Description
Marry Me Chicken Pasta is a creamy, flavorful dish featuring juicy chicken thighs seared with smoked paprika and Italian seasoning, combined with farfalle pasta in a luscious sauce made from sun dried tomato oil, garlic, shallots, spinach, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese. This comforting recipe is perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner with a touch of elegance.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken
- 3 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 0.75 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 0.75 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sun dried tomato oil from the jar of sun dried tomatoes
Pasta
- 12 oz farfalle pasta
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon dried shallots
- 2 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced onion
- 3 tablespoon Bob's Red Mill 1:1 gluten free flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded parmesan
- 0.25 cup diced sun dried tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup diced spinach
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 0.5 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- Chopped fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Wash the chicken thighs and pat them dry with paper towels. In a medium bowl, coat the chicken evenly with smoked sweet paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
- Sear the chicken: Heat the sun dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the seasoned chicken thighs and sear for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown.
- Cook the chicken through: Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the skillet with a lid. Cook the chicken for an additional 10 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside to cool.
- Cook the pasta: While the chicken cooks, boil the farfalle pasta in salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Sauté aromatics: In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add dried shallots, minced onion, minced garlic, diced sun dried tomatoes, and tomato paste along with Italian seasoning, salt, and smoked sweet paprika. Sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant and well combined.
- Add flour and liquids: Sprinkle the gluten free flour into the skillet and stir to combine. Slowly add the chicken broth and heavy cream, stirring constantly.
- Simmer the sauce: Cook the mixture on medium-low heat until the sauce thickens and the spinach wilts, about 5 minutes.
- Add cheese: Stir in the shredded parmesan cheese until the sauce is creamy and smooth.
- Combine chicken and pasta: Dice the cooled chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add the chicken and cooked pasta to the sauce in the skillet and stir gently to combine all ingredients.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle chopped fresh basil over the dish as garnish, then serve immediately for the best flavor.
Notes
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended as the sauce may separate.
- Reheat leftovers gently over medium-low heat in a skillet or microwave portions in 1-minute intervals to avoid curdling the sauce.
- Cook pasta al dente to prevent it from breaking apart when mixed with the creamy sauce.
- Use a food thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F without overcooking.
- Preheat the pan before adding chicken to ensure a good sear and flavor development.
- Keep the sauce at a light simmer; avoid boiling to prevent the sauce from breaking and separating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
