This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
It really is true that Marry Me chicken is made so much better with the addition of pasta. This is Marry Me Pasta. The name “Marry Me Chicken” came from a viral tiktok that walked us all through a chicken recipe that was so good, that anyone would ate it would ask you to marry them. Yes, it really is that good.
The marry me chicken recipe is a creamy sauce with garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, so what better to add to it than pasta? The sauce is so tasty but so simple, coming together in one pan and then you just need one other pan to cook the pasta. That’s it. The other great part of this recipe is the addition of spinach in the sauce. It wilts down a lot but you know that this dinner does have a few greens in it too. I think it makes a great weeknight supper and it’s definitely one that everyone around the table will love.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love the recipe:
- Delicious outcome with minimal effort.
- Minimal washing up – one pan for the sauce and one to boil the pasta
- It takes 20 minutes to make which makes it a great weeknight option
- It’s easy to make substitutions/variations (see below) so you can use up things in the fridge.
Ingredients:
Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!
Chicken breasts – Chopped into bite-sized pieces, these are fried off to form the base of the sauce. I like to use free-range, ideally organic chicken but any will of course work. Thighs would also work.
Garlic – Two is enough in this recipe. Either use a garlic crusher, chop them or you could even grate in with a microplane.
Sundried tomatoes – I like the ones in the jar for this recipe rather than the fresh ones in the deli section. They are so sweet but tangy, I really love sundried tomatoes.
Tomato puree – I like double concentrate tomato puree here, which is usually the one available in the shops these days. The paste just adds a tomato note to the sauce without the need for a tin of tomatoes.
Spices – You will need dried oregano and smoked paprika. You will also need fresh basil.
Pasta – I use penne here, but you can use whatever shape you like. I think short pastas are best here as you can get a piece of chicken, spinach and pasta all in one mouthful. Rigatoni or paccheri would be great shapes for a Marry Me Pasta.
Parmesan – This adds a salty element and brings the whole sauce together.
Double cream – This is to make a creamy, thick sauce.
Spinach – regular spinach or baby leaf is great here. It’s a good one to use up the wilting handful in the fridge. For a hack, if you have spinach going bad in the fridge and not sure when you may next use it, pop the bag in the freezer. Then when you want to use it, add a handful and it wilts down immediately.
Substitutions and Variations
Chicken breasts: Chicken thighs also work well. You could sub for prawns, bacon or pancetta too. It’ll be less bulky of a portion but will be delicious, smoky and rich. Leaving out the chicken would also make a delicious sun-dried tomato creamy sauce.
Sundried tomatoes: This would also work without the sundried tomatoes, but they are a great addition. You could swap for chargrilled peppers in oi,l too or fresh cherry tomatoes would be good too in the summer months.
Double cream: You could also use any other cream-based product in the fridge. Since the recipe uses cooking water (or chicken stock), adding a healthy dollop of creme fraiche, mascarpone, cream cheese would make a good sauce. Or single cream (or a dairy-free ‘cream’) would work.
Parmesan: Obviously this has a good saltiness and strong flavour, but it would also work with other cheeses in the fridge. Try cheddar, gruyere, or pecorino.
Spinach: spinach is easy here as you just throw in a handful at the end to wilt down, but try adding broccoli, courgette, aubergine or even kale earlier in the recipe so it has time to cook down. I would add any extra veg into the pan alongside the garlic. You could also add a handful of kale or cavolo nero instead of spinach.
Here’s how to make delicious Marry Me Pasta
The full recipe is at the bottom of the page but these images show the recipe in a step-by-step format which might help piece it together.
ONE: While the pasta is cooking, take a large, deep frying pan and add the olive oil. Once it’s hot, add the chopped chicken. Season well and cook for 6 -8 minutes stirring occasionally until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the pan.
TWO: Reduce the heat and then in the same pan you cooked the chicken in, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds before adding the sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano and paprika. Cook for a few minutes to allow the sun tomatoes to soften.
THREE: Pour in the double cream and the pasta cooking water, tossing well and allow to bubble for a few minutes so the cream can thicken.
FOUR: Add the chicken and the cooked pasta to the sauce along with the spinach and stir well. After a minute the spinach should have wilted and the pasta will be perfectly cooked. Add more pasta cooking water if you think it needs it – it should be loose and glossy not stodgy.
Cooking Tips
How to store basil: any leftover basil should be stored in the following way to keep it alive and strong for a good week. Slice the ends off the basil stalks and place in a small glass or mug in around 1cm of water. Take a clean sandwich bag and cover the basil with it, pulling the bag down the glass. Then seal the sandwich bag around the glass/mug. Leave at room temp.
Cooking the chicken: since it’s chopped up, the chicken won’t take long to cook through and you don’t want to overcook it either. Don’t be afraid to cut a piece in half whilst it’s cooking to see how done it is. Once it’s all mixed into the sauce, no one will know.
Frequently Asked Questions
The name “marry me chicken” came from a viral tiktok that walked us all through a chicken recipe that was so good, anyone would ate it would ask you to marry them. Yes, it really is that good. I’ve made it with pasta here to make it a full meal, hence the name!
You can! I would omit the chicken (or swap for a plant-based alternative) and then make the sauce with dairy-free cream and cheese. If using stock rather than pasta water, make it vegetable stock.
You can keep covered or in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days.
You can reheat this just fine, it’s never quite as good as when freshly made but it works. I always add a splash of water to the bowl with the cold pasta before heating it in the microwave or on the stove on medium heat, until piping hot. The water means that it loosens the sauce up a bit and returns it to its loose, glossy form rather than stodgy. You could also add a splash of cream.
I don’t love freezing it as the pasta and the creamy sauce can develop a weird texture when defrosted. It only takes 30 minutes so it’s a quick one anyway!
I wouldn’t recommend it as it’s best fresh due to the cream content. It’s very quick though so it won’t take you long to make. If really needed, you could make the sauce from step 2 to step 4, adding the double cream and not the pasta water. Cool and transfer to a container. Place in fridge for a day until ready to use. When ready to use, place back in frying pan, boil pasta and add pasta water as instructed and continue from there.
Other weeknight pastas to try
Pasta is something I never tire of. Try this Pistachio Pesto Pasta, Penne Amatriciana, or Pasta al Pesto for pesto pasta ideas. My Greek Pasta Salad with Orzo is another must-try. Otherwise, this Pasta with Sausages and Nduja is spicy, smokey and creamy. Finally, if you just want another weeknight chicken pasta, you cannot go wrong with this Creamy Chicken Pasta.
Easy Pasta Recipes
Penne Amatriciana
Easy Pasta Recipes
How to Make Homemade Triangoli Pasta
Easy Pasta Recipes
How to Make Homemade Garganelli Pasta
Easy Pasta Recipes
Tomato Butter Pasta
Made this recipe and loved it?
I would love love LOVE if you could leave a review in the comments… I love hearing what you thought, any changes you made, the stories behind what made you try my recipes. Also, if you share a photo on Instagram, please tag me @desertislanddishes, it makes my day to see you making my creations!
Marry Me Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 boneless & skinless chicken breasts, (about 400g) cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 150 g sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp paprika
- 225 g dried pasta, I like penne for this but any pasta shape will work
- 150 ml pasta cooking water, or chicken stock
- 250 ml double cream, heavy cream
- 60 g parmesan, grated
- 60 g spinach
- Maldon salt and black pepper
- handful of basil leaves
Instructions
- Cook the water in boiling salty water until al dente – you want it to still have quite a bit of a bite as you finish cooking it in the sauce
- While the pasta is cooking, take a large, deep frying pan and add the olive oil. Once it’s hot, add the chopped chicken. Season well and cook for 6 -8 minutes stirring occasionally until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the pan.
- Reduce the heat and then in the same pan you cooked the chicken in, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds before adding the sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano and paprika. Cook for a few minutes to allow the sun tomatoes to soften.
- Pour in the double cream and the pasta cooking water, tossing well and allow to bubble for a few minutes so the cream can thicken.
- Add the chicken and the cooked pasta to the sauce along with the spinach and stir well. After a minute the spinach should have wilted and the pasta will be perfectly cooked. Add more pasta cooking water if you think it needs it – it should be loose and glossy not stodgy.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the parmesan and basil leaves. Scoop into bowls, top with more parmesan, fresh basil leaves, fresh black pepper and enjoy!
This was a lovely, I will definitely make again.