Budget-Friendly Marry Me Chicken (Printer View)

Creamy chicken and pasta with savory tomatoes and herbs for an easy weeknight dish.

# Components:

→ Poultry & Protein

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Pasta

02 - 12 ounces penne or rigatoni pasta

→ Sauce & Dairy

03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
06 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
07 - 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
08 - 1/2 cup chicken broth
09 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
10 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
11 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Vegetables & Garnish

12 - 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped, optional
13 - Fresh basil, chopped, for garnish

# Method:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, season with salt and black pepper, and cook until golden and cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. In the same skillet, add minced garlic, dried Italian herbs, and red pepper flakes if using. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add drained diced tomatoes and chicken broth to the skillet. Allow to simmer for 3 to 4 minutes to develop flavors.
05 - Stir in heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese. Gently simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 2 to 3 minutes.
06 - Return cooked chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Stir in spinach if using, cooking until wilted, approximately 1 minute.
07 - Add cooked pasta to the skillet, tossing to coat evenly. Add reserved pasta water gradually as needed to reach desired sauce consistency.
08 - Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately garnished with fresh chopped basil.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes restaurant-quality without the guilt of spending your entire paycheck on one meal.
  • Your whole kitchen will smell like an Italian trattoria, but you'll have it on the table in under an hour.
  • The sauce clings to every piece of pasta in a way that makes you forget you used pantry staples.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining those canned tomatoes—the liquid will water down your beautiful sauce and turn it from creamy to soupy in seconds.
  • The pasta water you reserved is pure starch magic; use it to loosen the sauce if it gets too thick, not regular water.
  • Taste as you go—this dish lives or dies on seasoning, and everyone's salt needs are different.
03 -
  • Reserve pasta water before you drain—it's the most valuable ingredient you haven't used yet, and it fixes sauce consistency issues instantly.
  • Let your chicken develop a proper golden crust before stirring; that browning is where half the flavor lives.
Return