Description
Marry Me Chicken Pasta is a creamy, flavorful dish featuring tender shredded chicken tossed with pasta in a rich sauce made from garlic, tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, and parmesan. This dish is perfect for a comforting dinner and can easily be prepared using simple pantry staples and a few fresh ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 tablespoon flour
- 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/3 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream (or whipping cream)
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt & pepper to taste
Chicken and Cheese
- 2 cups cooked or rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Fresh Herbs
- 1 small handful fresh basil, torn or chopped
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Prepare the Roux: In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour in and whisk continuously for about 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is bubbly and lightly golden to form a roux.
- Sauté Garlic and Tomato Paste: Add the minced garlic to the roux and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute to deepen the flavor.
- Deglaze with Wine or Broth: Pour in the dry white wine or chicken broth to deglaze the pan. Stir and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes, allowing the liquid to reduce slightly.
- Add Cream and Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Lower the heat and slowly whisk in the heavy cream. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper. Let the sauce simmer gently for 4-5 minutes to thicken and combine flavors.
- Incorporate Chicken and Cheese: Stir in the shredded cooked chicken and grated parmesan cheese. Allow everything to warm through and the cheese to melt completely into the sauce.
- Toss with Pasta and Herbs: Add the drained pasta directly to the skillet and gently toss to coat all the noodles with the creamy sauce. Remove from heat and stir in the fresh basil.
- Serve: Serve immediately with extra grated parmesan cheese on top and a sprinkle of additional fresh basil if desired.
Notes
- You can substitute the rotisserie chicken with leftover cooked chicken breast or thighs.
- If you don’t have white wine, chicken broth works well to add flavor without alcohol.
- For a lighter version, you can use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, though the sauce will be less rich.
- Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil should be drained; if using dry ones, rehydrate them in warm water for 10 minutes first.
- Adjust crushed red pepper flakes according to your spice preference.
Keywords: Marry Me Chicken Pasta, creamy chicken pasta, sun-dried tomato pasta, easy chicken dinner, one skillet pasta