Chicken
$1.99per plate
Prep
10 min
Chicken · Chicken Pasta
Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Marry Me Chicken Pasta is the creamy, sun-dried tomato chicken pasta that went viral for a reason, and it costs a fraction of the restaurant price when you make it at home. Bite-size pieces of chicken brown in one pan, then a garlicky cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, and a pinch of red pepper flakes turns silky around the pasta. What sets it apart from a plain creamy chicken pasta is that tangy, savory sun-dried tomato and Parmesan sauce, rich enough to taste special for about a dollar seventy a plate. It joins our other pasta recipes, like a simple creamy garlic pasta, all cheap dinners with the price up front.
$1.70per plate
Estimated recipe total
$8.50 · serves 5
Cook
25 min
Total
35 min
Serves
5
Recipe from Budget Plates · https://www.budgetplates.com/marry-me-chicken-pasta
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Pot for the pasta
Variations
- Use boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut bite-size, instead of breast.
- Use half-and-half, or whole milk thickened with flour or cornstarch, for a lighter sauce.
- Swap in rigatoni, rotini, shells, or spaghetti for the penne.
- No sun-dried tomatoes, use tomato paste with a splash of oil, or chopped roasted red peppers.
1 How to make it
1
Cook the pasta
Boil the penne in salted water until just al dente, a minute shy of the box time since it finishes in the sauce. Scoop out a cup of the starchy pasta water before draining; it loosens the sauce later. Pulling the pasta early keeps it from turning mushy.
2
Brown the chicken
Pat the chicken pieces dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high and cook the chicken in a single layer for about 5 to 6 minutes, until golden and just cooked through. Do not crowd the pan or stir too soon, and pull the chicken the moment it is done at 165 F so it stays juicy instead of drying out. Move it to a plate.
3
Build the sauce base
Lower the heat to medium. Add the garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cook for a minute until fragrant, scraping up the browned bits. Pour in the chicken broth and Italian seasoning and let it simmer for two minutes.
4
Add the cream gently
Turn the heat to low, then stir in the heavy cream and the Parmesan. Keep it at a gentle simmer, never a hard boil; boiling is what makes a cream sauce break or turn grainy. Stir until the Parmesan melts and the sauce is smooth.
5
Combine
Add the drained pasta and the chicken with any juices, and toss to coat. Splash in pasta water a little at a time until the sauce clings and looks glossy, not thick or dry. Add the red pepper flakes and taste for salt.
6
Serve
Serve right away, while the sauce is silky. A little extra Parmesan on top is nice if you have it.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- Chicken thighs for breast. Boneless skinless thighs are cheaper and stay juicier. Cut them bite-size and cook the same way.
- Half-and-half or milk for the heavy cream. For a lighter, cheaper sauce, use half-and-half, or whole milk thickened with a teaspoon of flour or cornstarch. It will not be quite as rich but still creamy.
- Any short pasta. Penne, rigatoni, rotini, or shells all work. Use whatever is cheapest; long pasta like spaghetti works too.
- No sun-dried tomatoes?. A few tablespoons of tomato paste with a splash of oil, or chopped roasted red peppers, give a similar sweet-tangy note for less.
3 Budget tips
- Sun-dried tomatoes are the priciest part, so buy one jar and use them across a few meals; a little goes a long way here.
- Bite-size chicken stretches a single pound across five plates, far cheaper than a whole piece of chicken each.
- Skip the jar of alfredo: a cup of cream, some Parmesan, and pasta water make a richer sauce for less.
- Reserve pasta water instead of adding more cream to loosen the sauce; it is free and keeps the dish from getting heavy.
- See more recipes priced per serving in the Budget Plates Index.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Cream sauces thicken in the fridge, so save a little pasta water or add a splash of milk when reheating.
Freezer
Cream-based pasta can be frozen for up to 2 months, though the sauce may separate a little on thawing. Freeze in portions and stir well as it reheats.
Reheating
Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave at half power, stirring in a splash of milk, broth, or water to bring the sauce back together. High heat will make it greasy or grainy.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
560
Protein
34g
Fat
24g
Carbs
52g
Estimates per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not a substitute for medical advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
Why is it called Marry Me Chicken Pasta?
The name comes from the idea that the creamy sun-dried tomato and Parmesan sauce is so good it could earn a proposal. This is the pasta version of the viral marry me chicken, made with bite-size chicken tossed right through the noodles.
How do I keep the cream sauce from breaking?
Add the cream and Parmesan over low heat and keep the sauce at a gentle simmer, never a hard boil. Boiling is what makes a cream sauce split or turn grainy. Loosen it with starchy pasta water, not more heat.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breast?
Yes, and they are cheaper and more forgiving. Boneless skinless thighs cut into bite-size pieces stay juicy even if slightly overcooked. Cook them the same way until just done.
How is $1.70 a plate figured?
About $8.50 for the whole pan, five servings, so roughly $1.70 each. The chicken, cream, Parmesan, and sun-dried tomatoes are the main costs; it is still well under restaurant price.
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
As an Amazon Associate, Budget Plates may earn from qualifying purchases.
- 12-inch nonstick skillet. A wide nonstick skillet browns ground meat, fries rice, and builds a one-pan sauce with less oil and easier cleanup. Best for everyday stovetop dinners like skillet meals, fried rice, pasta sauces, and patties.
- Cast iron skillet. Cast iron holds heat for a deep sear and moves from stovetop to oven, and it lasts for decades with basic care. Best for searing chops and chicken, and recipes that start on the stove and finish in the oven.
- Chef's knife. One sharp chef's knife handles almost all the chopping, from onions to chicken, and replaces a drawer of gadgets. Best for all-purpose prep in essentially every recipe on the site.
- Cutting board. A large, stable cutting board makes prep faster and safer, which matters when you cook most nights. Best for everyday chopping of onion, garlic, and vegetables across nearly every recipe.
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