Marry Me Chicken Pasta

Easy to make and flavorful, this Marry Me Chicken Pasta, a.k.a. Tuscan Pasta, is everyone's favorite. Simple ingredients like sun-dried tomatoes simmered in a luxurious cream sauce make this pasta taste extra special.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Author : Kari Peters

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings:

Calories: 597kcal

Ingredients

1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces, 1/2"
2 tbsp olive oil I use the oil drained from the tomatoes
2 cups diced onion 1/4" from 1 small onion
2 cloves garlic minced
1.5 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes use more if desired
1/2 tsp ground fennel optional
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup sundried tomatoes packed in oil, drained & diced
1 tsp sea salt more or less to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper
12 ounces pasta regular or gluten-free, see notes
4 cups baby spinach roughly chopped
1.5 cups parmesan cheese grated
1/2 cup fresh basil chopped, optional

Instructions

Start by prepping the ingredients. Finely dice the onion then mince the garlic, and roughly chop the sun-dried tomatoes and spinach.
Heat a large 10" cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp of the oil and sauté the cubed chicken in a large skillet.
When the chicken is almost done but still a little pink, remove it from the pan and set it aside.
Lower the heat and add the remaining oil along with the onions and garlic. Cook until translucent, stirring often to prevent sticking.
Add the seasonings and the dry white wine, and simmer until the wine is reduced by at least half.
Add the heavy cream and return the sauce to a simmer. Be careful not to let the cream boil over the sides of the pan.
Simmer on low heat until the sauce is lightly thickened, about 6 to 8 minutes while you cook the pasta in salted water.
When the pasta is almost done, add the sun-dried tomatoes to the cream sauce to simmer for a couple of minutes. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.
Add the chicken back to the cream sauce and make sure the chicken is fully cooked. If you have room in the pan, add the chopped spinach, otherwise add it to the pot with the drained pasta.
When the pasta is cooked al dente, (reserve some cooking water) and drain it. Toss it together with the chopped fresh spinach and the sun-dried tomato cream sauce.
Cook the pasta and sauce over medium heat until the spinach is wilted, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Add a little reserved cooking water if needed to thin the sauce.
Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese and garnish with basil.

Bonus StepIf you made this recipe, please leave a rating/comment. Ratings really help us continue to bring you high-quality free recipes.

Notes

12 ounces of penne and similar shapes equals about 4 cups of dry pasta. Bulkier shapes like farfalle will measure close to 6 cups.

For dairy-free, use 1-1.5 cups of chicken stock in place of the heavy cream, then at the end of the cooking time, add Kite Hill cream cheese to taste to add creaminess. Thicken slightly with a cornstarch slurry if the sauce is too thin. Omit the parmesan or use your favorite dairy-free option.

Nutrition