Marry Me Chicken Pasta (Easy, Healthier + One Pot)

This Marry Me Chicken Pasta recipe is a lightened up and healthier version of the popular Marry Me Chicken recipe. It makes a few ingredient swaps to increase the nutritional value of this meal without sacrificing the amazing flavor you’re expecting. This one-pan Marry Me Chicken Pasta is quick enough for a family favorite dinner on busy weeknights but also impressive enough for a special occasion date night at home. 

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Marry Me Chicken Pasta – what a name, huh? Why is it called that anyways? I guess the original Marry Me Chicken recipe got its name because it’s so delicious it could provoke and inspire a marriage proposal!

Marry Me Chicken involves tender chicken in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce. I decided to take it a step further and turn it into a pasta version to make it a more balanced and complete meal. I’m a huge fan of creamy pasta dishes but I’m not always a fan of how they make me feel afterwards. As a registered dietitian, I’m always looking for ways to put a healthier spin on traditional and indulgent dishes. 

This Marry Me Chicken Pasta recipe swaps out traditional white pasta for chickpea pasta, and swaps heavy cream for milk and Greek yogurt. These simple swaps don’t sacrifice flavor but give this dish a boost of protein and fiber. In fact, each serving of this marry me pasta gives you 52 grams of protein and 11 grams of fiber. Protein and fiber work together to keep blood sugar levels more stable, keep us feeling full, and can improve digestive health.

In addition to being a healthy version that you can feel good about eating, this easy pasta recipe also only requires one pan to cook it in! I’m always a fan of less cleanup whenever possible. 

Ingredients You’ll Need

Marry Me Chicken Pasta uses simple ingredients that you can find at your local grocery store. Here’s what you’ll need to make it. 

For the chicken:

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts: the main protein source in this recipe. You can also substitute boneless skinless chicken thighs. 

• Spices: To season the chicken, you’ll need salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.

• Olive oil: rich in monounsaturated fats that can help reduce inflammation. Avocado oil, canola oil, or another neutral oil can be substituted. 

For the pasta and creamy sauce:

• Butter: you could omit the butter and just use olive oil but salted butter adds a more creamy texture and taste to this dish in my opinion.

• Garlic: I use fresh garlic in this sauce. You could substitute pre-minced garlic or garlic powder, however, I don’t find the garlic flavor to be as prominent. If you’re new to using fresh garlic, I’d highly recommend getting a garlic press – it makes mincing garlic significantly easier! 

• Sun-dried tomatoes: These little guys pack in a lot of flavor. Look for sun dried tomatoes that are packed in oil if you can find them!

• Chicken broth: I use reduced sodium chicken stock in this recipe to cook the pasta in. You can also use just plain water too, but the chicken broth makes it a bit more flavorful.

• Chickpea Pasta: my favorite swap for traditional white pasta. Compared to regular pasta, chickpea pasta is packed with fiber and protein. I usually prefer this brand of chickpea pasta. You can use whatever shape you prefer. You could also use whole wheat pasta, lentil pasta, or bean pasta.

• Greek Yogurt: I usually use a plain, full-fat Greek yogurt. It gives you a creamy texture while also providing protein and healthy probiotics for gut health.

• Milk: I highly recommend using whole milk here rather than fat-free or low fat milk. The fat content helps since we’re replacing the heavy cream with it. 

• Parmesan Cheese: Grab a block of parmesan cheese and grate it! The parmesan cheese gives this dish the cheesy flavor that you’ll love.

• Baby spinach: while two handfuls of spinach may seem like a lot, it cooks down to barely anything! Spinach will add a lot of micronutrients like vitamins A & K.

• Fresh basil: Basil adds another flavor dimension to this dish and really pulls together the creamy sun dried tomato sauce.

• Italian seasoning: this contributes to the bold flavors of this dish.

• Red pepper flakes: this adds a little heat and spice to the dish. Adjust the amount to be less if you’re not a fan of spicy.

How To Make Marry Me Chicken Pasta

Here’s how you’re going to make your marry me chicken pasta dish. 

First, cut your chicken into bite-sized pieces and season it with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken to a bowl and set aside.

Next, you’re going to make your pasta and sauce. In the same pan that you cooked your chicken in, add butter and turn the heat down to medium-low heat. Add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and sauté for 1 minute. 

Pour the chicken broth into the skillet. Scrape up any bits that may be stuck to the bottom of the pan. Allow this to heat up and simmer for about 2 minutes.

Add your chickpea pasta to the skillet. Spread it out evenly and ensure it’s mostly submerged in the chicken broth mixture. Your pasta doesn’t need to be 100% covered in liquid, but you want each piece of your pasta to be mostly submerged in the liquid. If you need to, you can add up to ¼ to ½ cup more water if needed to ensure the pasta is mostly submerged. Cover and cook for 7 to 9 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.

Once your pasta is cooked, turn off the heat. Stir in Greek yogurt, milk, parmesan cheese, basil, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Add the spinach and continue to stir until the cheese is melted and spinach is wilted, about 2-3 minutes. 

Taste your pasta mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste if needed. Add the cooked chicken into the pasta mixture and toss to combine well. 

Top with additional parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy!

How To Store It

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. When you’re ready to eat it, simply microwave it to reheat. 

Tips, Variations + Substitutions

• Substitute a different type of pasta for the chickpea pasta. Whole wheat pasta, red lentil, or brown rice pasta will all work well. You may need to adjust the cooking time depending on the type of pasta you use.
• Swap out boneless chicken breasts for boneless skinless chicken thighs, ground turkey or chicken, pan-fried tofu, or shrimp.
• Blend cottage cheese in a food processor and substitute for Greek yogurt.
• Bulk up the veggies and antioxidants by adding other veggies such as kale, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, or roasted red peppers.

Other Delicious Recipes You’ll Love

Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta

Greek Chicken Quinoa Bowls

Baked Feta Chicken with Pasta

Elote Pasta Salad

If you make this Marry Me Chicken Pasta recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating and review at the end of this blog post. This is incredibly helpful to me, my small business, and to other readers!