Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Get ready to fall head over heels with our Marry Me Chicken Pasta! This irresistible dish features tender chicken bathed in a luscious cream sauce, with a kick of crispy chili oil for that perfect balance of heat and savory goodness. Toss in some sun-dried tomatoes and fresh herbs for a meal that’s as romantic as it is delicious!
Prep
15
min
Cook
25
min
Serves
2
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
This viral TikTok sensation isn't actually Italian—it's a 2010s American creation that hijacked classic Italian techniques and threw in sun-dried tomatoes like confetti at a wedding, because apparently adding 'marry me' to anything makes millennials think they've discovered culinary romance when really they've just made chicken alfredo with commitment issues and a social media complex.
Regional Twist
In Tuscany's Chianti region, they ditch the heavy cream entirely and use the sun-dried tomatoes packed in their own Tuscan olive oil, adding fresh porcini mushrooms and finishing with aged Pecorino Romano instead of Parmesan for a earthier, less Instagram-friendly result.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1.2 lbs (544 g) chicken breast
- 1 ¼ cups (296 ml) heavy cream
- 1 lemon zest
- ½ cup (118 ml) parmesan reggiano
- ¾ lbs (340 g) pasta
- ⅓ cup (78 ml) sun-dried tomatoes
- 3 tbsp (44 ml) tomato paste
- ¼ cup (59 ml) white wine
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- basil leaves (to taste)
- black pepper (to taste)
- 1 cup (237 ml) chicken stock
- crispy chili in oil (to taste)
- garlic (to taste)
- lemon juice (to taste)
- olive oil (to taste)
- onion (to taste)
- oregano (to taste)
- reserved pasta water (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- unsalted butter (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add to a cold pan with olive oil, then turn heat to medium-high (375°F / 190°C). Sear until golden, 5–7 minutes. Flip and cook 2–3 minutes more. Remove and set aside.
- 2
In the same pan, melt butter. Add onion and garlic and cook 2–3 minutes until soft and fragrant.
- 3
Add tomato paste and cook 2 minutes until it darkens and caramelizes.
- 4
Pour in white wine; cook 1–2 minutes until alcohol evaporates. Add chicken stock.
- 5
Bring to a gentle simmer. Add heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes, crispy chili in oil, oregano, lemon zest and juice, and basil. Simmer 2–3 minutes.
- 6
Return chicken to the pan and keep heat on low while cooking pasta.
- 7
Boil pasta in salted water (212°F / 100°C) until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water.
- 8
Remove chicken; add pasta to the sauce. Loosen with pasta water as needed.
- 9
Stir in Parmesan. Slice chicken and serve over the pasta. Toss once more if needed so the sauce coats everything perfectly.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Start chicken in a cold pan with oil to render fat slowly and prevent the protein from seizing, creating a more even golden crust at 375°F.technique375°F
- ✓Cook tomato paste for exactly 2 minutes until it darkens to develop glutamates and concentrate umami flavors through the Maillard reaction.timing2 minutes
- ✓Reserve pasta water at a 4:1 starch-to-liquid ratio when draining al dente pasta, as the concentrated starches create better sauce emulsification than plain water.technique4:1 ratio
- ✓Deglaze with white wine and cook for 1-2 minutes to evaporate the alcohol (boiling point 173°F) while preserving the wine's acidity for sauce balance.timing173°F alcohol evaporation
- ✓Keep chicken on low heat after returning to pan to maintain internal temperature at 165°F without overcooking the proteins into tough, dry fibers.technique165°F
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
25
min
Serves
2
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Get ready to fall head over heels with our Marry Me Chicken Pasta! This irresistible dish features tender chicken bathed in a luscious cream sauce, with a kick of crispy chili oil for that perfect balance of heat and savory goodness. Toss in some sun-dried tomatoes and fresh herbs for a meal that’s as romantic as it is delicious!
The Story
This viral TikTok sensation isn't actually Italian—it's a 2010s American creation that hijacked classic Italian techniques and threw in sun-dried tomatoes like confetti at a wedding, because apparently adding 'marry me' to anything makes millennials think they've discovered culinary romance when really they've just made chicken alfredo with commitment issues and a social media complex.
Regional Twist
In Tuscany's Chianti region, they ditch the heavy cream entirely and use the sun-dried tomatoes packed in their own Tuscan olive oil, adding fresh porcini mushrooms and finishing with aged Pecorino Romano instead of Parmesan for a earthier, less Instagram-friendly result.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1.2 lbs (544 g) chicken breast
- 1 ¼ cups (296 ml) heavy cream
- 1 lemon zest
- ½ cup (118 ml) parmesan reggiano
- ¾ lbs (340 g) pasta
- ⅓ cup (78 ml) sun-dried tomatoes
- 3 tbsp (44 ml) tomato paste
- ¼ cup (59 ml) white wine
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- basil leaves (to taste)
- black pepper (to taste)
- 1 cup (237 ml) chicken stock
- crispy chili in oil (to taste)
- garlic (to taste)
- lemon juice (to taste)
- olive oil (to taste)
- onion (to taste)
- oregano (to taste)
- reserved pasta water (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- unsalted butter (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add to a cold pan with olive oil, then turn heat to medium-high (375°F / 190°C). Sear until golden, 5–7 minutes. Flip and cook 2–3 minutes more. Remove and set aside.
- 2
In the same pan, melt butter. Add onion and garlic and cook 2–3 minutes until soft and fragrant.
- 3
Add tomato paste and cook 2 minutes until it darkens and caramelizes.
- 4
Pour in white wine; cook 1–2 minutes until alcohol evaporates. Add chicken stock.
- 5
Bring to a gentle simmer. Add heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes, crispy chili in oil, oregano, lemon zest and juice, and basil. Simmer 2–3 minutes.
- 6
Return chicken to the pan and keep heat on low while cooking pasta.
- 7
Boil pasta in salted water (212°F / 100°C) until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water.
- 8
Remove chicken; add pasta to the sauce. Loosen with pasta water as needed.
- 9
Stir in Parmesan. Slice chicken and serve over the pasta. Toss once more if needed so the sauce coats everything perfectly.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Start chicken in a cold pan with oil to render fat slowly and prevent the protein from seizing, creating a more even golden crust at 375°F.technique375°F
- ✓Cook tomato paste for exactly 2 minutes until it darkens to develop glutamates and concentrate umami flavors through the Maillard reaction.timing2 minutes
- ✓Reserve pasta water at a 4:1 starch-to-liquid ratio when draining al dente pasta, as the concentrated starches create better sauce emulsification than plain water.technique4:1 ratio
- ✓Deglaze with white wine and cook for 1-2 minutes to evaporate the alcohol (boiling point 173°F) while preserving the wine's acidity for sauce balance.timing173°F alcohol evaporation
- ✓Keep chicken on low heat after returning to pan to maintain internal temperature at 165°F without overcooking the proteins into tough, dry fibers.technique165°F