"Marry Me" Chicken has been circulating on the internet for years (no, I didn't name this dish). There are numerous versions out there, but the core concept is chicken served with a sun dried tomato cream sauce. Recently, serving this dish with tortellini has been making the rounds on TikTok, so I wanted to give this idea a try!
Is this dish good enough to elicit a marriage proposal? You'll have to give it a try and let me know. (The way to my husband's heart was definitely Detroit Style Pizza, and these pretzel dogs.) What I can tell you is that this dish is packed with flavor and perfect for a date night meal at home! The flavor reminds me a bit of pizza (with the tomatoes, cheese, and oregano). I add a little crush red pepper, which gives the sauce just a tiny bit of kick. You can amp up the quantity to give this dish some real spice if desired.
Key Tips - "Marry Me" Chicken & Tortellini
For best results, use fresh Parmesan cheese.
- If you have the time, grating fresh parmesan from a block yields the best results. The next best parmesan to use is grated parmesan from the refrigerated section. I don't recommend using powdered parmesan that is not refrigerated at the grocery store, this typically doesn't melt down well into sauces.
Make sure your chicken is pounded thin.
- As specified in the recipe, make sure you get your chicken breasts very thin, to ensure that they will cook through following this method. If you're not sure about how to fillet a chicken breast, check out this video!
Wait until the very end to cook the tortellini.
- I recommend that you start boiling the water for the tortellini early on in the prep to give the large pot time to heat up, but most fresh or frozen tortellini need only 3-4 minutes to cook, so wait until everything else is almost done to drop them in.
Bump up the spice.
- This recipe calls for some red pepper flakes, which gives the final sauce a very mild spice. If you're a spice lover, you may want to double or triple the amount of red pepper flakes.
Check out my guide on freezing fresh garlic to save some time in the kitchen.
- If you're looking for the convenience of pre-minced garlic, but the flavor of fresh garlic, freezing your own minced garlic is a great option! You'll be surprised to find that the flavor of frozen garlic is nearly as good as fresh, without the sticky prep and clean-up. Read more about it here: How to Freeze Garlic.
Variations - "Marry Me" Chicken & Tortellini
Make it without pasta.
- If desired, this can be prepared without the tortellini and served with another carb like rice or potatoes. You can double the amount of chicken, and keep the sauce recipe the same, and the quantity should work out nicely.
- Cook the chicken in batches, do not overcrowd the pan. You don't need to add the chicken back to the sauce, just plate the cooked chicken and pour the completed sauce over top.
Substitute a different kind of pasta.
- If desired, instead of tortellini, prepare 8-10 oz of dry pasta such as spaghetti or penne. You can otherwise follow the recipe as written.
Dietary Restrictions - "Marry Me" Chicken & Tortellini
This dish cannot be easily adapted to be gluten-free, dairy-free, or vegetarian.
A Note On Serving Sizes
Serving sizes are a very personal thing, making it very difficult for me to select a serving size that suits everyone. ¼ of this batch is one standard serving, but some people may want to have more than one serving per meal.
"Marry Me" Chicken & Tortellini
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 16-20 oz fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
- 2 cups half-and-half or 1 cup cream, 1 cup whole milk
- 1 ½ teaspoon chicken better than bouillon or chicken bouillon cubes
- ⅓ cup sun dried tomatoes drained and chopped fine
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or sub basil or parsley
- 1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes add more to make it spicy, or omit if very sensitive to spice
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- olive oil
- garlic powder
- freshly cracked black pepper
- salt
Instructions
- Fillet the chicken breast(s) and pound to a thin, even thickness. Season all over with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Pour flour onto a shallow plate and dredge the chicken in it, shaking off any excess.
- Warm 2 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat, sear breasts for about 3 mins per side, until golden, then remove to a cutting board. Slice into the largest piece to ensure it’s cooked through, then tent with foil to keep warm. Do not wipe the pan clean. Turn off the heat to allow the pan to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, begin boiling a large pot of salted water. Cook the tortellini per package instructions while preparing the rest of the meal. Drain and cover to keep warm until needed. (Most cook times are short, so wait until the sauce is almost done)
- In the pan you cooked the chicken, cook the garlic and red pepper flakes over medium heat until fragrant (about 1 minute), add more oil if needed. Next, add the half-and-half and reduce heat to medium low. Add the bouillon and oregano, mix well and scrape any browned bits into the sauce. Once simmering, add the parmesan (reserving a little for garnish) and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is the consistency of thick cream, about 10 minutes.
- After simmering, add the chopped sun dried tomatoes and mix well. Add the chicken back to the pan and spoon sauce over it until it's coated. Warm it in the pan for 1-2 minutes, then remove to a cutting board and cut into bite sized pieces.
- Toss the tortellini in the sauce, then plate into serving dishes. Top with the chicken, then garnish with the reserved parmesan and fresh thyme.
Notes
Nutrition
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Send me pictures of your creations -- it'll make my day! Message @CraftyCookbook on Instagram, email me ([email protected]), or tag me in a post! Please note, tagged posts are only visible to me if your account is public. Did you make any interesting changes or substitutions for this recipe? Tell me about them in the comment section below!
Kylie says
This looks so good, Jacqueline!! Will definitely have to give it a try some weeknight!
Jacqueline Schell says
Thanks so much, let me know if you do!!
Jamie says
Made this and threw in a little bit of fresh red bell pepper as well, so good! Definitely going to add this one into our rotation, thanks!
Jacqueline Schell says
That sounds delicious, glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
Madison says
We made this recipe this evening, and this is phenomenal. I'm not a huge chicken fan, but I like it in this dish. We added the broccoli, and personally, I think it would have been a little too rich without it.
Jacqueline Schell says
Thanks so much for commenting, I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe and the addition of the broccoli sounds great!
Elizabeth Lopez says
A little bit of work, but TONS of flavor! Even my picky 5 yr old daughter approved! I look forward to adding this into our monthly dinner rotation. GREAT recipe!
Jacqueline Schell says
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, I'm so glad you and your family enjoyed it!! 🙂
Kate says
So good! I shared it with my sister and she loved it too, thank you!
J R says
Great recipe!
Aubrey says
This is sooooo tasty! It doesn't keep well as leftovers, the tortellini will soak up all the sauce. So we just make sure we plan to eat it all day-of!
Jess says
How much salt, pepper, and garlic powder? I can't wait to make this
Jacqueline Schell says
That is kind of up to you! Dust the chicken all over with a thin layer. When in doubt, go lighter and you can always use more next time, or add some extra salt and pepper after cooking. Sorry I know this isnt a super helpful answer, but its a bit hard to express. Good luck with the recipe!