Description
Marry Me Chicken Pasta is a creamy, flavorful Italian-American dish featuring tender bite-sized chicken pieces cooked with sun-dried tomatoes in a rich Parmesan and heavy cream sauce, tossed with al dente penne pasta and finished with fresh basil. Perfect for an easy yet impressive dinner that feels both comforting and romantic.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 ounces penne pasta
Chicken
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Cook the penne pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and set it aside for later.
- Season the chicken: In a bowl, season the sliced chicken breasts with salt, black pepper, and paprika to enhance flavor.
- Cook the chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken pieces and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown and fully cooked. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté garlic and sun-dried tomatoes: In the same skillet, add minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Make the sauce: Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream into the skillet, stirring to combine the ingredients. Add grated Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Simmer the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3-5 minutes.
- Combine chicken and pasta: Return the cooked chicken pieces to the skillet with the sauce. Add the drained pasta and toss everything together to coat the pasta evenly with the sauce.
- Finish cooking: Allow the pasta and chicken mixture to cook together for another 2 to 3 minutes until heated through and flavors meld.
- Add fresh basil and serve: Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the chopped fresh basil for bright flavor. Serve immediately while warm.
Notes
- For extra richness or to loosen the sauce, add a splash of reserved pasta water when tossing the pasta with the sauce.
- You can substitute fresh spinach for basil to vary the greens and add more nutrients.
- To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free penne pasta instead of regular pasta.
