Marry Me Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Creamy chicken penne with sun-dried tomatoes in a luscious Parmesan sauce

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with kosher salt, black pepper, and paprika, pressing the spices 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 cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from skillet, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes.
04 - Add minced garlic to the same skillet and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add sliced sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
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, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, 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 fresh basil or parsley and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together faster than you can set the table and tastes like you spent hours reducing it
  • Sundried tomatoes add this sweet tangy punch that cuts through all that rich creaminess
02 -
  • Reserve some pasta water before draining, it can save a too thick sauce in seconds
  • Let the chicken rest properly or you will lose all those precious juices
03 -
  • Use some oil from the sundried tomato jar for cooking the chicken
  • Grate your own parmesan instead of buying pre grated for better melting

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