This is one of the best pastas I’ve ever made. This Marry Me Chicken Pasta recipe is so tasty and full of flavor. You only need a few simple ingredients to make this easy pasta dish that might get you a marriage proposal!
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Not only is it a great date night meal, but it’s also a great crowd pleaser for any special occasion or busy weeknights!
If you love easy pasta dishes with a creamy sauce like this, you will love my Creamier Carbonara, Caramelized Onion Pasta & Bacon & Brie Gnocchi.
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Everything you'll need to make this Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- Chicken thighs
- Red peppers
- Yellow onion
- Tomato paste
- Sundried tomatoes
- Heavy cream
- Shell pasta
- Garlic powder
- Paprika powder
- Chili flakes
- salt & pepper
- Fresh Parsley
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Fry the Chicken.
Sautée the veggies & Make the Sauce.
Adding the Pasta.
Garnish with fresh Parsley & Enjoy!
- Marinate the Chicken: To begin, dice the chicken & generously season your chicken thighs with the specified spices and a drizzle of olive oil. Marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight, this isn't mandatory, but highly recommended.
- Fry the Chicken: Next, heat a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken thighs for roughly 7 minutes, or until they're fully cooked and sport a golden brown hue. Transfer them to a bowl and set aside, maintaining the oil in the pan.
- Sautée the veggies: In the same skillet, sauté the diced red peppers and onion over medium heat for about 7 minutes. Then, introduce the tomato paste and chopped sun-dried tomatoes, ensuring thorough incorporation.
- Make the Sauce: Pour in the cream and sprinkle in all the listed spices. Once the mixture is well combined, reintroduce the cooked chicken and pasta.
- Adding the Pasta: Ensure the pasta is cooked al dente (not overly soft). Allow everything to simmer together for an additional 5 minutes until the sauce reaches your desired thickness.
- Voila! Your dish is now ready to be savored!
Full recipe card is all the way at the end! (scroll all the way down:)
Substitutions
- Chicken Thighs: Substitute with chicken breasts, drumsticks, or tenderloins.
- Red Peppers: Use orange, yellow, or green bell peppers, or roasted red peppers.
- Yellow Onion: Replace with white onion, red onions, or shallots.
- Tomato Paste: Substitute with tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, or tomato puree.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Use fresh tomatoes, tomato paste, or roasted red bell peppers.
- Heavy Cream: Substitute with half-and-half, evaporated milk, chicken stock, chicken broth or coconut cream.
- Shell Pasta: Use penne pasta, rotini, fusilli, farfalle, or macaroni pasta.
Equipment
Storage for this Easy Marry Me Pasta with Chicken Recipe
To store, allow it to cool completely, and refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
To reheat, microwave portions with a splash of water to prevent drying, or gently reheat on the stovetop with a bit of cream to maintain moisture. Avoid overcooking to preserve texture and flavor.
To freeze, portion it into freezer-safe containers or bags, ensuring to remove as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating following the instructions for reheating.
3 Top Tips for Success
1. Marinate thoroughly: Allow the chicken to marinate with spices and olive oil resulting in a juicy chicken! Overnight marination is ideal, but even a shorter time will enhance taste.
2. Properly cooked pasta is key: Do not overcook the pasta, we want al dente!
3. Don’t overdo it with the sun dried tomatoes: Balancing all these delicious flavors is the key to a flavorful sauce! Make sure to cut up the sun dried tomatoes super fine so that you don’t overpower the sauce.
FAQ's for this Easy Marry Me Pasta with Chicken Recipe
To marry pasta with sauce properly, ensure the pasta is cooked al dente. Then, combine the drained pasta with the prepared sauce in a pan, tossing gently until evenly coated. Allow them to simmer together to combine flavors before serving.
Instead of sun-dried tomatoes, you can use fresh tomatoes that are diced and roasted until slightly dried, tomato paste for a more concentrated flavor, or roasted red bell peppers for a different flavor profile.
Marinating the chicken is recommended for enhanced flavor, but it's not mandatory. If time is limited, you can still achieve a tasty dish by seasoning the chicken generously before cooking.
Related
Looking for other pasta recipes like this? Try these:
Dessert Pairings
These are my favorite desserts to serve with this Easy Marry Me Pasta with Chicken Recipe:
Easy Marry Me Pasta with Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- To begin, generously season your chicken with the specified spices and a drizzle of olive oil. You can let it marinate overnight if you prefer, it's not mandatory, but highly recommended.
- Next, heat a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken thighs for roughly 7 minutes, or until they're fully cooked and sport a golden brown hue. Transfer them to a bowl and set aside, maintaining the oil in the pan.
- In the same skillet, sauté the diced red peppers and onion over medium heat for about 7 minutes. Then, introduce the tomato paste and chopped sun-dried tomatoes, ensuring thorough incorporation.
- Pour in the cream and sprinkle in all the listed spices. Once the mixture is well combined, reintroduce the cooked chicken. Let this simmer together for a bit, in a small bowl mix together 1 tablespoon all purpose flour with ¼ cup water until a smooth slurry forms.
- Take the sauce off the heat, & add the slurry & quickly mix it, so no lumps form. This will help your sauce thicken quicker!
- Finally, add in the cooked pasta. Ensure the pasta is cooked al dente (not overly soft). Allow everything to simmer together for an additional 5 minutes until the sauce reaches your desired thickness.
- Voila! Your dish is now ready to be savored!
Notes
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Seyer Avilo says
Came across your IG post and had to make it. My family of picky-eaters loved it. I did make a couple adjustments by using shallots vs onions, roasted peppers vs fresh and half the sun-dried tomatoes. The recipe is simple and sooo incredibly delicious. Thank you!
Maja Ilic says
Aw thank you so much for your kind review! Truly made my day!! I am so glad you and your family liked my recipe!! You are most welcome, have a beautiful day:)
Bella says
This recipe was absolutely delicious!! My partner and I added mushrooms, spinach and some chicken salt and it all came together so well! I definitely recommend!
Annie says
This is my first time following an online recipe as a new cook, it was simple and easy to follow recipe! It turned out delicious, highly recommend. I wish I could share a picture of how my dish turned out, but I can’t unfortunately! Don’t worry, It looks exactly the same as the pics, very aesthetically pleasing. I love the light but subtle hint of spice from the creamy pasta. <3
Anjie says
I loved how detailed this recipe was, which I followed it to create this delicious pasta. SO GOOD! I'm a fan of this site - it feel so much more accessible and easy to comprehend/follow than short videos.
Sarah says
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