This marry me chicken pasta is the recipe that literally got my friend engaged. Her boyfriend proposed three weeks after she made it for him swore it was the chicken. Creamy parmesan sauce loaded with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and herbs coating tender chicken and pasta. It tastes like something from an expensive Italian restaurant but takes maybe 30 minutes. I make this whenever I need to impress someone or just want to feel fancy on a Wednesday.
Why You'll Love This Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe
Real talk—this marry me chicken pasta recipe has ruined regular chicken pasta for me because nothing else compares anymore.
What Actually Works: This creamy marry me chicken pasta sears chicken breasts until golden, then makes this incredible sauce with heavy cream, parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and Italian herbs all in the same pan. Toss cooked pasta right into that sauce so it soaks up all the flavor. The whole thing happens in one skillet in about 30 minutes. My husband who claims he doesn't like "fancy food" requests this by name. It's rich enough to feel special but straightforward enough for a random weeknight. People always assume it's way harder than it actually is.
Why Other Methods Fail: Most marry me chicken with pasta recipes either overcook the chicken so it's dry and rubbery, or they make the sauce too thin so it doesn't coat the pasta properly. Some skip the sun-dried tomatoes which is a crime because that's where half the flavor comes from. Others don't season enough so it tastes bland despite being creamy. This sun-dried tomato chicken pasta seasons at every step and keeps the chicken juicy by not overcooking it.
The thing that changed everything: Learning to pull the chicken out at exactly the right time for marry me chicken pasta. Used to just cook it until it looked done, which meant it was already overcooked and would get even drier while the sauce finished. Started using a thermometer and pulling it at 160°F, then letting carryover heat bring it to 165°F while it rests. Suddenly the chicken was actually juicy instead of sawdust. That temperature precision is what separates okay pasta from marry me pasta recipe that actually lives up to the name.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe
- What You'll Need for Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- How to Make Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- Top Tip
- Ingredient Substitutions & Variations
- Storage and Reuse Instructions
- What to Serve With Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- How I Finally Figured It Out
- FAQ
- More Recipes You'll Love
- Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- Related
- Pairing
What You'll Need for Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Pretty standard ingredients that create this ridiculously good tuscan chicken pasta.
Main Ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Pasta (penne, rigatoni, or fettuccine)
- Heavy cream
- Parmesan cheese
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Garlic
- Chicken broth
- Italian seasoning
- Red pepper flakes
- Butter
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh basil
Optional Add-Ins
- Spinach
- White wine
- Mozzarella cheese
- Cherry tomatoes
Exact measurements in the Recipe Card.
How to Make Marry Me Chicken Pasta
This creamy parmesan chicken pasta comes together in stages. The technique is pretty simple but timing matters.
Cook the Pasta
- Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil
- Cook your pasta according to package directions until al dente
- Before draining, scoop out 1 cup of pasta water and set it aside
- Drain the pasta but don't rinse it—you want that starch
- Toss it with a little olive oil so it doesn't stick together
- The pasta water is crucial for adjusting your marry me chicken sauce later
Sear the Chicken
- Pat chicken breasts completely dry with paper towels
- Season both sides generously with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering
- Add chicken and don't touch it for 5-6 minutes—let it get golden brown
- Flip and cook another 5-6 minutes until it hits 160°F internal temp
- Pull it out and let it rest on a plate while you make the sauce
- Don't skip the resting or all the juices run out when you slice it
Make the Marry Me Sauce
- In the same skillet with all that chicken flavor, add minced garlic and red pepper flakes
- Cook for maybe 30 seconds until you smell it—don't let the garlic burn
- Pour in chicken broth to deglaze, scraping up all the brown bits stuck to the pan
- Add heavy cream and bring it to a simmer
- Stir in grated parmesan cheese until it melts and the sauce gets thick
- Chop your sun-dried tomatoes and throw them in with their oil
- Season with more Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste
- This is your creamy tomato pasta sauce base that makes everything magical
Combine Everything
- Slice your rested chicken into strips against the grain
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss it around until it's coated
- If the sauce is too thick, add pasta water a splash at a time until it's creamy
- Nestle the sliced chicken on top or mix it right into the pasta
- Let everything simmer together for 2-3 minutes so the flavors marry
- Tear up some fresh basil and toss it in right before serving
- Hit it with extra parmesan on top because why not
You'll have this incredible chicken pasta in creamy sauce that tastes like you ordered it from an Italian restaurant downtown.
Top Tip
Don't overcook the chicken for marry me chicken pasta. I did this for literally years before I figured it out. Would just cook it until it looked white all the way through, which meant it was already at like 170-175°F and dry as hell. Started pulling it at 160°F and letting it rest for 5 minutes while I made the sauce. The internal temp rises to 165°F during rest but the chicken stays actually juicy. Use a meat thermometer—guessing doesn't work.
Also, save that pasta water. You think you won't need it and then the sauce is too thick and you're scrambling. Just scoop out a cup before draining and keep it nearby. That starchy water is what transforms thick sauce into creamy, silky perfection that actually coats the pasta instead of just sitting there in clumps.
Ingredient Substitutions & Variations
The base marry me chicken pasta recipe is perfect but you can mess with it.
Marry Me Chicken Pasta Without Heavy Cream Want marry me chicken pasta without heavy cream? Use half and half or whole milk with a tablespoon of flour whisked in. Won't be quite as rich but still good.
Different Pasta Shapes This works with penne, rigatoni, fettuccine, or whatever pasta you have. Short pasta holds the sauce better for skillet chicken pasta vibes.
Add Vegetables Throw in spinach, kale, or cherry tomatoes with the sauce. Makes you feel like you're eating vegetables even though it's basically cream and cheese.
Crockpot Marry Me Chicken Pasta For crockpot marry me chicken pasta, brown the chicken first, then dump everything in the slow cooker on low for 4 hours. Add cooked pasta at the end.
Wine Addition Deglaze with white wine instead of all broth for more depth in your marry me chicken sauce. Fancy but worth it.
Storage and Reuse Instructions
Yeah, creamy marry me chicken pasta keeps pretty well actually.
Refrigerator: Store leftover marry me chicken pasta recipe in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of cream or milk to loosen the sauce. Microwave works but the sauce might separate.
Freezing: This chicken parmesan pasta skillet freezes okay for up to 2 months but the cream sauce might look grainy when reheated. Still tastes fine, just looks weird. Thaw overnight and reheat on the stove.
Make-Ahead: You can cook the chicken and make the sauce ahead, then just cook pasta fresh and combine everything. Keeps the pasta from getting mushy.
Meal Prep: Make a big batch of easy marry me chicken pasta for dinner on Sunday and portion it out for lunches. Add fresh basil when you reheat it.
What to Serve With Marry Me Chicken Pasta
This Italian herb chicken pasta is rich so you want simple sides that won't compete.
Classic Sides: Garlic bread to soak up extra sauce, Caesar salad with crunchy romaine, roasted asparagus, or green beans with lemon.
Keep It Light: Arugula salad with balsamic vinaigrette or roasted broccoli. Something with acid cuts through the cream nicely.
Make It A Meal: The pasta is filling enough to be the whole meal honestly. Maybe just add bread and call it done.
Wine Pairing: White wine like pinot grigio or chardonnay pairs great with this creamy parmesan chicken pasta. Or just drink whatever you want.
How I Finally Figured It Out
Three years ago my friend Sarah made marry me chicken pasta for her boyfriend and he proposed three weeks later. She swore it was because of the chicken. I laughed but also immediately asked for the recipe because if there's even a 1% chance food can make someone propose, I wanted in.
First time I made it the chicken was so dry you could've used it to sand furniture. Cooked it way too long and ended up with rubber in cream sauce. My husband ate it politely but I could tell he was disappointed. Second attempt I used a thermometer and pulled it at 160°F like Sarah told me to. Suddenly understood the hype—the chicken was actually juicy. Now I make this creamy marry me chicken pasta twice a month and my husband has stopped asking what's for dinner because he already knows he'll be happy.
FAQ
What are the seasonings in marry me pasta?
Marry me pasta uses Italian seasoning (which is usually basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary mixed together), garlic, red pepper flakes for a little kick, salt, and black pepper. Fresh basil goes in at the end for brightness. That combo with the parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes creates the signature flavor. You can buy Italian seasoning pre-mixed or make your own blend if you're feeling ambitious.
Is Marry Me Chicken served with rice or pasta?
Marry me chicken pasta is traditionally served with pasta—usually penne, fettuccine, or rigatoni. The creamy parmesan sauce is meant to coat pasta perfectly. Some people serve it with rice or mashed potatoes but pasta is the classic way. The sauce is thick enough to cling to the pasta instead of pooling at the bottom like it would with rice.
Why is it called "marry me chicken pasta"?
It's called marry me chicken pasta because supposedly it's so good that people have proposed after eating it. The legend goes that someone made this for their partner and the partner loved it so much they proposed shortly after. Whether that's true or just marketing, the name stuck because the dish is legitimately impressive enough to make someone want to lock down the cook. It's become this whole thing on social media with people making it for dates.
What's in marry me sauce?
Marry me sauce is made with heavy cream, parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, chicken broth, Italian herbs, and red pepper flakes. Some versions add white wine or spinach. The sun-dried tomatoes are crucial—they add this tangy, slightly sweet depth that regular tomatoes don't have. The sauce is rich and creamy with tons of flavor from the parmesan and herbs. It's basically a fancy garlic parmesan cream sauce with tomatoes.
More Recipes You'll Love
Once you've nailed this marry me chicken pasta recipe, try my Pineapple Dump Cake Recipe for the easiest tropical dessert that takes 5 minutes to prep. My Pecan Pie Dump Cake Recipe is perfect for holidays when you need something impressive but simple. And my One Pot French Onion Pasta brings the same one-pan magic but with caramelized onions and gruyere instead of cream and chicken.
Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Equipment
- 1 Large skillet or sauté pan For cooking chicken and making sauce
- 1 Large pot To cook pasta
- 1 meat thermometer Essential for perfectly juicy chicken
- 1 Tongs For flipping chicken and tossing pasta
- 1 Measuring cups For cream and broth
- 1 Box grater For fresh parmesan cheese
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 12 oz penne rigatoni, or fettuccine
- Salt for pasta water
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil chopped
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh basil leaves
- Extra parmesan cheese
- 1 cup Reserved pasta water
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- ¼ cup white wine
- Fresh thyme
- Mozzarella cheese
- Cherry tomatoes
Instructions
- Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil and cook your pasta according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, scoop out 1 cup of pasta water and set it aside. Drain the pasta but don't rinse it. Toss with a drizzle of olive oil so it doesn't stick. That pasta water will save your sauce later when it gets too thick.
- Pat chicken breasts completely dry with paper towels and season both sides with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and let it sit undisturbed for 5-6 minutes to get golden. Flip and cook another 5-6 minutes until it hits 160°F on a meat thermometer. Pull it out to rest for 5 minutes.
- In the same skillet, add minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Pour in chicken broth to deglaze, scraping up all the brown bits. Add heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Stir in parmesan cheese until melted and thick. Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes with their oil, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Let it bubble for 2-3 minutes.
- Slice the rested chicken into strips against the grain. Add cooked pasta to the sauce and toss until coated. If too thick, add reserved pasta water a splash at a time. Mix in the sliced chicken and let everything simmer together for 2-3 minutes. Top with fresh basil and extra parmesan. Serve immediately while hot and creamy.
Notes
Nutrition
Related
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe:
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