Marry Me Chicken Pasta combines golden brown chicken pieces, penne pasta, sundried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and fresh basil in a rich creamy Parmesan sauce. It is quick and easy enough for a weeknight meal yet elegant enough for dinner guests.
You will love this tasty pasta with sundried tomatoes, fresh basil, and Parmesan cheese. It has all the same flavors as marry me chicken and marry me chicken soup, but in pasta form. It is one of our favorite pasta dishes and is always a welcome meal for my pasta-loving son. I love to serve this with something simple like garlic knots, Italian chopped salad, or a garden salad.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Pasta: Any medium pasta will work for this recipe like penne, rigatoni, ziti, rotini, or campanelle.
- Chicken: boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
- Sundried Tomatoes: packed in oil but well-drained
- Chicken broth: preferably low-sodium
- Parmesan cheese: freshly grated is best for flavor and optimum melting
- Basil: Fresh and torn is the way to go
How to Make Marry Me Chicken Pasta
This is the summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, see the recipe card below.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook al dente. Drain well in a colander. Meanwhile, generously salt and pepper the chicken. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the chicken until cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate, leaving any fat in the skillet.
Reduce the heat to low and add the sundried tomatoes, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chicken broth and simmer for a few minutes. Slowly stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes. Add the cooked chicken, cooked pasta, and basil to the skillet and toss to combine. Garnish with more basil and grated Parmesan cheese.
Preparation Tips For Success
- For optimal flavor and texture, cook the pasta al dente according to package instructions. That means it is slightly firm with a little bite to it.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water. If needed, use it in 1-2 tablespoon increments to thin the pasta sauce.
- Warm the cream to room temperature by placing it in a microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl and heating it for 30-second intervals at 50% power until warm.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve the pasta with oven-roasted asparagus, sautéed green beans, or spinach casserole. A tossed salad, like cucumber and tomato salad, rocket salad, or grilled vegetables, is always a win.
Storing and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power. I do not recommend freezing this dish as sauces with heavy cream tend to separate and become grainy when thawed.
More Chicken Pasta Recipes
Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 ounces penne pasta
- 1¼ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ⅔ cup sundried tomatoes well drained
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ⅔ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream warmed to room temperature
- ½ cup grated Parmesan Cheese plus more for garnish
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons torn or chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the pasta and cook al dente. Drain well in a colander.
- Meanwhile, generously salt and pepper the chicken. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the chicken until cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate leaving any fat in the skillet.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the sundried tomatoes, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the chicken broth and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Slowly stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes. Add the chicken, pasta, and basil to the skillet and toss to combine.
- Garnish with more basil and grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- For optimal flavor and texture, cook the pasta al dente according to package instructions. That means it is slightly firm with a little bite to it.
- Reserve 1/2 cup or so of pasta water. Use it in 1-2 tablespoon increments to thin the pasta sauce if needed.
- Warm the cream to room temperature by placing it in a microwave-safe measuring cup and heat it for 30-second intervals at 50% power until warm.
Catherine
I love a good pasta dish, and this one was pure comfort food with a fancy twist! The combination of flavors was amazing! Thanks for a great recipe.
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Catherine.
Nancy
Wow I love this chicken pasta! The flavors are absolutely delicious and the family gave it two thumbs up. Great job!
Sonya K
If my man made this for me, I would scream YESSSS!!! hahaha. I truly love packed flavour and creamy pasta like this. Very delicious.
Beth Pierce
Me too!
joy
I had never heard of Marry Me Chicken Pasta before, but wow—what a delicious discovery! The creamy Parmesan sauce with sundried tomatoes and fresh basil is total comfort food perfection.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Joy!
Catherine
I love the name of this recipe, super cute and cheesy!
I am so excited to make this for our weekend night dinner.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Catherine! Enjoy!
Mahy
I can never say no to a great pasta like this. Thank you for sharing so many amazing tips, too!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Mahy!
Mimi
I love adding sundried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and fresh basil to this pasta dish! So good and easy to make!
Beth Pierce
I agree Mimi!
Michelle
The sauce for this recipe is so tasty! My family and I really enjoyed this. I served it with your Dutch oven bread and it was a hit.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Michelle! I am so glad that you and your family liked it.
Emily
This sounds like it would be so yummy! I just got some grilled vegan chick’n, so I can make this for dinner tonight. I can’t wait!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Emily! Enjoy!
Angela
This Marry Me Chicken recipe was so delicious! It was easy to prepare and the entire family loved it!!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Angela! We love it, too!
Catalina
I can see why it’s called “Marry Me” Chicken—this pasta was absolutely irresistible! The creamy, garlicky sauce was out of this world.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Catalina! We love it too!
Maria
I absolutely adore this recipe. The sauce is perfectly creamy with a ton of flavor, and the chicken is perfect!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Maria! So happy that you like it.