So good it’s said to win hearts with just one mouthful. Marry Me Chicken Pasta is one of those meals that, despite being pretty quick and easy to make, you know is made with love. Golden seasoned chunks of chicken, pan fried with garlicky butter and sun-dried tomatoes, finished with a creamy-parmesan sauce and served over pasta.
‘Marry Me Chicken’ is said to have been developed by a recipe creator working for Delish. The producer’s response upon taste-testing was ‘I’d marry you for that chicken!’
I’ve tweaked a few bits of that original recipe and I like to toss it together with fresh pasta too.
As usual, it went through several rounds of testing. My first version wasn’t as popular at home, with my kids describing it as ‘I’m-not-looking-for-anything-serious-right-now Pasta’! 😆 But with a bit of finessing, I managed to get this recipe perfect!
That creamy, parmesan sauce coats the chicken and pasta perfectly with little bursts of sweetness from the sun-dried tomatoes, that fills the soul. This is truly a marriage-worthy dish!
📋 Ingredients
Pasta – I use fresh Tagliatelle but you can use dried instead, see the notes section if you are using dried.
Chicken – We’re using chicken breast chunks in this recipe, and coating them in seasoned cornflour (cornstarch in USA) for flavour and colour.
Oil – Use a neutral oil, like avocado, sunflower, or vegetable oil.
Sun-dried Tomatoes – I use store bought sun-dried tomatoes with garlic and oregano from the deli section, but you can use your favourite type.
Seasonings – We’re using salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, and chilli flakes.
📺 Watch how to make it
***Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post***
- Coat the chicken chunks in cornflour, salt and pepper, then fry until browned all over in a pan with the butter and oil.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta as per the packet instructions.
- Add the garlic, spring onions, chilli flakes, oregano, and sun-dried tomatoes to the pan with the chicken and stir together.
- Stir in the chicken stock, cream, and lemon juice, then add the cooked, and drained pasta.
- Finally, stir in the parmesan and basil and you’re ready to serve!
Pro Tip
If you don’t want the extra background heat, you can leave out the dried chilli flakes, or add more if you like it extra spicy!
It’s so simple to make but PACKED with flavour!
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🍽️ What to serve it with
🍲 More fantastic pasta dishes
? Frequently Asked Questions
Pasta dishes like these are usually best served straight away. However, if you have leftovers, you can cool, cover and refrigerate right away. It should keep well in the fridge for up to two days.
Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 3-4 minutes, stirring a few times whilst reheating.
You may want to add a splash of water, stock and/or cream to loosen up the pasta, as the pasta will absorb more sauce during storage and reheating.
No, I don’t recommend freezing this pasta dish.
– If you’d like to add some vegetables in there, add peas (just add frozen peas right to the pan) or mushrooms as you’re getting towards the end of frying the chicken, or stir in baby spinach at the end.
– Replace the cream with creme fraiche for a slightly lighter version. If you’re using a lower fat version, just heat it through gently, as low fat dairy will often split (full fat creme fraiche can be boiled and simmered though).
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Mix the cornflour, salt and pepper together. Add the chicken and toss together to coat.
2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch in USA), ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp paprika, 600 g (1.3 lbs) chicken breast, chopped into chunky pieces
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Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan over a medium-high heat.
2 tbsp neutral oil, 1 tbsp unsalted butter
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Add the chicken and cook for 7-8 minutes, turning a couple of times until browned all over.
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Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil for the pasta.
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To the frying pan, add the garlic, spring onions, chilli flakes, oregano and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir together and cook for two minutes.
3 cloves garlic, 3 spring onions (scallions), 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (red pepper flakes), 1 tsp dried oregano, 75 g sundried tomatoes in oil
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Add the chicken stock, cream and lemon juice. Stir together and bring to a gentle simmer.
240 ml (1 cup) chicken stock, 120 ml (1/2 cup) double (heavy ) cream, 1 tbsp lemon juice
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Add the pasta to the pan of boiling water and cook as per the pack instructions (usually 2-3 minutes).
400 g (14 oz) fresh tagliatelle
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Drain the pasta, then add to the pan with the chicken.
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Add the parmesan and basil then toss together using a set of tongs.
50 g (1/2 packed cup) grated parmesan, 10-15 fresh basil leaves
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Serve topped with extra parmesan, basil and black pepper.
Parmesan, Basil, Black pepper
Pasta dishes like these are usually best served straight away. However, if you have leftovers, you can cool, cover and refrigerate right away. It should keep well in the fridge for up to two days.
Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 3-4 minutes, stirring a few times whilst reheating.
You may want to add a splash of water, stock and/or cream to loosen up the pasta, as the pasta will absorb more sauce during storage and reheating.
No, I don’t recommend freezing this pasta dish.
– If you’d like to add some vegetables in there, add peas (just add frozen peas right to the pan) or mushrooms as you’re getting towards the end of frying the chicken, or stir in baby spinach at the end.
– Replace the cream with creme fraiche for a slightly lighter version. If you’re using a lower fat version, just heat it through gently, as low fat dairy will often split (full fat creme fraiche can be boiled and simmered though).
Nutritional information is approximate, per serving (this recipes serves 4).
Calories: 710kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 222mg | Sodium: 890mg | Potassium: 1142mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1322IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 187mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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