Marry Me Chicken Pasta (Printable Version)
Tender chicken in a rich, creamy sun-dried tomato sauce with penne pasta
# Ingredient List:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
→ Pasta
05 - 12 oz penne or fettuccine pasta
→ Sauce
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced
09 - 1 cup chicken broth
10 - 1 cup heavy cream
11 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
13 - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
→ Garnish
14 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped
15 - Additional grated Parmesan cheese
# How to Make:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with kosher salt, black pepper, and paprika, pressing seasoning into the meat.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken breasts and sear for 5-6 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove from skillet, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes.
04 - Add minced garlic to the same skillet. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn. Add sliced sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1 minute to soften.
05 - Pour in chicken broth, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced.
06 - Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in heavy cream, grated Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
07 - Slice rested chicken into strips. Add cooked pasta and chicken slices to the sauce, tossing until well combined and heated through. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped fresh basil or parsley and additional grated Parmesan.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in the same pan you cooked the chicken in, which means every bit of flavor gets used and you only have one pan to clean afterward
- Sun-dried tomatoes are like little flavor bombs that transform ordinary cream sauce into something restaurant worthy with almost zero effort
02 -
- The sauce will thicken slightly as it stands off the heat, so do not reduce it too much in the pan or it might become gloopy when you add the pasta
- Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining, because you can splash some in if the sauce gets too thick or the pasta needs help coming together
03 -
- Use freshly grated Parmesan instead of pre-grated, because the anti-caking agents in packaged cheese can make the sauce grainy
- Do not crowd the chicken in the pan, give it space so it sears instead of steaming