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Marry Me Chicken Pasta

Easy Marry Me Chicken Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

5 from 2 votes
This easy Marry Me Chicken Pasta features juicy, seasoned chicken breast tossed with pasta in a rich and creamy Parmesan sauce loaded with garlic, shallots, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh spinach. A splash of white wine adds extra depth, while chicken stock and heavy cream create a silky sauce that coats every bite. It’s an impressive, restaurant-quality dinner that comes together in about 40 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Calories: 700
Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken
  • 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 1 tsp Bayou City Garlic Pepper
  • 1 tsp Bayou City All Purpose
  • 1 tsp italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne optional
For the Pasta & Sauce
  • 8 oz pasta penne, fettuccine, or your choice)
  • 2 tbs olive oil from the sun-dried tomato jar
  • 1 small shallot diced
  • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine optional
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup parmesan grated
  • 2 cups spinach
  • 1 tsp italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
  • fresh basil or parsley garnish

Equipment

  • Large skillet
  • Pot for boiling pasta
  • tongs
  • Wooden spoon
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • Knife and cutting board

Method
 

Cook the pasta.
  1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until just al dente according to the package instructions. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of pasta water. Drain and set aside.
Prepare the chicken.
  1. Pat the chicken breasts dry and cut them into bite-sized pieces or strips. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
Sear the chicken.
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken and cook for about 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
Build the flavor base.
  1. Reduce the heat to medium and add the olive oil from the sun dried tomato jar to the same skillet. Add the shallot and sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another 30–60 seconds, just until fragrant.
Deglaze the pan.
  1. If using white wine, pour it into the skillet and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Allow the wine to simmer for 2–3 minutes, or until reduced by roughly half.
  2. If you're skipping the wine, simply move straight to the chicken stock.
Make the cream sauce.
  1. Pour in the chicken stock and allow it to simmer for 2–3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the heavy cream, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes.
  2. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Avoid a hard boil so the cream doesn't separate.
Add the Parmesan and spinach.
  1. Gradually stir in the freshly grated Parmesan until melted and the sauce is smooth. Add the spinach and cook for 1–2 minutes, until wilted.
Bring everything together.
  1. Return the chicken to the skillet along with the cooked pasta. Toss until everything is completely coated in the creamy sauce.
  2. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, and seasonings as needed.
Serve.
  1. Finish with freshly chopped parsley, plenty of freshly grated Parmesan, and a little cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

For the best sauce, use freshly grated Parmesan rather than pre-shredded cheese. It melts much more smoothly into the cream.
If using wine, a dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Chardonnay works well. The wine is completely optional; additional chicken stock can be substituted.
Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil work especially well here. Drain off most of the excess oil before chopping them.
Don't overcook your pasta before adding it to the sauce. Cooking it just to al dente allows it to finish in the skillet and absorb some of the creamy sauce.
For an extra flavor boost, add 1–2 tablespoons of the sun-dried tomato oil to the skillet when cooking the chicken or shallots.