Budget-Friendly Marry Me Chicken (Printable)

Creamy chicken pasta with pantry staples for an affordable, delicious weeknight dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ Poultry & Protein

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

→ Pasta

02 - 12 oz 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 oz) 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 directions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then cook until golden and cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add minced garlic, dried Italian herbs, and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add drained diced tomatoes and chicken broth. Allow mixture to simmer for 3 to 4 minutes to meld flavors.
05 - Stir in heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
06 - Return cooked chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Add spinach if using, cooking until wilted, approximately 1 minute.
07 - Add cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to coat in the sauce. Adjust consistency by adding reserved pasta water incrementally if necessary.
08 - Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately garnished with chopped fresh basil.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent and romantic but costs a fraction of what you'd spend ordering it out.
  • The whole thing comes together in under 40 minutes, making it perfect for nights when you're hungry but haven't planned ahead.
  • Canned tomatoes do the heavy lifting, so you're not buying fancy ingredients or spending time reducing a sauce.
  • One skillet means less cleanup, and that alone might be reason enough to make it again.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the canned tomatoes or your sauce will be watery and disappointing; those tomatoes pack a lot of liquid that you don't need.
  • The pasta water is magic—it has starch that helps the sauce cling to the pasta instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl, so reserve it and use it if needed.
  • If you use pre-shredded Parmesan, it has anti-caking powder that can make the sauce look grainy, so finely grate it fresh if you can.
03 -
  • Taste the sauce before adding the pasta—this is your last chance to adjust seasoning, and it's much easier to fix now than after everything's mixed together.
  • Keep the heat at a gentle simmer when you add the cream; high heat will cause it to break and separate, turning grainy and sad.
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