Easy Marry Me Chicken Pasta – Creamy Potluck Winner

Marry Me Chicken Pasta takes everything you love about the viral skillet chicken - the garlicky sun-dried tomato cream sauce, the golden seared chicken - and stretches it into a saucy pasta bake-style dish that feeds a potluck without any last-minute stress. The sauce clings to every rigatoni noodle, so each scoop is as creamy as the first.

I built this version around a 12-inch skillet and a pound of pasta because that is exactly what a 9x13 potluck pan holds. The chicken gets a hard sear at 400F (205C) oven finish so it stays juicy while the pasta absorbs all that Parmesan-thickened cream.

It holds up on a buffet table for over an hour without turning gluey, which is the real test for any potluck pasta. Bring it in the baking dish, add the basil right before serving, and watch it disappear before the burgers do.

About the Ingredients

1 lb (450g) rigatoni or penne pasta

Ridged tubes hold the cream sauce best; ziti or cavatappi work as a substitute if you want more surface area for sauce.

1.5 lbs (680g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

Thighs stay juicy on a buffet line; swap in chicken breast cutlets but pull them 3 minutes earlier to avoid drying out.

2 tbsp olive oil

Use oil-packed sun-dried tomato oil if you have it for extra flavor; otherwise regular olive oil is fine.

1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)

Sweet onion is a good substitute if yellow makes your family complain about bite.

4 garlic cloves, minced

Fresh garlic only here - jarred garlic tastes flat once it hits the cream.

3/4 cup (180ml) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced

Buy the julienne-cut ones to save chopping time; oil-packed beats dry-packed every time in this sauce.

1 tsp dried oregano

Crush it between your palms before adding to wake up the oils.

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Cut to 1/4 tsp if you are serving kids; Aleppo pepper is a milder swap.

1 1/2 cups (360ml) heavy cream

Half-and-half will curdle at a simmer - use full-fat cream or full-fat coconut milk for dairy-free.

1 cup (100g) grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Grate it yourself from a block; pre-shredded Parmesan has anti-caking starch that makes sauce grainy.

1 cup (240ml) reserved pasta water

Starchy pasta water is the secret to loosening the sauce without thinning the flavor.

1/3 cup fresh basil, torn, plus salt and pepper to taste

Add it off the heat so it stays bright green; frozen basil will turn the sauce muddy.

Tips & Tricks

Do not skip the pasta water

The starch emulsifies the cream and Parmesan into a glossy sauce instead of a greasy one.

Sear the chicken in batches

Crowding the pan at 400F (205C) steams the chicken instead of browning it, so work in two batches.

Undercook the pasta by 2 minutes

It finishes absorbing sauce in the oven, so al dente at the start means perfect at the end.

Add cream off a hard boil

Once it bubbles, drop the heat to low before the cream goes in or it can split.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Boil the pasta

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil and cook the rigatoni 2 minutes shy of package directions at 212F (100C). Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.

2. Sear the chicken

Heat olive oil in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 350F (175C). Add half the chicken in a single layer and sear 4 minutes per side until deeply golden brown and the internal temperature reads 165F (74C). Repeat with the second batch, then transfer all chicken to a plate.

3. Soften the aromatics

Lower the heat to medium and add the onion to the same skillet, cooking 4 minutes until translucent and soft, scraping up the browned chicken bits. Stir in garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook 60 seconds until fragrant.

4. Build the cream sauce

Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer at 200F (93C), then immediately reduce heat to low. Whisk in the Parmesan in three additions until the sauce is smooth and coats the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes.

5. Combine pasta and chicken

Add the drained pasta and seared chicken to the skillet along with 1/2 cup pasta water. Toss over low heat for 2 minutes until the sauce clings to every noodle, adding more pasta water a splash at a time if it looks tight.

6. Bake until bubbling

If using a baking dish, transfer everything to a 9x13 pan. Bake at 400F (205C) for 10 minutes until the edges bubble and the top turns light golden. Broil 2 minutes more for spotty browning.

7. Finish with basil

Rest the dish 5 minutes, then scatter torn basil over the top and shower with extra Parmesan. Serve straight from the pan so the sauce stays loose and creamy.

Delicious Variations

Spicy Arrabbiata Marry Me

Double the red pepper flakes and add 1/2 cup crushed Calabrian chiles for a fiery potluck version.

Mushroom Marry Me Pasta

Swap the chicken for 1 lb sliced cremini mushrooms seared the same way for a vegetarian hit.

Marry Me Chicken Alfredo Bake

Use fettuccine and stir in 1/2 cup ricotta before baking for an even richer, lasagna-like texture.

How to Store Easy Marry Me Chicken Pasta | Perfect Potluck Dish

Frequently Asked Questions

Bring this Marry Me Chicken Pasta to your next potluck and watch the pan scrape clean before dessert comes out. If you make it, snap a photo of those bubbling golden edges and tag me - I love seeing your variations.

Easy Marry Me Chicken Pasta | Perfect Potluck Dish

Easy Marry Me Chicken Pasta is creamy sun-dried tomato chicken pasta that feeds a crowd and travels beautifully to any potluck.

★★★★½ 4.8 (214 ratings)

15 minPrep time35 minCook time6Servings612 kcalCalories

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🧂 Ingredients

• 1 lb (450g) rigatoni or penne pasta
• 1.5 lbs (680g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup (180ml) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 cups (360ml) heavy cream
• 1 cup (100g) grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
• 1 cup (240ml) reserved pasta water
• 1/3 cup fresh basil, torn, plus salt and pepper to taste

📋 Instructions

1. 1Boil the pasta — Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil and cook the rigatoni 2 minutes shy of package directions at 212F (100C). Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
2. 2Sear the chicken — Heat olive oil in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 350F (175C). Add half the chicken in a single layer and sear 4 minutes per side until deeply golden brown and the internal temperature reads 165F (74C). Repeat with the second batch, then transfer all chicken to a plate.
3. 3Soften the aromatics — Lower the heat to medium and add the onion to the same skillet, cooking 4 minutes until translucent and soft, scraping up the browned chicken bits. Stir in garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook 60 seconds until fragrant.
4. 4Build the cream sauce — Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer at 200F (93C), then immediately reduce heat to low. Whisk in the Parmesan in three additions until the sauce is smooth and coats the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes.
5. 5Combine pasta and chicken — Add the drained pasta and seared chicken to the skillet along with 1/2 cup pasta water. Toss over low heat for 2 minutes until the sauce clings to every noodle, adding more pasta water a splash at a time if it looks tight.
6. 6Bake until bubbling — If using a baking dish, transfer everything to a 9x13 pan. Bake at 400F (205C) for 10 minutes until the edges bubble and the top turns light golden. Broil 2 minutes more for spotty browning.
7. 7Finish with basil — Rest the dish 5 minutes, then scatter torn basil over the top and shower with extra Parmesan. Serve straight from the pan so the sauce stays loose and creamy.

👨‍🍳 Chef's Note: If you are transporting this dish, bake it at home, cover with foil, and reheat at the party for 10 minutes at 350F (175C) - it tastes fresher than baking on site.

Servings: 6

Cuisine: American-Italian

Course: Main Course

Nutrition (per serving): 612 kcal · 38g protein · 46g carbs · 31g fat