The viral marry me chicken isn’t going anywhere, and honestly? Good. That creamy sun-dried tomato Parmesan sauce deserves its moment, so we decided to do it properly.
Forget watery sauce that slides off the pasta. Gritty Parmesan clumps because nobody bothered with a roux. Underseasoned chicken that tastes bland. Pretty photos, mediocre results.
This version fixes all of that. We take the time to build a roux, making the sauce indulgent and velvety. The chicken gets seasoned before it ever hits the pan. The cream-to-broth ratio is dialed in so the sauce clings to every piece of penne without being goopy or thin. Sun-dried tomatoes bring that sweet-tangy punch, red pepper flakes add heat, and the whole thing comes together in 40 minutes using one pan.
The viral trend got this one right—creamy sun-dried tomato Parmesan sauce with tender chicken and pasta really is that good. But technique matters, and most recipes skip the steps that make it actually work. This one doesn’t.
Make it once, and you’ll understand why marry me chicken stuck around (so much so that we’ve tried in with orzo and turned it into sliders) while other TikTok trends died in two weeks.
🔪 Ingredients for Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- Penne pasta: Short, ridged pasta grabs the sauce better than smooth noodles
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: Cut into even 1-inch pieces so they cook evenly
- Kosher salt & black pepper: Season in layers, not all at once
- Italian seasoning: Keeps the profile familiar and balanced
- Olive oil: High enough heat to brown without smoking
- Unsalted butter: Rounds out the sauce and softens the garlic
- Garlic: Minced fine so it melts into the sauce, not chunks
- Flour – Just enough to lightly thicken without turning it stodgy
- Low-sodium chicken broth – Gives you control over salt
- Heavy cream – Keeps the sauce stable; milk alone can split
- Red pepper flakes – Optional, but they keep the richness in check
- Paprika – Subtle warmth, not smoke
- Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes – Savory-sweet balance that cuts the cream
- Freshly grated Parmesan – Pre-shredded won’t melt clean
- Fresh basil – Finish only; don’t cook it
Equipment
- Large pot for pasta
- Wide skillet or sauté pan
- Whisk
- Tongs or a spatula
📝 Step-by-Step Instructions: How to Make Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the penne until just al dente—tender with a little bite in the center. Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining.
- Season the chicken. Pat the chicken dry so it browns properly. Toss with half the salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Sear the chicken. Heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook 4–6 minutes, stirring once or twice. You’re looking for light golden color and opaque centers. If you cut a piece open, it should be juicy with no raw center. Transfer to a plate.
- Start the sauce. Lower heat to medium. Add butter, then garlic, stirring for about 30 seconds until fragrant. If the garlic starts browning, the pan is too hot.
- Build the roux. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute. It should look blond and smell nutty, not toasted or dark.
- Create the cream sauce. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth until smooth, then add the cream. Stir in the remaining salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and paprika. Simmer 2–3 minutes until the sauce thickens just enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Finish the sauce properly. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes. Remove the skillet from heat and whisk in the Parmesan. The sauce should turn smooth and glossy—if it looks grainy, the heat was too high.
- Bring it all together. Add the chicken and any juices back to the skillet along with the drained pasta. Toss over low heat, adding reserved pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce clings to the pasta instead of sitting at the bottom of the pan.
- Final check. The dish is ready when the chicken is hot but still juicy, the pasta looks glossy, and the sauce coats every piece without being soupy.
🔄 Substitutions & Variations
- Chicken thighs: Boneless thighs work well; cook until fully tender (about 175–185°F)
- Heat level: Skip or double the red pepper flakes
- Greens: Stir in spinach at the end until just wilted
- Pasta swaps: Rigatoni or fettuccine both hold the sauce well
💡 Meat Nerd Tips
- Dry chicken = better browning so don’t skip patting it dry with paper towels.
- Use a wide pan so the sauce reduces instead of steaming. It will also help you get a better sear on the chicken.
- Add the Parmesan cheese off the heat to keep the sauce smooth
- Pasta water is your safety net—use it when you need to loosen the sauce without ruining the viscosity.
🍽️ How to Serve Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- Serve straight from the skillet with extra Parmesan and torn basil
- Pair with a crisp green salad or roasted broccolini to cut the richness
- Add crusty bread for scooping up every last ounce of sauce
- Finish with cracked black pepper or chili flakes at the table
🧊 Storage, Reheating, and Leftovers
- Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days
- Reheat over low heat on the stovetop with a splash of broth or cream
Have you tried this recipe? Do us a favor and rate the recipe card with the ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ and drop a comment to help out the next reader.
Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 oz penne pasta
- 1 ½ lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper divided
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes drained and thinly sliced
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- Fresh basil to garnish
Instructions
Boil the pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook 12 oz penne until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water; drain.
Cook the chicken
- Pat dry 1½ lb chicken. Toss with ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, and ½ tsp Italian seasoning.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high.
- Add chicken in a single layer; cook 4–6 min, stirring once or twice, until lightly browned and just cooked through. Chicken is done when pieces are opaque and juicy when cut, not dry and fibrous, and reach 165°F with a meat thermometer. Transfer to a plate.
Make the sauce
- Reduce heat to medium. Add 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Stir in 4 minced garlic cloves; cook for 30 sec.
- Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of flour and cook for 1 min, stirring, to form a blond roux.
- Gradually whisk in 2 cups chicken broth until smooth.
- Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the heavy cream.
- Stir in the red pepper flakes, paprika, and the remaining ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, and ½ tsp Italian seasoning. Simmer for 2–3 min until lightly thickened.
- Stir in ½ cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes.
- Off heat, whisk in ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan until melted and silky. If the sauce is too thick, loosen with splashes of reserved pasta water.
Mix in the chicken and pasta
- Return the chicken along with its juices to the skieeded.
- Add drained penne and toss over low heat until coated and glossy. If the sauce tightens up after tossing, add 1–2 Tbsp pasta water and toss again. The sauce is right when it coats the pasta and doesn’t pool at the bottom of the skillet.
Serve
- Garnish with fresh basil and extra Parmesan. Serve hot.
Notes
- Cut chicken evenly (1-inch pieces). Even size = fast cooking without drying out the small bits.
- Don’t skip drying the chicken. Dry chicken browns. Wet chicken steams and tastes like regret.
- Garlic burns fast. If it starts browning in the butter, pull the pan off heat for a few seconds and keep stirring.
- Add Parmesan off the heat. This is the difference between silky and grainy.
- Pasta water is the sauce “glue.” Add a splash at a time until the sauce clings and looks glossy.
Nutrition
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❓ FAQs
Marry Me Chicken Pasta is a creamy chicken pasta made with garlic, Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, and a lightly spiced cream sauce. It’s based on the popular Mary Me Chicken flavor profile (which is essentially a Tuscan chicken recipe), adapted into a pasta dinner.
Yes. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work well and stay especially tender. Cook until fully opaque and tender; thighs are best around 175–185°F.
Cream sauces turn grainy when the heat is too high, especially when adding Parmesan. Remove the pan from the heat before stirring in the cheese, so it melts smoothly.
Short, ridged pasta like penne or rigatoni works best because it holds the sauce. Fettuccine also works if you prefer long noodles.
Yes, but results vary. Half-and-half works if kept over low heat. Milk alone is more likely to split and won’t produce the same texture.
