This is the pasta that lives up to its name! It is so creamy, rich, deeply savory, and so good it might just get you a proposal. Juicy pan-seared chicken sits on top of perfectly cooked pasta, all coated in a sun-dried tomato cream sauce that’s packed with flavor. It’s an impressive dinner that comes together in one pan and under 30 minutes.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Restaurant quality at home — this looks and tastes like something from a nice Italian restaurant but is totally doable on a weeknight
• One pan sauce — everything comes together in the same pan for easy cleanup
• That sauce — creamy, garlicky, sun-dried tomato goodness that you’ll want to put on everything
• Impressive but easy — perfect for date night or when you want to wow someone without stressing in the kitchen
• Under 30 minutes — from start to finish, dinner is on the table fast

Marry Me Chicken Pasta: My Favorite Pasta Sauce

The name says it all, this is the kind of dish that makes people fall in love XD. The secret is the sun-dried tomato cream sauce built on a base of caramelized onions, garlic, and tomato paste, deglazing with white wine for that extra depth. Once you make this you’ll understand why it went viral.

Marry Me Chicken Pasta Ingredients

Chicken

• 2 chicken breasts, sliced in half horizontally and pounded to even thickness
• Drizzle of oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika

Pasta

• Pasta of your choice

Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

• 2 tbsp butter
• ½ large onion, diced
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• ¼ cup white wine
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup chicken broth
• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• Fresh basil and parmesan, for finishing

The Chicken

Slice your chicken breasts in half horizontally and fully separate them into two thinner cutlets, then pound each one to an even thickness — this is the key to getting that perfect golden sear without drying out the meat. Season generously with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. The paprika gives the chicken a beautiful color and a subtle smokiness that pairs perfectly with the cream sauce.

The Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

This sauce is everything. It starts with butter, onion, and golden garlic, then tomato paste gets cooked down to deepen the flavor before deglazing with white wine. The cream and broth come together into a luscious, velvety base that the sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, thyme, and oregano take to the next level. Fresh basil at the end keeps it bright and fragrant.

How To Make Marry Me Chicken Pasta

1. Prep the chicken: Slice chicken breasts in half horizontally and fully separate into thin cutlets. Pound each one to an even thickness. Season with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika.
2. Sear the chicken: Heat a drizzle of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. Set aside.
3. Boil the pasta: Cook pasta in well-salted boiling water according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
4. Build the sauce: In the same pan melt butter over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until softened. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Add tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes stirring constantly.
5. Deglaze: Pour in white wine and scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes.
6. Finish the sauce: Add heavy cream, chicken broth, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, thyme, and oregano. Stir to combine and let simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
7. Add basil: Tear in fresh basil and stir through.
8. Bring it together: Add cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. Slice chicken and place on top.
9. Serve: Garnish with fresh basil and serve immediately.

Customization Ideas

• Add heat — a pinch of red pepper flakes in the sauce adds a nice kick that complements the creaminess.
• Swap the protein — shrimp works beautifully in this sauce if you want to mix it up.
• Make it richer — add a handful of freshly grated parmesan into the sauce for extra depth.
• No wine — substitute with extra chicken broth and a splash of lemon juice for acidity.

Storage & Reheating

• Storage:
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The sauce may thicken overnight — that’s normal.
• Reheating:
  • Stovetop (best method): Reheat over medium-low heat with a splash of cream or chicken broth to loosen the sauce, stirring until warmed through
  • Microwave: Heat in 60-90 second intervals stirring between each, add a splash of broth if sauce is too thick
• Make Ahead Tips
  • Chicken — season and refrigerate up to 24 hours ahead for even more flavor
  • Sauce — make ahead and reheat gently, adding pasta fresh when ready to serve
  • Pasta is best cooked fresh for the best texture