Description
Marry Me Chicken Pasta is a creamy, flavorful dish featuring tender chicken thighs seasoned with smoked paprika and Italian herbs, combined with farfalle pasta in a rich sauce of sun dried tomatoes, spinach, and parmesan cheese. Perfect for a comforting weeknight meal, this recipe balances savory spices with a luscious dairy sauce and fresh basil garnish.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken
- 3 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 0.75 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 0.75 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sun dried tomato oil (from the jar of sun dried tomatoes)
Pasta & Sauce
- 12 ounces farfalle pasta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons dried shallots
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced onion
- 3 tablespoons Bob's Red Mill 1:1 gluten free flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 0.25 cup diced sun dried tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup diced spinach
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 0.5 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- Chopped fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Wash and pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. In a medium bowl, coat them evenly with smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
- Sear Chicken: Heat sun dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken thighs and sear for 3 minutes on each side until nicely browned.
- Cook Chicken Through: Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the skillet with a lid, and cook chicken for an additional 10 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside to cool.
- Cook Pasta: While chicken cooks, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook farfalle pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Make Sauce Base: In the same skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add dried shallots, minced onion, minced garlic, diced sun dried tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, and smoked paprika. Sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Thicken Sauce: Stir in gluten free flour and combine well. Slowly whisk in chicken broth and heavy cream. Cook, stirring frequently, until sauce starts to thicken and spinach wilts.
- Add Cheese: Stir in shredded parmesan cheese until melted and sauce becomes creamy.
- Combine Chicken and Pasta: Dice the cooled chicken into bite-size pieces. Add diced chicken and cooked pasta to the sauce in the skillet. Stir gently to combine everything evenly and heat through.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle chopped fresh basil over the top before serving. Enjoy warm.
Notes
- Store leftover Marry Me Chicken Pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended as the cream sauce may separate upon thawing.
- Reheat leftovers gently over medium-low heat in a skillet or warm individual portions in the microwave for 1-minute intervals to avoid drying out the dish.
- Cook pasta to al dente to prevent it from becoming mushy when mixed with the sauce.
- Use a food thermometer to check the chicken’s internal temperature for perfect doneness and food safety.
- Ensure the pan is preheated before searing chicken to achieve a nice browning.
- Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer, never a full boil, to maintain a smooth creamy texture without breaking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 42 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
