Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe
This irresistible Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe, also known as creamy Tuscan chicken pasta, is a quick and comforting dish packed with loads of flavor. Tender rotisserie chicken is coated in a rich and creamy sauce made with sun-dried tomatoes, baby spinach, garlic, onions, cream cheese, broth, and parmesan. It’s tossed with al dente spaghetti and is ready in under 30 minutes. This is the perfect recipe for busy weeknights or impressing guests with minimal effort!
Inspired by classic Italian flavors, this creamy Tuscan chicken pasta provides a restaurant-quality experience without you having to spend endless hours in the kitchen. Even better – the entire dish comes together in one pan, calling for pantry staple ingredients and the convenience of rotisserie chicken.
It’s a comforting pasta recipe that everyone loves, enjoyed as a complete standalone dish or alongside your favorite side dishes.
If you love this marry me chicken pasta recipe, make sure to try my Marry Me Chicken Meatballs, Marry Me Chicken Orzo, or Marry Me Caesar Wedge Salad!
Why is it called “marry me chicken pasta?”
The story supposedly goes like this: someone once made this irresistible Tuscan-style chicken pasta dish and jokingly called it “Marry Me Chicken” – because it was that good! So be careful, because if you choose to serve this chicken pasta recipe to someone, they may fall so hard for the flavors that you’ll end up getting a marriage proposal in return!
Jokes aside, whether you’re cooking this marry me chicken pasta for date night or just craving something creamy and comforting, it’s definitely a dish that you’re going to fall in love with!
Marry Me Chicken Pasta Ingredients
- Baby spinach: You can use fresh or frozen spinach. Frozen spinach must be thawed and squeezed dry before added to the rest of the ingredients.
- Spaghetti: I like to make this chicken pasta recipe with spaghetti, but you could also use penne noodles or any other type of noodles you enjoy most.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: I prefer the oil-packed sliced sun-dried tomatoes since it has better flavor than the dried sun-dried tomatoes. Make sure to also add 1 tablespoon of oil from the jar for this creamy Tuscan chicken recipe.
- Onion: A red or white onion is a good choice for this dish.
- Shallots: For a milder, sweeter flavor.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic cloves will provide the best depth of flavor!
- Crushed red pepper: Added for a lovely kick of spice. You can increase or decrease this depending on your preference.
- Salt and ground pepper
- Broth: Feel free to use store-bought or homemade vegetable broth or chicken broth.
- Cream cheese: Allow the cream cheese to soften at room temperature for easy mixing. A light cream cheese can be used to reduce the fat content in this dish, if preferred.
- Rotisserie chicken: I love to use chopped rotisserie chicken for added convenience and the delicious flavor. You can also use up any leftover roast chicken in your fridge!
- Parmesan cheese: Always use freshly grated Parmesan cheese for the best flavor. It makes this creamy chicken pasta truly Italian!
- Butter: Unsalted butter allows you to control the level of salt in this creamy chicken pasta dish. Omit the salt listed above if you choose to use salted butter.
How do you make Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe?
Cook the pasta:
- Cook the pasta until al dente and then drain it. Make sure to reserve the pasta water that can be used later in the recipe, if needed.
Wilt the spinach:
- Add the spinach to a large skillet over medium heat and let it wilt for about 3 minutes. Remove it from the skillet and set aside.
Make the creamy sauce:
- Using the same skillet as before, heat the sun-dried tomato oil over medium heat and add the onion, shallot, and sun-dried tomatoes.
- Cook the onions for about 3 minutes, stirring until softened and fragrant.
- Next, add the garlic, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper. Continue to cook and stir for an additional minute.
- Increase the heat to high and pour in the broth. Cook the mixture for 2 minutes, stirring continuously until the liquid has reduced by half.
- Stir in the softened cream cheese cubes, chopped chicken, grated Parmesan and butter.
Toss the pasta and serve:
- Add the spaghetti and wilted spinach back into the skillet and toss in the marry me chicken pasta sauce to coat well.
- Top each serving of this Tuscan chicken pasta with extra Parmesan cheese and enjoy!
Serving
- Serve this one-pan creamy Tuscan chicken pasta alongside a crispy wedge salad, or this Antipasti Chopped Salad to keep within the Italian theme!
- For those looking for a balanced and complete meal, you can’t go wrong with a healthy side portion of Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan and Lemon or Oven Roasted Broccoli.
- And if carbs aren’t a concern, a warm slice of cheesy garlic bread will always be a crowd-pleasing addition to your plate, soaking up any excess sauce left behind!
- Combine your after dinner coffee with dessert by serving a scoop (or two) of this indulgent Coffee Affogato With Vanilla Ice Cream. It doesn’t get better than that!
Sandy’s tips and substitutions:
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- Reheating: Reheat your leftovers in a skillet over low heat, adding in a splash of broth, stock, or cream to loosen the sauce which may have thickened.
- Low-carb version: Swap the noodles for zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash. You could also serve this marry me chicken pasta over cauliflower rice or mash.
- Sauce consistency: Thin out the sauce by adding in some of the reserved pasta water or extra broth. If your sauce isn’t thick enough, mix in some heavy cream or add a cornstarch slurry.
- Meaty alternatives: This marry me chicken pasta is just as delicious with pork or even seafood, such as shrimp, lobster, salmon, or chunks of halibut. You could throw in some crispy bacon pieces for good measure too!
- Additional ingredients: Consider adding mushrooms, capers, olives, bell peppers, and herbs (thyme, oregano, basil, or rosemary) into the mix for a boost of flavor and texture.
More Italian-inspired chicken pasta recipes you may want to try:
- Caprese Chicken Casserole Recipe
- Alfredo Pasta with Chicken and Shrimp
- Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
- Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
- Tuscan Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner
Get the Recipe:
Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped
- 1 pound whole-wheat spaghetti
- 1 cup slivered oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, plus 1 tablespoon oil from the jar
- 1 cup halved and thinly sliced onion
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 8 ounces cream cheese, you can use light
- 2 cups Rotisserie chicken, chopped
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
- Place spinach in a large colander in the sink. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add spaghetti and cook according to package directions. Drain the pasta over the spinach; toss to wilt the spinach.
- Meanwhile, heat sun-dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sun-dried tomatoes; cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high and add broth; cook, stirring, until reduced by about half, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in softened cream cheese, chopped chicken, Parmesan and butter. Add the spaghetti and spinach; toss to coat well.
- Serve!
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
