The Best Marry Me Chicken Pasta (Tuscan Chicken Pasta)

Marry me chicken pasta on a large white plate with two wine glasses.

5 from 24 votes

The Best Marry Me Chicken Pasta (Tuscan Chicken Pasta)

If there's ONE pasta dish to captivate your taste buds and charm your significant other, this is it! While we can't promise a 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.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cook Time:30

Total Time:30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: tuscan chicken pasta, creamy chicken pasta, marry me chicken

Servings: generous servings (or 6 x medium servings)

Calories: 1105kcal

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