Description
Marry Me Chicken Pasta is a creamy, flavorful one-pan dish featuring tender seared chicken thighs in a rich sun dried tomato and parmesan sauce tossed with farfalle pasta. This comforting meal combines perfectly seasoned chicken with a luscious, cheesy sauce studded with spinach and sundried tomatoes, garnished with fresh basil for a quick and satisfying dinner.
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 and Sauce
- 12 oz farfalle pasta
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon dried shallots
- 2 tablespoon minced garlic
- 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 shredded parmesan cheese
- 0.25 cup diced sun dried tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon 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 the chicken thighs and pat them dry with paper towels. In a medium bowl, coat the chicken evenly with smoked sweet paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
- Sear Chicken: Heat the sun dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the chicken thighs and sear each side for 3 minutes until golden brown.
- Cook Chicken: Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the skillet with a lid, and cook the chicken for an additional 10 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove the chicken and set aside to cool.
- Cook Pasta: Meanwhile, boil the farfalle pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Make Sauce Base: In the same skillet, melt the 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.
- Add Flour: Stir in the gluten free flour to the sautéed mixture, combining well to form a roux.
- Add Liquids and Spinach: Gradually add chicken broth and heavy cream to the skillet while stirring. Add diced spinach and cook the sauce until it thickens slightly and the spinach wilts.
- Add Cheese: Stir in shredded parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Combine Chicken and Pasta: Dice the cooled chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add the chicken and cooked pasta to the skillet. Gently stir to combine all components evenly.
- Serve: Garnish with chopped fresh basil and serve immediately while hot and creamy.
Notes
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended as sauce texture may change.
- Reheat leftovers gently in a skillet over medium-low heat or microwave portions at one-minute intervals to avoid breaking the sauce.
- Cook pasta only until al dente to prevent over-softening when combined with the sauce.
- Preheat the pan fully before searing chicken to get a nice crust.
- Keep the sauce at a light simmer and never let it boil to avoid curdling or breaking.
- Use a quick-read meat thermometer to ensure chicken reaches safe internal temperature without overcooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
