Okay, okay, seriously – let’s talk about this Creamy Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe. It’s Friday morning, maybe you’re thinking about what amazing thing you could whip up this weekend (or heck, even tonight!), and THIS might just be it. Yeah, the name is still totally goofy, makes me chuckle every time. But who cares what it’s called when it tastes THIS ridiculously good?!
Honestly, forget fancy descriptions. This is just pure, unadulterated comfort food that happens to look kinda gorgeous without even trying too hard. Think: silky, garlicky, cheesy sauce hugging every single piece of pasta and tender chicken… maybe with those little chewy bits of sun-dried tomato adding zing? Ugh, it’s just stupid good.
It’s become my secret weapon. Looks like you slaved away, tastes incredible, but shhh – it’s actually pretty straightforward. Perfect for when you want that wow factor without a massive headache.
Why It’s Legit Amazing (Besides the Obvious Yum Factor):
- The SAUCE, People!: I could honestly just eat the sauce with a spoon. No shame. It’s that perfect blend of creamy, garlicky, cheesy goodness. Adding sun-dried tomatoes? Chef’s kiss! It’s rich but doesn’t feel like a brick in your stomach, you know?
- Sanity Saver: For how impressive it tastes, it’s surprisingly quick. Like, less-than-an-hour quick. On a busy night when you still want something real? Lifesaver.
- Basically Foolproof: It’s hard to mess this up, truly. The flavors are just naturally awesome together. Everyone seems to love it – picky eaters included!
- Plays Well With Others: Need swaps? Gluten-free pasta works great. Dairy-free? There are ways! It’s pretty chill about substitutions.
It just works. It makes you feel good cooking it, and even better eating it. Simple as that.
Alright, What Do We Need? Let’s Grab the Stuff:
Think of this as your mission brief for deliciousness:
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless breasts. Slice ’em maybe half-inch thick? Ish? So they cook fast.
- Olive Oil: Just your everyday stuff for cooking.
- GARLIC: Lots. Like, lots. Mince it fresh! Don’t even look at that jarred stuff for this. The flavor payoff is huge! 4+ cloves minimum, I say.
- Heavy Cream: This is non-negotiable for that dreamy texture. Go big or go home!
- Chicken Broth: Boxed, canned, whatever you got.
- Parmesan Cheese: Okay, here’s my soapbox moment: PLEASE, for the love of all things cheesy, grate your own Parmesan cheese from a block! That pre-shredded stuff has anti-caking powders (like wood pulp, seriously!) that stop it from melting into a beautifully smooth sauce. It makes a massive difference. Pinky promise. You’ll thank me later.
- Italian Seasoning: That handy jar of mixed herbs. Perfect.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes (Get ’em!): The ones packed in oil are awesome. Chop ’em up. Adds so much flavor and texture. Plus, you can use a drizzle of the oil! Yum.
- Pasta: Fettuccine is classic, grabs the sauce like a champ. But penne, rigatoni, rotini – whatever pasta shape makes your heart sing will work beautifully.
- Salt & Pepper: Duh.
- Fresh Parsley (Optional): A little sprinkle of green at the end makes it look fancy and adds freshness. Totally optional though.
Swapsies? Totally Doable!
- Gluten-Free? Use GF pasta! Cook it right. Done.
- No Dairy? Okay, use full-fat coconut cream (the solid stuff from a chilled can) and maybe some nutritional yeast or a dairy-free Parm you like. It’ll taste different, more coconutty, but still good!
Let’s Cook This Thing! (The Fun Part!)
Deep breath! You got this. It’s easier than it looks.
- Prep Zone: Do yourself a HUGE favor and get everything ready first. Chop the chicken, mince the garlic (smells good already, right?), grate that beautiful Parm, chop the tomatoes. Get your pasta water boiling – salt it like the sea! – and cook your pasta until it’s al dente (check the box, usually a minute or two less than fully cooked). Drain it, maybe save a mugful of that starchy water.
- Golden Chicken: Crank the heat up to medium-high in your biggest skillet. Add a swirl of olive oil. Season the chicken generously with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning. Lay it in the hot pan – tsss! – give it some space! Cook about 4-5 mins per side ’til golden brown and cooked through. Move it to a plate. Don’t clean the pan!
- Flavor Town: Turn the heat down to medium-lowish. Toss in the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir constantly for like, 30 seconds. Just until you smell that amazing garlic – don’t let it burn! Pour in the chicken broth. Scrape scrape scrape all those delicious brown bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. That’s pure gold!
- Sauce Magic: Stir in the heavy cream. Let it warm up and get gently bubbly around the edges (a simmer, not a rage boil!). Now, whisk in the Parm, bit by bit, until it melts into this gorgeous, smooth sauce. Taste it! Does it need more salt? Probably! A bit more pepper? Go for it! Make it taste awesome to you.
- Bring it Home: Slide the chicken back into that glorious sauce. Spoon some over it. Let it bubble happily for a minute. Dump in your drained pasta. Now, gently toss everything – use tongs! – until every single noodle is coated. Is it a bit too thick? Add a tiny splash of that pasta water you saved to loosen it up just right. Perfect!
- EAT!: Get it into bowls FAST! Sprinkle with parsley if you’re feeling it. Grab a fork. Dive in. Make happy noises. You earned it!
Things I Swear By:
- FRESH. PARM. (Did I mention that? )
- Don’t burn the garlic! Keep it moving.
- Scrape the pan bits! Flavor!
- Taste and adjust the sauce seasoning!
Serving it Up:
Honestly, just get it into bowls! A little parsley makes it pop. Maybe some extra Parm on the table? Done. Let the pasta do the talking.
Leftovers? (Yeah, Right!)
- If you do have leftovers (how?!), fridge ’em airtight for a couple of days.
- Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of milk or broth to bring that sauce back to life. Microwaving works too, just stir often.
Feeling Frisky? Change it Up!
- Heat: Red pepper flakes! Yes!
- Veggies: Spinach wilted in at the end? Mushrooms sautéed with the garlic? Roasted red peppers? All good!
- Herbs: Little fresh thyme? Why not!
Seriously, Just Go Make It.
Okay, I’m done gushing. This Creamy Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe is just SO GOOD and SO doable. It’s perfect weekend food, perfect weeknight food when you need a win, perfect “I love food” food. Go grab what you need. Make it tonight. You won’t regret it enjoy!! Let me know if you love it as much as I do!
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Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe
Yield:
4-6 servings
Prep Time:
15 minutes
Cook Time:
25 minutes
Additional Time:
5 minutes
Total Time:
5 minutes
Creamy, garlicky chicken pasta with sun-dried tomatoes. Easy, delicious comfort food. Try this Marry Me Chicken Pasta tonight!
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (slice them about ½-inch thick for quick cooking)
- 2 tbsp olive oil (your everyday kind works great)
- 4-6 garlic cloves (mince them fresh – the more, the merrier!)
- 1 cup heavy cream (this is the secret to that dreamy sauce)
- ¾ cup chicken broth (grab a box or can from your pantry)
- ¾ cup Parmesan cheese (grate it fresh from a block – trust me, it’s worth it)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning (that handy jar of mixed herbs)
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil (chop them up, and save a drizzle of the oil)
- 12 oz pasta (fettuccine’s my fave, but penne or rigatoni work too)
- Salt and pepper (to taste – don’t skimp!)
- Fresh parsley (optional – a handful, chopped, for that fancy finish)
- Gluten-free pasta (for a GF version)
- Full-fat coconut cream + nutritional yeast (for dairy-free vibes)
- Instructions:
Instructions
- Chop the chicken and mince the garlic and grate the Parmesan and chop the sun dried tomatoes and Boil a big pot of salted water and cook your pasta until al dente, usually 1 or 2 minutes shy of fully done. and drain it and saving a mug of pasta water.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high and add olive oil and season the chicken with salt and pepper and Italian seasoning and cook it 4 or 5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through and Set it aside on a plate.
- Lower the heat to medium low and toss in the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant and don’t burn it xD! pour in the chicken broth and scrape up those tasty brown bits from the pan.
- Stir in the heavy cream and let it simmer gently, Add the Parmesan little by little and whisking until it melts into a smooth sauce. Taste and tweak with salt and pepper until it’s perfect.
- Slide the chicken back into the sauce and spoon some over it, and let it bubble for a minute. Add the drained pasta and toss it all together with tongs until every noodle’s coated. If it’s too thick splash in a bit of reserved pasta water.
- Serve it up hot in bowls and sprinkle with parsley if you’re feeling fancy and dig in!
Notes
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4-6 servingsAmount Per Serving:Calories: Approximately 650-700 calories per serving
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