‘Marry Me’ Chicken Pasta

Name: u2018Marry Meu2019 Chicken Pasta
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 Servings
Ingredients: 2 medium chicken breasts, butterflied; 2 tablespoons flour; olive oil, for frying; 1 ounce butter; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2u00bd ounces sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped; u00bd teaspoon thyme; u00bd teaspoon oregano; 1 teaspoon ground paprika; u00bd teaspoon chilli flakes, optional; u00bd lemon, zest and juice; 2u00bd ounces spinach; 3u00bd ounces pappardelle pasta; 6 ounces mascarpone; 1u00be ounces parmesan, freshly grated; salt and freshly ground black pepper; torn basil leaves, to serve

By Leslie Blythe Cheese, Chicken, Pasta Boiling, Frying, Sautéing

November 15, 2023

Marry Me Chicken is a dish that gained popularity on TikTok in 2021. It's a creamy, flavorful chicken dish with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, spinach and herbs. The name comes from the claim that the dish is so delicious, it will make you want to marry the person who made it for you. This version adds pappardelle pasta. I have to say, I would be tempted to marry myself! It's really delicious.

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Yields: 2 Servings

Ingredients

2 medium chicken breasts, butterflied

2 tablespoons flour

olive oil, for frying

1 ounce butter

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2½ ounces sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped

½ teaspoon thyme

½ teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon ground paprika

½ teaspoon chilli flakes, optional

½ lemon, zest and juice

2½ ounces spinach

3½ ounces pappardelle pasta

6 ounces mascarpone

1¾ ounces parmesan, freshly grated

salt and freshly ground black pepper

torn basil leaves, to serve

Directions

1Sprinkle the flour onto a plate and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss the chicken in the flour on all sides.

2Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and add ½ tablespoon of olive oil, followed by the butter. Once foaming, add the chicken breasts and cook for 4–5 minutes on both sides or until golden-brown. Turn down the heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for another 10 minutes while you prepare the sauce. Turn the chicken halfway through and make sure it is cooked through.  Remove the chicken from the pan and slice into 1¼-inch strips.

3Meanwhile, heat a dash of oil in a frying pan and fry the garlic for 1–2 minutes over a medium heat in another large frying pan. Once fragrant, add the sun-dried tomatoes, thyme, oregano, paprika, chilli flakes (if using), lemon zest and juice, and salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Cook for 1 minute further before adding the spinach and wilting it down, stirring often to prevent anything catching.

4Add the chicken to the sauce and keep warm.

5Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to packet instructions in a large pan of boiling salted water. Drain once you reach the ‘al dente’ stage and reserve a mug full of the pasta water.

6Add the mascarpone to the sauce and allow it to melt down. Tip the pasta into the sauce with some of the pasta water to loosen things up. Stir together adding little splashes of pasta water until a velvety sauce is formed. Add half of the Parmesan and stir again until melted. 

7Share among two bowls and serve with the rest of the Parmesan and a few torn basil leaves.

Recipe adapted from BBC Food, UK.

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