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Make this flavor packed Marry Me Chicken Pasta in just 20 minutes - and don't be surprised if everyone asks for seconds (or your hand in marriage!). It's a super creamy sauce with a delicious flavor combo of crème fraîche, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, paprika & oregano. All achieved with pantry staple dried herbs & minimal prep.
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This Marry me Chicken Pasta is one of my favorite pasta recipes and a delicious chicken recipe. The flavors are amazing, and it's so easy to make thanks to the use of dried herbs. It's almost all pantry ingredients - just add crème fraîche and chicken!
Why you will love this recipe
- It's quick - all done in 20 minutes, prep included
- It's easy - just a few simple steps
- Loaded with flavor from sun-dried tomatoes & all those dried herbs
- Crème fraîche lightens it up and makes it less heavy than a cream pasta
- Only dried herbs for a super easy dinner
- Marriage proposal not guaranteed - but highly likely!
Why is it called Marry Me Chicken?
Marry Me Chicken is a chicken dish that gets its name from the Marry Me Chicken recipe being SO GOOD that whoever you serve it to will instantly propose. Now I have yet to get a proposal out of this pasta version, but everyone who has ever tried it has raved about how good it is.
What you need to make it
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Pasta - choose your favorite kind, I like a short kind like penne or fusilli for this recipe, but you can also use a long kind like spaghetti or angel hair pasta
- Sun-dried tomatoes - I always use the kind that comes in oil. You can use dry as well but then you need to rehydrate them first by covering with hot water and allowing to soak for an hour or more.
- Butter can be swapped for olive oil or other oil
- Chicken thigh filets have much more flavor than chicken breasts - but either works
What can I use instead of crème fraîche?
Instead of crème fraîche you can use cream (heavy cream, light, or half and half). If you still want the acidic touch, add some lemon juice as well - about 1 tablespoon 1 cup (240 ml) of cream.
You can also use flavored crème fraîche, which makes it even quicker & easier. Try to match the flavors of the recipe and skip the dried herbs and tomato paste.
How to make Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- Melt butter in a skillet or frying pan over medium heat, then add garlic cloves. Sauté for a minute and take care so it doesn't burn.
- Add chicken and season with salt and pepper
- Cook 3-5 minutes until just cooked through. Then remove chicken and garlic from the pan and set aside for now - throw away the garlic.
- Now get the pasta cooking in a large pot, and then place the pan back over the heat. Raise the heat to medium-high heat and add in the tomato paste. Fry for a few minutes.
- Add in all the dried herbs and mix
- Add in crème fraîche
- Mix until the crème fraîche is melted. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat to medium, and simmer for 3-5 minutes or until the pasta is almost done.
- Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- Stir to combine
- Mix in the chicken
- Drain the pasta, add it to the sauce, and mix well
- Leave on the heat for 2 minutes, then taste test and season with salt & pepper if needed. Garnish with some dried basil, and serve!
Tips & tricks
- Use whole garlic cloves for subtle flavor that's not overpowering - as well as no garlic breath!
- Fry the chicken in the same pan you will make the sauce in - otherwise you're missing out on lots of great taste
- Fry the tomato paste to deepen the flavor
- Don't overcook the pasta - it will finish cooking in the sauce
Storing, freezing and reheating leftoves
Storing: Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
Freezing: Freeze leftovers to keep them for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Reheat leftovers in the microwave in 1 minute increments.
More delicious crème fraîche pastas
Love the lighter feel of a crème fraîche pasta? Then try these recipes!
- Creamy Chicken Pasta with Feta Cheese & Basil
- Salmon Crème Fraîche Pasta
- 15-minute Creme Fraiche Carbonara with Bacon
- Quick & Easy Smoked Salmon Pasta
Did you love this recipe? Rate it five stars!
...and let me know what you loved about it in the comments.
Recipe
Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Print RateIngredients
- ⅔ lb penne pasta cooked 1 minute less than instructed on package
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and slightly crushed, but still in one piece
- 1 lb chicken thigh filets or chicken breasts, cut in bite-size pieces
- ½ teaspoon fine table salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon dried basil + more to serve (optional)
- 1 tablespoon paprika powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cups crème fraiche
- 1 cups sun-dried tomatoes chopped
Instructions
- Melt the butter over medium heat then add in the garlic and fry for 1 minute.1 tablespoon butter, 2 garlic cloves
- Add in the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook until just cooked through, 4-5 minutes. Then remove the chicken and garlic from the pan and set aside for now.1 lb chicken thigh filets, ½ teaspoon fine table salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Start cooking the pasta, and cook it 1 minute less than instructed on the package.⅔ lb penne pasta
- Place the pan back over the heat with the melted butter and chicken juices still in it. Raise the heat to medium-high and add in tomato paste. Cook for 1-2 minutes.2 tablespoon tomato paste
- Add dried basil, paprika powder, onion powder and oregano and mix well.1 tablespoon dried basil, 1 tablespoon paprika powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Add in the crème fraîche and mix well until the crème fraîche has melted. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat to medium, and let it simmer for 3-5 minutes or until you're ready to add in the pasta.2 cups crème fraiche
- Remove the garlic cloves from the chicken, then mix in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and the cooked chicken with the sauce. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce as well. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes.1 cups sun-dried tomatoes, ⅔ lb penne pasta
- Taste test, season if needed with salt and ground black pepper, top with some dried basil, and serve!
Equipment needed for this recipe
- Measuring cups (metric or US)*
Video
Notes
- Pasta - choose your favorite kind, I like a short kind like penne or fusilli for this recipe
- Sun-dried tomatoes - I always use the kind that comes in oil. You can use dry as well but then you need to rehydrate them first by covering with hot water and allowing to soak for an hour or more.
- Use whole garlic cloves for subtle flavor that's not overpowering - as well as no garlic breath!
- Fry the chicken in the same pan you will make the sauce in - otherwise you're missing out on lots of great taste
- Fry the tomato paste to deepen the flavor
- Don't overcook the pasta - it will finish cooking in the sauce
Storing, freezing and reheating
Storing: Store leftovers in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 4 days. Freezing: Freeze leftovers to keep them for up to 3 months. Reheating: Reheat leftovers in the microwave in 1 minute increments.Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
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