Marry Me Chicken Pasta
This Marry Me Chicken Pasta recipe combines tender chicken thighs, gluten-free pasta, spinach, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes in a rich, creamy sauce. It's an easy, comforting dinner that's perfect for busy weeknights or special occasions.
Servings: 4
Calories: 881kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs about 3-4 chicken thighs
- ¾ tbsp paprika
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes
Pasta
- 12 oz farfalle pasta
- ½ cup reserved pasta cooking water as needed
- 2 tablespoon butter salted butter
- 2 tablespoon dried shallots
- 2 tablespoon minced garlic jarred
- 1 tablespoon minced onion
- 3 tablespoon Bob's Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup parmesan cheese shredded
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes diced
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup diced spinach
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- fresh basil chopped, for garnish
Instructions
Chicken
- Remove chicken thighs from the package and pat them dry with paper towels. Do not rinse raw chicken.
- In a medium bowl, coat the chicken thighs with ¾ tablespoon paprika, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, ¾ tsp salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato oil over medium-high heat. Then, sear the chicken thighs for 3 minutes on each side.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and place a lid on the skillet. Then, cook the chicken thighs for 6 to 10 more minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- While the chicken cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain and set the pasta aside.
- Carefully transfer the chicken to a plate. Set it aside while you build the sauce in the same large skillet.
Pasta
- In the same skillet used to cook the chicken, melt 2 tablespoon butter over medium-low heat. Add 2 tbsp dried shallots, 1 tablespoon minced onion, 2 tablespoon minced garlic, ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, and 2 tbsp tomato paste with the pasta seasonings: 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, ¾ salt, and ½ teaspoon paprika. Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Then, add 3 tablespoon flour and stir until combined.
- Add the 2 cups chicken broth, 1 cup heavy cream, and 1 cup diced spinach to the skillet. Stir well to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Simmer the sauce until it begins to thicken and the spinach is wilted. Add 1 cup Parmesan cheese and stir until melted and creamy.
- While the sauce simmers, cut the cooked chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces.
- Add the diced chicken and cooked pasta to the skillet. Gently toss until everything is evenly coated in the sauce. If needed, stir in a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce. Garnish with fresh basil and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Storage
- Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
- Reheat the entire dish over medium-low heat in a skillet or microwave individual portions at 1-minute intervals.
- Be sure to cook your pasta to al dente, and no further, to prevent it from breaking apart when added to the dish.
- I love my ThermoPro Lightning food thermometer for its almost instant read and accuracy.
- Preheat the pan before searing the chicken. You want it nice and hot to begin cooking the outside of the thighs immediately.
- Never let your sauce boil. It should always be at a light simmer to prevent breaking.
Nutrition
Calories: 881kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 209mg | Sodium: 1820mg | Potassium: 1092mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 3021IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 447mg | Iron: 5mg
