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A skillet filled with marry me chicken pasta, loaded with chicken pieces, sun-dried tomatoes, creamy sauce, grated cheese, and garnished with fresh basil leaves.
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Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe

Looking for the viral marry me chicken pasta but don't want to waste your time (or your groceries) on a recipe that doesn't work? We've tested this one to make sure the sauce is silky, the chicken stays juicy, and the flavor is better than you're expecting.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian, Italian-American, Mediterranean
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 942kcal
Author: Abi Gunasekaran

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.
    A bowl of cooked pasta.

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.
    Chunks of cooked chicken breast in a black cast iron skillet, surrounded by bowls of shredded cheese, black pepper, broth, and a striped cloth napkin.

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.
    A cast iron skillet with melted butter and flour, surrounded by bowls of broth, grated cheese, pepper, and a pitcher of milk on a countertop.
  • 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.
    A cast iron skillet contains a creamy sauce with dried herbs, chili flakes, paprika, and black pepper. Surrounding the skillet are bowls of sun-dried tomatoes, grated cheese, and a small pitcher of cream.
  • 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.
    A skillet with creamy sauce, grated cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes, next to a bowl of cooked penne pasta and a striped kitchen towel.

Mix in the chicken and pasta

  • Return the chicken along with its juices to the skieeded.
    A cast iron skillet with cooked penne pasta, grilled chicken pieces, and creamy sauce, placed on a light surface next to a striped napkin.
  • 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

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 942kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 57g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 200mg | Sodium: 1078mg | Potassium: 1242mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1582IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 243mg | Iron: 3mg