Description
Marry Me Chicken Pasta: Tender chicken and savory bacon in creamy sauce, quick and crowd-pleasing comfort food at its finest!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced horizontally
- 8 oz (225g) fettuccine or penne pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1/2 cup (120ml) chicken broth
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (50g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup (75g) sun-dried tomatoes, julienned (oil-packed, drained)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- Fresh basil leaves, torn or chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare the Chicken Season chicken breasts generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper on both sides. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully place the seasoned chicken in the hot pan and cook undisturbed for 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). The key here is achieving that beautiful golden crust! Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
- Step 2: Cook the Pasta While the chicken cooks, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add your pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions, typically 8-10 minutes. Before draining, reserve about 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta but don’t rinse it – that starch helps the sauce adhere better to each strand.
- Step 3: Create the Sauce Base In the same skillet you used for the chicken, reduce heat to medium and add minced garlic, sautéing just until fragrant, about 30 seconds (careful not to burn it!). Add the sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes, stirring to combine. Pour in the chicken broth, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all those flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan – that’s pure flavor you’re incorporating into your sauce!
- Step 4: Finish the Sauce Reduce heat to medium-low and slowly pour in the heavy cream while stirring constantly. Let the mixture simmer gently for about 3-4 minutes until it begins to thicken slightly. Remove from heat and gradually stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed – remember that Parmesan adds saltiness, so go easy at first.
- Step 5: Combine and Serve Slice the chicken into strips and return it to the skillet along with any accumulated juices. Add the drained pasta directly to the sauce, tossing gently to coat every strand. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to reach your desired consistency. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and additional Parmesan if desired. Serve your Marry Me Chicken Pasta immediately while hot and enjoy the compliments that are sure to follow!
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate (approximately 1/4 of the recipe)
- Calories: 630
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 670mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 47g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 39g
- Cholesterol: 140mg