Marry Me Chicken Pasta is an easy yet impressive meal made with perfectly cooked chicken and pasta, coated in a beautiful creamy sun-dried tomato sauce. A restaurant-quality dinner ready in about 30 minutes!

If you’re looking for more creamy pasta ideas, you might like my Baked Feta Chicken Pasta! Or if you need a dairy-free option, try my Creamy Vegan One-Pot Pasta.

A closeup of Marry Me Chicken Pasta in a white bowl garnished with finely grated parmesan and sliced fresh basil.

Why you’ll love this recipe

Marry Me Chicken has been having a moment on Tik Tok and social media in general. The rich, creamy sauce looked absolutely delicious and perfect for pairing with pasta. We think you’ll love our version because it’s

A date night worthy dish that tastes restaurant quality. It’s perfect for Valentine’s Day, a birthday or an anniversary meal.
Quick to make and on the table in about 30 minutes!
Made with simple, whole food ingredients that come together to make an incredibly tasty meal that will have you doing a happy dance in your chair.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this Marry Me Chicken Pasta recipe. See the recipe card below for full details!

Short pasta – we used casarecce, but any short pasta will work! Penne, fusilli or farfalle (bow tie pasta) would be delicious!
Chicken breast – cut into bite-size pieces. You can substitute chicken thighs if you prefer.
Extra-virgin olive oil – for sautéing the chicken. Grapeseed and avocado oil work too.
Butter – for sautéing the onion and garlic and provides the fat for the roux.
Onion and garlic – to deepen the savoury flavours.
Flour – creates a roux with the butter to thicken the sauce .
Chicken broth – to deglaze the pan and forms the base of the cream sauce.
Sun-dried tomatoes – adds sweet, tangy and savoury flavours to the sauce. A must-have ingredient for this recipe!
Italian seasoning and paprika – for flavour and colour.
Heavy cream – the best option for cream sauce as it creates a thick, velvety coating on the pasta. Lower fat dairy won’t give the same rich result and may separate when heated.
Parmesan – freshly grated is best. You can sub Pecorino Romano if you prefer a stronger cheese flavour.
Fresh basil – adds beautiful colour and fresh flavour to the dish.

Ingredients needed to make Marry Me Chicken Pasta on a wooden table viewed from overhead with text label overlays.

How to make it

First, get the pasta cooking. When the pasta is done, reserve about a half cup of pasta cooking water, drain and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, sauté the chicken and make the sauce. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and the cubed chicken. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until nicely browned and fully cooked through (photo 1). Transfer the chicken to a clean plate.

In the same skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and sauté the onion until softened and fragrant. Add the minced garlic and sauté for a minute.

Next, sprinkle in the flour to create a roux (photo 2). Stir until the onion and garlic are well coated and continue to sauté for about 2 minutes to cook the flour. Slowly whisk in the broth a bit at a time until the sauce is smooth and thickened (photo 3).

A six-photo process collage showing the steps to make Marry Me Chicken Pasta.

Next, stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning and paprika, then turn the heat down to low and add the heavy cream, parmesan and fresh basil (photo 4). Simmer to let the flavours blend.

Finally, add the cooked chicken and pasta (photo 5). Toss until well coated and warmed through. Add a splash of reserved pasta cooking water to loosen the sauce, if needed.

Marry Me Chicken Pasta being served into a white pasta bowl by a black serving spoon.

Tips for Success

Use an instant-read meat thermometer to check your chicken for doneness. It should have an internal temperature of 165°F for food safety.
To thicken the sauce nicely, create a light roux without clumps. Evenly sprinkle the flour over the onion/garlic/butter mixture and stir constantly to avoid clumps. Let the flour cook off for 2-3 minutes, then slowly whisk in the broth a bit at a time, allowing it to simmer long enough to thicken into a smooth texture.
Choose a short pasta variety that “grabs” the sauce and cook until just al dente. The pasta will continue to cook in the warm sauce, so you don’t want to overdo it when boiling.

Marry Me Chicken Pasta in a white pasta bowl garnished with finely grated parmesan and sliced basil, viewed from overhead on a wooden table.

What to serve with Marry Me Chicken Pasta

Our favourite side dishes are

Garlic bread – perfect for scooping up any remaining sauce in your bowl.
A simple green salad – to balance the richness of the pasta, while adding colour and nutrition.
Roasted veggies – our go-to if we don’t have salad greens.

More easy pasta recipes

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