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5.0 from 75 votes

Marry Me Chicken Pasta

This Marry Me Chicken has pasta and juicy bites of chicken smothered in a tomato cream sauce with sundried tomatoes, spinach, garlic, white wine, and the best seasonings and flavor enhancers.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 575 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian , American

Ingredients

Sauce
  • 1 ½ cups half and half or heavy cream
  • 1 ¼ cup chicken broth
  • ½ chicken bouillon cube
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce I use Frank’s
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ¾ teaspoons EACH: onion powder, parsley, dried oregano, basil
Chicken/Pasta
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • ½ cup dry white wine see notes
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1/3 cup sundried tomatoes oil reserved
  • ¾ cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
  • 4 tablespoons cream cheese softened
  • 2 cups packed spinach
  • ¾ pound ziti see notes

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Combine the sauce ingredients in a large measuring cup with a spout and set aside. Pat the sundried tomatoes dry and roughly chop them. Measure out remaining ingredients before beginning.
  2. Slice the chicken in half lengthwise to create 2 to 3 thinner slices. Cover with saran wrap and use a meat mallet to tenderize each side. Pat it dry. Cut into bite-size pieces and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of reserved oil from sundried tomatoes in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sauté until golden on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove and set aside.
  4. As you continue with the following steps, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once a boil is reached, stir in some salt. (I use ½ tablespoon Kosher salt.)
  5. Meanwhile, add the wine to the same skillet used to cook the chicken and set the heat to medium. Use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom and sides of the skillet. Simmer until reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes.
  6. Add the butter and the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and the flour and stir continuously for 2 minutes.
  7. Add the sauce mixture (from step 1), in small splashes, stirring continuously.
  8. Add the sundried tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Add the cream cheese and let it heat through and melt.
  9. Simmer, partially covered, while you cook the pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Drain once cooked.
  10. Gradually sprinkle the Parmesan cheese into the sauce. Add the spinach and allow it to heat through for 1 minute.
  11. Add the chicken along with any juices from the plate.
  12. Add the drained pasta gradually, until your desired pasta-to-sauce ratio is obtained. (I prefer slightly less than ¾ lb.) The sauce will continue to thicken upon standing. Serve!

Notes

  • Pro Tips:
  • Storage:
  • Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 6 servings in this recipe.
  • Cream Cheese: To soften the cream cheese quickly: place it in the microwave for 10 second intervals at lower power. (Use the "melt" function if possible, but don't actually melt it, just soften it.) 
  • Pasta: A variety of pasta options work well here, including penne, cavatappi, medium shells, farfalle, and rigatoni.
  • Wine: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, and Chardonnay are the best dry white wines to use in this recipe. Non-alcoholic wines are also widely available. Chicken broth can be used instead of wine if needed.
  • Tomatoes: I use Mezzetta Sundried tomatoes in this recipe. Be careful about selecting a variety that may be seasoned with herbs, I prefer plain as we’re already seasoning this sauce.
  • Regular diced tomatoes can be used instead of sundried; olive oil can be used instead of reserved oil from the jar. Rotel tomatoes can also be used for a little kick!
  • I use Mutti Tomato Paste tubes, they’re handy for measuring smaller/customized amounts.
  • Hot Sauce: This is a flavor enhancer in this recipe and doesn’t make the end result spicy, I use Frank’s Hot Sauce.
  • Cheese: Shred the cheese from a block, it will melt and taste much better than packaged shredded cheese. I use Belgioioso Parmesan. 
  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. This does freeze/reheat well.

Nutrition Information

Calories 575kcal (29%) Carbohydrates 57g (19%) Protein 32g (64%) Fat 23g (35%) Saturated Fat 12g (60%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 6g Trans Fat 0.2g Cholesterol 106mg (35%) Sodium 768mg (32%) Potassium 882mg (25%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 10g (20%) Vitamin A 1725IU (35%) Vitamin C 9mg (10%) Calcium 230mg (23%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 575

% Daily Value*

Calories 575kcal 29%
Carbohydrates 57g 19%
Protein 32g 64%
Fat 23g 35%
Saturated Fat 12g 60%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 6g 30%
Trans Fat 0.2g 10%
Cholesterol 106mg 35%
Sodium 768mg 32%
Potassium 882mg 19%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 10g 20%
Vitamin A 1725IU 35%
Vitamin C 9mg 10%
Calcium 230mg 23%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.