Marry Me Chicken Pasta (Dump-and-Bake Recipe)

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Marry Me Chicken Pasta (Dump-and-Bake Recipe)

This Marry Me Chicken Pasta Bake is a true dump-and-bake dinner: no boiling pasta or searing chicken required. Everything goes into one dish with the broth, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic, then comes out oh-so-creamy just 40 minutes later. One dish, one stir, and dinner's done!

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Dinner, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Italian, Mediterranean

Servings: servings

Author: London Brazil

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

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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.

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.

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