Marry me chicken pasta is creamy, a little smoky, and loaded with sun dried tomatoes and parmesan in every bite. Tender chicken and penne get tossed together in one skillet, and the whole thing is on the table in about 30 minutes. There’s no wine and no heavy chopping list here, just a handful of pantry staples that build a genuinely rich sauce. It’s the kind of dinner that turns a random Tuesday into something worth sitting down for.
The Pasta That Lives Up to Its Name
I have made a version of Marry Me Chicken more times than I can count. As the story goes, it got its name when someone tasted the original skillet chicken and joked they would marry whoever made it and honestly, after one bite of this sauce, I completely understand why. I now make it with pasta because it feels like a waste not to use that beautiful, creamy sauce with a good pasta.
What makes my version a little different is that I skip the wine and build the flavour with browned tomato paste and a touch of smoked paprika instead. It gives the sauce a deeper, almost roasted flavour without adding another ingredient to the shopping list. I also cook the pasta separately rather than in the sauce itself, which keeps the sauce silky instead of starchy and lets me control exactly how thick I want it.
This is the dinner I make when I want something that feels special without turning my weeknight upside down. Thomas asks for extra Parmesan on top every single time, and I usually round out the meal with a slice of my Garlic Parmesan Bread to mop up the sauce.
If you love this sun-dried tomato and Parmesan combination, my Marry Me Salmon recipe uses the same base without the pasta and with salmon, and it is just as good spooned over rice.
Key Ingredients:
All ingredients and their amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Chicken Breasts: I cut these into bite size pieces so they cook fast and pick up plenty of seasoning on every side. I season them directly in the skillet rather than marinating ahead of time, since the spices toast slightly as the chicken sears and that is where a lot of the flavor comes from. I’ve tested this with chicken thighs too, and they work well if you prefer them, though they will take a minute or two longer to cook through.
Smoked Paprika: This is the ingredient that sets my version apart from a lot of marry me chicken pasta recipes. I love using it instead of relying on wine for depth, since it gives the sauce a subtle smokiness without adding another bottle to the grocery list. Regular paprika will work in a pinch, but you will lose that little bit of smoky backbone.
Tomato Paste: I recommend actually cooking the tomato paste in the skillet for about a minute before adding the cream. It looks like a small step, but letting it darken slightly concentrates the flavor and gets rid of that raw, tinny taste tomato paste can have straight from the can.
Sun Dried Tomatoes: I like using the finely chopped kind packed in oil because they soften into the sauce and disappear into every bite rather than sitting on top as big chewy pieces. If all you have on hand is sun dried tomato paste, that works too. I’ve tested this with about a tablespoon of the paste in place of the chopped tomatoes, and the flavor comes through just as well, though the sauce loses a little of its texture.
Heavy Cream: This is what turns the tomato and parmesan base into an actual sauce, and I do not recommend substituting it with milk or half and half here. I’ve tested lighter substitutes in similar sauces before, and they tend to break or turn thin instead of clinging to the pasta the way heavy cream does.
Parmesan Cheese: I always grate this fresh off the block rather than using the pre shredded bags. Pre shredded parmesan is coated in anti caking starch, and it never melts into the sauce the same way. Freshly grated parmesan is what actually gives this sauce its creamy, almost velvety texture.
Penne Pasta: Penne is my go to here because the ridges and hollow center grab onto the sauce instead of letting it slide off. Rigatoni, farfalle or bowtie pasta would both work if that is what you have in the pantry.
How to Make Marry Me Chicken Pasta
A quick note before you start: use a large nonstick or stainless skillet for the chicken and sauce, and keep your heat at medium so the tomato paste and cream do not scorch as they cook down.
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente according to the package directions. I always reserve about half a cup of the pasta water before draining, since it is my backup plan if the sauce turns out thicker than I want later on.
2. Heat the olive oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium heat. I use both because the butter adds richness while the olive oil keeps it from burning too quickly.
3. Add the chicken pieces and season with all the spices. Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is golden and cooked through, then remove it from the skillet and set it aside. I pull the chicken out here instead of leaving it in the pan because it keeps cooking in the sauce later, and I would rather it stay juicy than dry out.
4. In the same skillet, add the chopped onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Stir in the fresh garlic and cook for another 30 seconds over medium-low heat, just until fragrant. I never skip scraping up the browned bits left behind from the chicken here, since that is really where a lot of the flavor in this sauce comes from. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about a minute, letting it darken slightly. This step is easy to rush, but giving the paste that extra minute deepens the flavor of the whole sauce.
5. Pour in the heavy cream and bring it to a gentle simmer. Stir in the grated parmesan and the chopped sun dried tomatoes, then simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens and turns glossy. I keep the heat gentle here on purpose, since cream sauces can separate if they boil too hard.
6. Return the chicken to the skillet, add the drained pasta, and toss everything together until the pasta is well coated. If the sauce looks tighter than you would like, stir in a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it back up. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, then garnish with fresh basil or parsley and serve immediately.
Olivia’s Recipe Tips
Cut the chicken pieces evenly. I aim for pieces roughly the same size so they all finish cooking at the same time. Uneven pieces mean some end up dry while others are still undercooked.
This recipe freezes if you need it to, but be prepared for the texture to change. The cream sauce looks slightly separated once it thaws. A gentle reheat over low heat with a splash of cream or milk, stirred often, brings it back together.
Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 oz dried penne pasta half a standard box
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup white onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 pound chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes finely chopped (or use sun-dried tomato paste)
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve about ½ cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces and season with Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is golden and cooked through. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the chopped onion and cook for 2–3 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about 1 minute, allowing it to darken slightly and deepen in flavor.
- Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the grated Parmesan and the chopped sun-dried tomatoes (or sun-dried tomato paste). Simmer for 2–3 minutes, until the sauce thickens and becomes smooth.
- Return the chicken to the skillet. Add the drained pasta and toss well to coat. If needed, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Garnish with fresh basil and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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