Things I love: the popularity of the “Marry Me” food trend, one-pot meals, and dinners that make everyone happy. So, I decided to combine all three into this creamy Marry Me Chicken Pasta recipe. The chicken sears until golden, then onions, garlic, and oil-packed sundried tomatoes build a sweet-savory base for the creamy Parmesan sauce. The penne simmers in the sauce until tender, before finishing everything with heavy cream, frozen spinach, and Parmesan. It’s an easy, budget-friendly, one-pot meal.
If you’re wondering what the “Marry Me” craze is, it’s a popular creamy sundried tomato and Parmesan sauce made famous by Marry Me Chicken — a skillet chicken recipe so good it supposedly makes anyone who takes one bite say, “I’d marry you for this!”
Oil-packed sundried tomatoes work best here because their flavor is richer than the pouch or bagged variety, and the oil does double duty: searing the chicken and sautéing the onions, garlic, and tomatoes. The pasta cooks right in the same pot, soaking up the broth, sundried tomato oil, garlic, and Parmesan until the sauce turns creamy, silky, and rich. Frozen spinach adds a little color and sneaks in some greens without any extra prep.
Recipe Success Tips
Use a heavy-bottomed pot. A thick-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven makes a big difference. Thin-bottomed pots can create hot spots and cook the penne unevenly. Using a burner close in size to the pot bottom also helps heat spread evenly for a steady simmer.
Pat the chicken dry. Patting the chicken dry before searing it over medium-high heat helps it brown instead of steam, locking in moisture and building more flavor for the sauce.
Keep the lid on. The trapped steam helps the penne cook through while the broth reduces into a glossy sauce. Only lift the lid to stir and check for sticking.
Don’t add too much liquid at the start. The broth does not need to fully cover the pasta. Too much liquid can leave the finished sauce thin instead of creamy.
Check and adjust near the end. After the penne has simmered for 20 minutes, check for doneness. If the pasta is tender but the sauce looks too loose, simmer uncovered for a few minutes. If the pot looks dry and the pasta needs more time, add a small splash of hot broth or water.
Heavy cream makes the best sauce. Its higher fat content gives the richest, most stable consistency. Half-and-half works but produces a lighter sauce. Cream cheese is another option, though it adds more tang and thickness compared to the silkier result from heavy cream.
Source: One-Pot Marry Me Chicken Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes