Budget-Friendly Marry Me Chicken (Printable View)

Comforting chicken pasta with creamy sauce, tomatoes, and spinach made using simple pantry ingredients.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces, season with salt and pepper, and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
03 - Reduce heat to medium and add minced garlic, dried Italian herbs, and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Sauté for one minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in drained diced tomatoes and chicken broth. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes to develop flavors.
05 - Add heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese to the skillet. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
06 - Return cooked chicken along with any juices to the skillet. Stir in spinach if using, cooking until wilted, about one minute.
07 - Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, tossing to coat evenly. Add reserved pasta water gradually if the sauce needs thinning to desired consistency.
08 - Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent an hour cooking but honestly takes less time than ordering delivery.
  • The sauce is creamy and tangy without feeling heavy, which somehow makes you want to eat it again the next day.
  • Once you nail this, you can improvise with whatever vegetables are lingering in your fridge.
02 -
  • Drain those canned tomatoes thoroughly, or you'll end up with a thin, watery sauce instead of something luxurious.
  • Don't skip the pasta water—those starchy droplets are what makes the sauce cling to the pasta instead of just pooling at the bottom.
  • Temp check: If your cream looks like it's about to boil aggressively, pull back on the heat. Gentle simmering keeps everything silky instead of broken and grainy.
03 -
  • Toast your pasta water a little too hot? Chill the pasta slightly under cold water before tossing it in; it'll slow down the cooking and give you more control over the final texture.
  • Reserve the pasta water before draining—there's no recovery if you skip this step, and it costs you nothing to grab a measuring cup first.
  • Fresh basil is almost always better than dried for garnish, but if you only have dried, sprinkle it into the sauce while it simmers so it has time to rehydrate and taste less dusty.
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