Marry me chicken tortellini tiktok

“Marry Me” Chicken & Tortellini

Marry me chicken tortellini tiktok

“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 steak, 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!
Marry me chicken tortellini tiktok
Chicken cooking in pan.

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.
Marry me chicken tortellini tiktok

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.

Marry me chicken tortellini tiktok

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. 1/4 of this batch is one standard serving, but some people may want to have more than one serving per meal.

Marry me chicken tortellini tiktok

“Marry Me” Chicken & Tortellini

"Marry Me" Chicken features a rich sun dried tomato cream sauce. This version serves it up over a bed of tortellini, which just may elicit a marriage proposal.
4.73 from 18 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 680 kcal

Ingredients
  

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 tbsp 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.
    Marry me chicken tortellini tiktok
  • 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

I did not name this dish, “Marry Me Chicken” has been around for many years and there are many different versions available online, all featuring chicken in a sun dried tomato cream sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25 batchCalories: 680kcal
Keyword Chicken, Marry Me Chicken, Marry Me Chicken & Tortellini, Pasta, Special Occasion, Tortellini
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Send me pictures of your creations — it’ll make my day! Message @CraftyCookbook on Instagram 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!
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10 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    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!

  2. 5 stars
    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.

    • Thanks so much for commenting, I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe and the addition of the broccoli sounds great!

  3. 5 stars
    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!

    • Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed it!! 🙂

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