A true dump-and-bake dinner.
I knew this Marry Me Chicken Pasta Bake was a keeper the second Justin started eating it straight out of the baking dish. No plate. Just a fork and zero shame.
And that’s saying a LOT, because this Alton Brown fan is normally a skeptic of anything that starts with one-pot or one-pan… so dump-and-bake?! Outta’ the question.
Even our little guy got in on it, making the silliest little grunting noises between bites of pasta. Happy baby sounds are honestly the best recipe review I could ask for.
It has everything you love about Marry Me Chicken, the creamy sun-dried tomato sauce, the garlic, the tender chicken. It just all cooks together in one 9×13 instead of across three separate pans.
London’s Quick Tips
- Tightly seal the dish with foil before baking – the steam cooks the pasta!
- Cut the chicken cut into 1-inch pieces – it finishes right when the pasta does.
- Hold the dairy until the very end – the sauce comes out silky smooth and not clumpy or curdled.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Chicken breasts: Cut them into 1-inch pieces so they cook through in the same time the pasta does. Boneless skinless thighs work too, just cut them the same size and cook to 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Pasta: A ridged short shape holds the sauce best, so penne rigate, cavatappi, or rigatoni are all great here. Skip gluten-free and whole wheat for this one, since they soak up liquid unpredictably and you’ll end up with either mush or crunch.
- Chicken broth: This is what actually cooks the pasta, so it’s not the place to cut back. I whisk water with chicken Better Than Bouillon instead of opening a whole carton, but any chicken broth works, just taste it before you add all the salt if yours runs salty.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: Grab the oil-packed jarred kind and save a spoonful of that oil, since it’s full of flavor and goes right into the dish. Drain and chop the rest.
- Garlic: Fresh minced cloves are a must! The jarred stuff goes a little flat over 40-plus minutes in the oven.
- Paprika, dried thyme, and dried oregano: These three are what make it taste like Marry Me Chicken instead of just creamy pasta. Whisk them together with the salt and pepper first so they mix in evenly
- Red pepper flakes: Totally optional. The amount in the recipe card adds warmth in the background rather than actual heat, so bump it up if your family likes spice.
- Half-and-half: Stir it in at the very end, off the heat, and let it come to room temperature first. Cold dairy hitting a hot dish is what makes a cream sauce turn grainy.
- Substitutions: heavy cream or whole milk. Heavy cream makes it richer, whole milk makes it lighter and thinner (just don’t let it boil). I’ve got more options in my post on heavy cream substitutes.)
- Parmesan: Grate it yourself off a block if you can, since the pre-shredded kind has anti-caking starch that keeps it from melting smoothly.
- Fresh basil: Tear it and stir it in at the end with the dairy so it stays bright green. Save a little to sprinkle over the top before serving.
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Layer, don’t stir.
Spread the dry pasta across the bottom of the dish, then top it with the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and that reserved spoonful of oil. Add the garlic, then arrange the chicken pieces in an even layer. No stirring yet.
The Baking Dish I L❤️VE!
This 9×13-inch baking dish gets used almost every day in our house! It’s the perfect size for dump and bake dinners, holds heat great, and looks so pretty!
Pour it in and press it down.
Pour the broth in around everything, then sprinkle the seasoning mixture evenly over the top. Now press the chicken and pasta down so it’s all sitting under the liquid.
Pro Tip: Don’t rush the press-down. Anything poking up above the liquid line stays crunchy, so take the extra ten seconds and tuck it all under.
Cover it up and bake.
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, giving it one good stir at the halfway mark. It’s ready when the pasta is tender and the chicken hits 165°F.
Pro Tip: That foil seal is SUPER important. If steam is escaping around the edges, the pasta cooks unevenly, so crimp it tight against the rim of the dish.
Stir in the creamy stuff.
Pull it out of the oven and take the foil off. Stir in the half-and-half, Parmesan, and basil until the sauce comes together and looks creamy.
Pro Tip: The sauce should look a little loose at this point, and that’s exactly right. It thickens up the longer it rests.
Rest, then dig in.
Let it rest for 5 minutes, then top with extra basil and Parmesan if you’d like. Serve it right away, since the pasta will keep absorbing liquid the longer it sits.
FAQs
No boiling required. The dry pasta cooks right in the broth while the foil traps the steam, so it comes out tender without ever touching a pot of water. Just make sure everything is pressed down under the liquid before it goes into the oven.
Go ahead and stir in the half-and-half, Parmesan, and basil, then cover the dish back up and let it sit for another 5 to 10 minutes. There’s no need to put it back in the oven, it will absorb right up.
Add a little extra water or broth when you assemble it. The pasta keeps absorbing sauce the longer it sits, so that splash of extra liquid up front is what keeps it creamy on the plate.
Yes! Cut them into the same 1-inch pieces so they cook in the same amount of time, and pull the dish once they hit 165°F.
Absolutely. Stir a few big handfuls of baby spinach in at the very end along with the dairy, and it will wilt right down in the residual heat.
You can measure and prep everything ahead, but assemble and bake it the day you’re serving. No-boil pasta sitting in liquid before it bakes goes soft, and the texture just isn’t the same.
Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, then warm gently with a splash of broth or cream to loosen the sauce back up. I don’t recommend freezing this one, since cream sauces tend to separate once they thaw.
Tap stars to rate!
Marry Me Chicken Pasta (Dump-and-Bake Recipe)
email this recipe!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces
- 16 ounces penne, rotini, or cavatappi pasta
- 4 ½ cups chicken broth
- 7 ounces oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes drained and chopped, 1 tablespoon oil reserved
- 4 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- ¾ cup half-and-half at room temperature
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves loosely packed, torn
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a small bowl, stir together the salt, black pepper, paprika, thyme, oregano, and red pepper flakes, if using.1 teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Layer the pasta, sun-dried tomatoes and reserved oil, and garlic in the baking dish, then arrange the chicken on top.1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 16 ounces penne, rotini, or cavatappi pasta, 7 ounces oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, 4 garlic cloves
- Pour in the chicken broth and sprinkle the seasoning mixture evenly over the top. Press down the chicken and pasta so it is immersed in the liquid.4 ½ cups chicken broth
- Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, stirring once halfway through and re-covering, until the pasta is tender and the chicken is cooked through to 165°F.
- Remove from the oven and discard the foil. Stir in the half-and-half, Parmesan cheese, and basil until the sauce is creamy and well combined.¾ cup half-and-half, ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, ½ cup fresh basil leaves
- Let rest for 5 minutes, then top with extra fresh basil and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve immediately, as the pasta will keep absorbing liquid the longer it sits.
Tap stars to rate!
Notes
- Half-and-half vs. milk vs. heavy cream: All are stirred in at the end. Half-and-half is creamy but not too heavy. For richer, use 3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream. For the lightest, use 3/4 to 1 cup whole milk (thinner and less rich, and do not let it boil).
- Broth shortcut: Whisk 4 1/2 cups water with 1 1/2 tablespoons chicken Better Than Bouillon. Taste before adding all the salt if your broth or base is salty.
- Pasta: Use a good-quality semolina pasta. A ridged short shape like penne rigate, cavatappi, or rigatoni holds the sauce best. Gluten-free and whole wheat are not recommended here, since they hydrate unpredictably.
- Chicken: 1-inch pieces cook through with no searing. Thighs work too, cut the same size and cooked to 165°F.
- Make it saucier: Add a splash of warm broth at the halfway stir if the top looks dry, and loosen leftovers with a little warm broth or dairy.
- If the pasta is not quite done but liquid remains: Stir in the half-and-half, Parmesan, and basil, then cover and let it sit for another 5 to 10 minutes. There is no need to return it to the oven, it will absorb right up.
- Add veggies: Stir tender veggies (baby spinach, baby kale, peas, chopped roasted red peppers) in at the end with the dairy. Add heartier veggies (small broccoli florets, sliced mushrooms, chopped zucchini) with the pasta before baking, and hold back about 1/4 cup broth for the watery ones.
- Storage: Airtight in the fridge up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended since the cream sauce can separate once it thaws. To reheat, warm gently with a splash of broth or cream to loosen.
- Make ahead: Prep and measure ahead, but assemble and bake day-of for the best texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What to serve with Marry Me Chicken Pasta Bake
This one is rich and creamy, so what it really wants next to it is something green and crisp.
My Lemon Arugula Salad is the one I reach for most, since it’s peppery and bright and cuts right through all that cream. Massaged Kale Salad does the same job if you want something heartier that can sit on the counter while the pasta bakes.
If you’d rather have a hot vegetable on the side, both Roasted Asparagus with Garlic and Honey Roasted Broccoli with Garlic are great here. They roast hotter than this bake does, so I get them done first and tent them with foil while the pasta finishes up.
More Easy Dump and Bake Dinners
Turns out the best kind of dinner is the kind where you just put everything in one dish and walk away. These are the other ones on repeat in our house.
