Marry Me Chicken by Tyler Butt Nutrition Home Cooking

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 medium onion or shallot, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 cup fresh spinach or basil, chopped
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for serving
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, plus more for serving
• 1/2 cup pasta water (reserved from cooking pasta)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp salt (for pasta water)
• 8 oz pasta of choice (e.g., linguine, fettuccine)
• 2 tbsp olive oil or butter (for searing chicken)

Instructions

1. Pat the chicken breasts dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. Slice them against the grain if they are thick for even cooking.
2. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil or butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken breasts for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent.
4. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant, stirring constantly.
5. Stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another minute.
6. Pour in the chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.
7. Add the heavy cream, dried thyme, dried oregano, grated Parmesan cheese, and smoked paprika. Stir well to combine.
8. Stir in the chopped spinach or basil until it wilts.
9. Return the chicken breasts to the pan and nestle them into the sauce. Let simmer gently for 5-7 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
10. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions in well-salted boiling water. Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
11. Stir the reserved pasta water and lemon juice into the sauce.
12. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the chicken and sauce. Toss gently to coat everything evenly. Let it heat through for 1-2 minutes.
13. Plate the chicken and pasta, spooning extra sauce over the top. Garnish with extra red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese, if desired.