Marry Me Pasta
Creamy sundried tomato, garlic, spinach, and chicken tossed with pasta, parmesan, fresh basil. This is your next go-to pasta recipe.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 boneless & skinless chicken breasts, (about 400g) cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tbsp olive oil,
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 150 g sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp paprika
- 225g dried pasta (I like penne for this but any pasta shape will work)
- 150ml pasta cooking water (or chicken stock)
- 250 ml double cream (heavy cream)
- 60 g parmesan, grated
- 60 g spinach
- Maldon salt and black pepper
- handful of basil leaves
Instructions
- Cook the water in boiling salty water until al dente – you want it to still have quite a bit of a bite as you finish cooking it in the sauce
- While the pasta is cooking, take a large, deep frying pan and add the olive oil. Once it’s hot, add the chopped chicken. Season well and cook for 6 -8 minutes stirring occasionally until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the pan.
- Reduce the heat and then in the same pan you cooked the chicken in, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds before adding the sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano and paprika. Cook for a few minutes to allow the sun tomatoes to soften.
- Pour in the double cream and the pasta cooking water, tossing well and allow to bubble for a few minutes so the cream can thicken.
- Add the chicken and the cooked pasta to the sauce along with the spinach and stir well. After a minute the spinach should have wilted and the pasta will be perfectly cooked. Add more pasta cooking water if you think it needs it – it should be loose and glossy not stodgy.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the parmesan and basil leaves. Scoop into bowls, top with more parmesan, fresh basil leaves, fresh black pepper and enjoy!
Notes
Scroll up for an easy step by step guide with images on how to make this recipe.
To store: You can keep covered or in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days.
To reheat: It’s never quite as good as when freshly made but it works. I always add a tiny splash of water to the bowl with the cold pasta before heating it in the microwave or on the stove on medium heat, until piping hot. The water means that it loosens the sauce up a bit and returns it to its loose, glossy form rather than stodgy. You could also add a splash of cream.
To freeze: I don't love freezing it as the pasta and the creamy sauce can develop a weird texture when defrosted. It only takes 30 minutes so it's a quick one anyway!
Make ahead: I wouldn't recommend making ahead as it's best fresh due to the cream content. It's very quick though so it won't take you long to make. If really needed, you could make the sauce from step 2 to step 4, adding the double cream and not the pasta water. Cool and transfer to a container. Place in fridge for a day until ready to use. When ready to use, place back in frying pan, boil pasta and add pasta water as instructed and continue from there.
Heat: If you like a bit of heat, add a pinch of chilli flakes alongside the oregano and paprika.
Make dairy-free/vegan: Omit the chicken (or swap for a plant-based alternative) and then make the sauce with dairy-free cream and cheese. If using stock rather than pasta water, make it vegetable stock.
Find it online: https://desertislanddishes.co/marry-me-chicken-pasta/