Description
Marry Me Chicken Pasta is a creamy, flavorful dish featuring tender chicken cutlets in a luscious sun-dried tomato and Parmesan sauce, served over perfectly cooked penne pasta. This recipe balances savory, tangy, and cheesy notes, making it a comforting and impressive meal for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 2 medium chicken breasts (approx. 20 ounces)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- Olive oil for drizzling
Pasta
- 16 oz. penne pasta
- Olive oil for tossing pasta
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (reserved from sun-dried tomatoes)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large shallot, chopped (or 1 tsp onion powder)
- 4-6 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups half and half (or milk whisked with 1 tablespoon cornstarch or evaporated milk mixed with 2 teaspoons cornstarch)
- 1 7-oz. jar sun-dried tomatoes, oil reserved, rinsed, drained, and roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon (powder, crushed cubes, or base)
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, packed (use micro grater)
- Fresh parsley or basil for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Cook the penne pasta in heavily salted boiling water until al dente. Before draining, reserve one cup of the pasta water. Drain and toss the pasta with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Prepare Chicken Cutlets: Slice each chicken breast horizontally through the middle to create four thin fillets. Place fillets between plastic wrap and gently pound with a meat mallet or side of a can to tenderize to even thickness.
- Season Chicken: In a small bowl, whisk together salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. Pat the chicken fillets dry, drizzle lightly with olive oil, and evenly coat both sides with the spice mixture. Set aside while preparing other ingredients.
- Cook Chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of reserved sun-dried tomato oil in a large braiser or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken cutlets for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 160°F. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes. Do not clean the skillet.
- Sauté Aromatics: Lower heat to medium, melt 2 tablespoons butter in the chicken drippings. Add chopped shallots and sauté for 3-4 minutes until tender, scraping up brown bits from the pan. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for 30 seconds more. Stir in tomato paste and flour, cooking for 1 minute while stirring to form a thick paste.
- Add Sauce Ingredients: Reduce heat to low. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and half and half, stirring continuously until smooth and combined. Stir in chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chicken bouillon, dried parsley, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Increase heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens.
- Incorporate Parmesan: Reduce heat to low and gradually add the freshly grated Parmesan cheese, stirring until the cheese is fully melted into the sauce.
- Add Chicken and Pasta: Chop or slice rested chicken and add it to the sauce along with the cooked pasta. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a little at a time to desired consistency. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley or basil if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy this creamy, comforting chicken pasta dish.
Notes
- Use a meat mallet or the flat side of a heavy can to gently pound chicken for even thickness and tender texture.
- Saving and using the olive oil from the sun-dried tomatoes adds extra flavor to the dish.
- If you don't have shallots, substitute with 1 teaspoon onion powder.
- If you lack fresh garlic, substitute minced garlic with 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
- For a lighter sauce, substitute half and half with milk combined with cornstarch to maintain thickness.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency and help sauce adhere to pasta better.
- Make sure to rest cooked chicken to retain juices and prevent dryness.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan for best melting and flavor; pre-grated cheese might not melt as well.
- The recipe can be prepared a day ahead by cooking pasta and sauce separately and combining before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg
