Creamy Marry Me Chicken Pasta (The 30-Minute Weeknight Dinner)
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Creamy Marry Me Chicken Pasta (The 30-Minute Weeknight Dinner)
Prep 10 min | Cook 20 min | Total 30 min | Serves 4
This creamy marry me chicken pasta takes the viral sun-dried tomato chicken dinner and tosses it with fettuccine — ready in 30 minutes with one pan to wash. Tender seared chicken, a silky Parmesan cream sauce studded with sun-dried tomatoes, and ribbons of pasta that catch every drop. It’s the weeknight dinner that tastes like a marriage proposal, and it’s on the table faster than takeout could arrive.
What You Need
- 12 oz (340g) fettuccine
- 1.5 lbs (680g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 cup (130g) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
- 1 tbsp (16g) tomato paste
- 2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup (100g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more to serve
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh basil leaves, torn, to serve
Recipe Steps
- Cook the pasta: boil the fettuccine in well-salted water until just al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
- Sear the chicken: season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and the Italian seasoning. Sear in the olive oil over medium-high heat for 5–6 minutes until golden and cooked through, then transfer to a plate.
- Build the flavor base: in the same pan, sauté the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and red pepper flakes and cook 30 seconds until the paste turns deep red.
- Make the creamy sauce: pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth, scraping up all the browned bits. Simmer gently for 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened, then stir in the Parmesan until the sauce is silky. Keep it at a gentle simmer — never a hard boil.
- Bring it together: return the chicken to the pan, add the pasta, and toss until every strand is coated, loosening with the reserved pasta water as needed. Serve topped with torn basil and extra Parmesan.
Tips & Variations
- Never let the cream boil hard — a gentle simmer keeps the sauce silky instead of grainy or split.
- The reserved pasta water is liquid gold: its starch loosens the sauce to a restaurant-style gloss without thinning the flavor.
- Chicken thighs work beautifully here — cut bite-size and sear 1–2 minutes longer; they stay juicier on reheats.
- Lighten it up: swap half the cream for evaporated milk and it still turns out lusciously creamy.
- Craving more creamy pasta? Our Creamy Garlic Parmesan One-Pan Pasta is a 20-minute one-pan classic, and our fall-favorite Creamy Pumpkin Pasta leans into the same cozy cream sauce. For a fusion twist, try the Creamy Butter Chicken Pasta.
Estimated nutrition per serving: ~680 cal | protein 42g | carbs 54g | fat 30g.
Marry me chicken pasta is fettuccine tossed in the viral marry me sauce — a creamy Parmesan sauce studded with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and tender seared chicken.
| Fettuccine | Penne | |
|---|---|---|
| Sauce cling | Excellent — wide ribbons hold the cream | Good — sauce pools inside the tubes |
| Best for | Date-night presentation | Easy family scooping |
| Cook time | 10–11 min | 11–12 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is marry me chicken pasta?
“Marry me chicken” is the viral nickname for chicken in a creamy sun-dried tomato Parmesan sauce — so good it’s supposedly proposal-worthy. This pasta version tosses that same silky sauce with fettuccine and seared chicken, turning the skillet classic into a 30-minute weeknight dinner.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?
Yes — boneless, skinless thighs stay juicier and reheat better than breasts. Cut them into bite-size pieces and give them 1–2 extra minutes in the sear so they cook through and pick up golden edges.
Can I make it ahead?
Cook the sauce and chicken up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate them together. When you’re ready, cook fresh pasta and toss everything in the pan — the sauce thickens on standing, so loosen it with reserved pasta water or a splash of cream.
How do I keep the cream sauce from splitting?
Keep the cream at a gentle simmer, never a rolling boil, and stir the Parmesan in off high heat until just melted. Freshly grated Parmesan melts far more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese, which is coated to resist melting.
Creamy Marry Me Chicken Pasta
This creamy marry me chicken pasta takes the viral sun-dried tomato chicken dinner and tosses it with fettuccine — ready in 30 minutes with one pan to wash. Tender seared chicken, a silky Parmesan cream sauce studded with sun-dried tomatoes, and ribbons of pasta that catch every drop.
Ingredients
12 oz (340g) fettuccine
1.5 lbs (680g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup (130g) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
1 tbsp (16g) tomato paste
2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream
1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup (100g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more to serve
1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper to taste
Fresh basil leaves, torn, to serve
Directions
- Cook the pasta: boil the fettuccine in well-salted water until just al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
- Sear the chicken: season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and the Italian seasoning. Sear in the olive oil over medium-high heat for 5–6 minutes until golden and cooked through, then transfer to a plate.
- Build the flavor base: in the same pan, sauté the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and red pepper flakes and cook 30 seconds until the paste turns deep red.
- Make the creamy sauce: pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth, scraping up all the browned bits. Simmer gently for 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened, then stir in the Parmesan until the sauce is silky. Keep it at a gentle simmer — never a hard boil.
- Bring it together: return the chicken to the pan, add the pasta, and toss until every strand is coated, loosening with the reserved pasta water as needed. Serve topped with torn basil and extra Parmesan.
What To Bake Next
Creamy Garlic Parmesan One-Pan Pasta
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