don't pour it out, we need it for flavour and colour)2 tablespoons butter, 1 medium onion
- Cook the onions over medium-low heat until softened and lightly browned, approximately 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.4 teaspoons chopped garlic/garlic paste
- Next, pour in the chicken stock and allow it to simmer for 1 minute. Scrape the pan to deglaze, incorporating any flavorful bits of onion and chicken from the bottom.120 millilitre (½ cup) chicken stock
- Add the drained sun-dried tomatoes, dried basil, dried oregano and balsamic vinegar (if you are using the vinegar).250 millilitre (1 cup) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, 1½ teaspoon dried basil, 1½ teaspoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (optional)
- Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, gently stirring, until the tomatoes start to soften. Gently break the tomatoes into smaller pieces with your spoon as you stir.
- Pour in the cream and stir over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until the cream comes to a gentle simmer.300 millilitre (1 and ¼ cup) double cream
- Sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese and stir it through the sauce.70 grams (¾ cup/2½oz) parmesan, grated
Bring it all together
- Add the cooked chicken from earlier back into the pan and combine it with the sauce. Cook for 1 minute.
- Lastly, tip in the drained pasta.
- Using two forks, gently lift and mix the pasta into the sauce until every strand is covered. Ensure an even spread of chicken and sun-dried tomato pieces throughout the dish.Briefly warm it through (if needed) over a very low heat.
- Check for seasoning and add more if needed.
- Top with fresh, torn basil leaves, an additional sprinkle of Parmesan and a generous grind of black pepper.fresh basil for serving (optional)
Nutrition
For food safety advice, including guidance on food allergies
What can I say? Marry me? : )
Hey Joe!
Haha! Thank you for the tempting offer, I’m afraid I’m already happily committed in the kitchen and elsewhere, however, I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe enough to consider proposing 😀
Maretha.