One Pot Marry Me Chicken Pasta
'Marry Me' Chicken Pasta lives up to its name! It's ready in around 30 minutes, made all in one pot (no pre-cooking the pasta!), and is creamy, tangy, comforting and satisfying. It's the perfect family friendly midweek recipe that even most fussy eaters will devour. Serve with vegetables or salad and garlic bread on the side.
Servings: 4 to 7 (with simple sides)
Equipment
- cast iron
Ingredients
- 1 large onion optional, sliced thinly (alternatively, 2 tablespoons caramelized onion chutney/relish or a tablespoon of honey)
- 1 pound chicken breast around 2 large chicken breasts, sliced into roughly 1 to 2cm thick slices
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour (for gluten free, replace with gluten free flour or corn starch)
- 3 cloves garlic large, crushed
- 1 tablespoon mixed dried Italian herbs or other mixed dried Mediterranean herbs e.g. basil, oregano, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, tarragon, parsley
- 1 teaspoon paprika sweet paprika (or any type)
- 1 teaspoon mustard Dijon (or other)
- ¾ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional (or amount to taste - alternatively, chili flakes)
- 1 cup semi-dried tomatoes or sun dried tomatoes (drained, if packed in oil, and sliced into strips if whole)
- 8 ounces penne pasta dried (other medium-sized pasta shapes work too e.g. fusilli, bow-tie)
- 3 cups chicken broth (stock)
- ½ cup cream any kind
- ½ cup parmesan cheese grated (plus extra to serve, if you like)
- 3 cups spinach (I like pre-washed baby spinach for convenience)
- fresh basil optional, to serve (or parsley)
To serve (optional)
- garlic bread or other bread or toast e.g. 2-minute olive oil toasts
- vegetables or green salad e.g. sautéed frozen broccoli or green beans
Instructions
- If including the onion, start by slowly cooking it in a little olive oil or butter in a medium-sized heavy pot or deep skillet for around 10 minutes until soft and sweet.1 large onion
- Add a large drizzle of olive oil or a tablespoon of butter to the pot. Add the flour-coated chicken pieces and stir and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until white.1 pound chicken breast, ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- Stir in the crushed garlic, then the dried herbs, paprika, mustard, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes/chili flakes if using.3 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon mixed dried Italian herbs, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon mustard, ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Add the semi-dried/sun dried tomatoes, pasta, chicken broth (stock), and cream. Push the ingredients down into the liquid and bring to the boil. Then turn the heat down to medium and let simmer for around 12 minutes or until the chicken is cooked all the way through and the pasta is just cooked but still has a bit of bite (al dente). Stir well once or twice during cooking.1 cup semi-dried tomatoes, 8 ounces penne pasta, 3 cups chicken broth , ½ cup cream
- Now stir through the spinach and then the parmesan cheese. Serve immediately in bowls with a little more grated parmesan and fresh basil or other fresh herbs sprinkled over the top and with vegetables/salad and garlic bread on the side (if you like).½ cup parmesan cheese, 3 cups spinach, fresh basil , garlic bread or other bread or toast, vegetables or green salad
Video
Notes
Pan: The best pan to use is a heavy bottomed medium sized one that isn't either too small or too large. You need enough surface area to cook all of the chicken in one batch, but not too much so that you can't push all the ingredients down into the sauce to cook. Try a cast iron casserole pot, a deep medium-sized skillet, or even a large saucepan.
Liquid: Feel free to replace half a cup of the chicken broth/stock with white wine for extra flavor.
Variation: Try cooking a little bacon and/or chopped mushrooms before adding the chicken.
Storing/Reheating: Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, marry me chicken and pasta will keep well for 3 to 4 days. Reheat separate covered portions in the microwave, or in a saucepan gently with an extra drizzle of water.
Nutrition
Calories: 629kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 1499mg | Potassium: 1786mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 3247IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 281mg | Iron: 6mg
