Marry me chicken bowtie pasta combines thin chicken strips and farfalle in a creamy sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and Parmesan. The sauce stays loose enough to coat the pasta rather than setting into a thick flour-based gravy.
This batch makes four portions. Cook the pasta while searing the chicken, then fold the fully cooked meat back in off the heat so it stays tender.
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Why This Recipe Works
Drained oil-packed tomatoes provide concentrated flavor without adding a pool of packing oil. Briefly reducing the broth before adding cream gives the sauce a little more body. Parmesan stirred in off the burner thickens the warm liquid, and returning the chicken at the end avoids a second simmer that could dry thin breast strips.
Ingredients
Use boneless, skinless breast or thigh meat cut into similar thin strips. Farfalle and bowtie pasta are the same shape; its thick center may need more time than its thin edges. Divide the two tablespoons oil or butter into one and a half tablespoons for chicken and half a tablespoon for garlic. Freshly grated Parmesan blends more readily than coarse shreds.
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, thinly sliced
- 12 ounces bowtie pasta
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter, divided
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil or parsley, chopped, for garnish
- Water, as needed for boiling
How to Make Marry Me Chicken Bowtie Pasta
1. Start the pasta and season. Bring salted water to a boil and cook the bowties according to the package, testing the thick centers for an al dente bite. Reserve half a cup of cooking water before draining. Meanwhile, pat the chicken strips dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. Similar strip thickness helps the pan finish the pieces together.
2. Cook chicken once. Warm one and a half tablespoons of the chosen oil or butter in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat; keep butter from smoking. Sauté the chicken for about five to seven minutes, turning until lightly browned and 165°F inside. Thigh strips can need longer than breast strips. Transfer the finished meat to a plate while making the sauce.
3. Build a loose cream sauce. Lower to medium-low and add the reserved half-tablespoon fat. Warm the garlic for thirty to sixty seconds, then stir in the drained tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and optional pepper flakes for a minute. Add broth and let it gently bubble for two to three minutes, scraping up the browned flavor. Pour in cream and simmer softly for another three to four minutes. With no flour or starch slurry, the sauce will look fluid at this stage.
4. Finish off the burner. Remove the skillet from heat before adding Parmesan gradually. Fold in the drained bowties and cooked chicken, including its plate juices, and serve once coated. The pasta and cheese give the sauce more body as it stands. If it gets too tight, add reserved pasta water by the tablespoon; if it seems loose, allow a brief stand rather than boiling the chicken again. Add basil or parsley and divide among four bowls.
How to Serve
Pair the pasta with a green salad or roasted vegetables. Spoon a little sauce over each bowl so the final portion gets the same balance as the first. Fresh herbs make a useful finishing accent to the rich cream and concentrated tomatoes.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate shallow portions within two hours and use within three days. Reheat over low heat with a splash of water until the center reaches 165°F. The pasta will absorb sauce overnight, and the cream may separate during reheating. Freezing can make both the sauce and pasta texture less smooth. See federal cold-storage guidance for refrigerated foods.
Tips and Variations
- Drain the tomato packing oil before measuring.
- Reserve part of the measured fat for the garlic stage.
- Check the thick center of a bowtie before draining.
- Fold the fully cooked chicken into the finished sauce off the heat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken thighs?
Yes, cut them into similar strips. Cook by temperature, as they can take longer than breast meat.
Can I use dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes?
Soften them in hot water, then drain and chop. Their texture and saltiness may differ from oil-packed tomatoes.
Can I use penne instead of bowties?
Yes, use the same pasta weight. Follow the new shape’s package timing.
Does the sauce contain flour?
No, it gets body from cream, Parmesan, and the pasta. It remains a coating sauce rather than a roux-thickened gravy.
Can I leave out the red pepper flakes?
Yes, they are optional. The dish will still have garlic and Italian-herb flavor.
More Recipe Ideas
- Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
- Garlic Butter Chicken Bites with Savory Creamy Parmesan Pasta
- Gluten Free Marry Me Chicken Pasta with Tender Thighs
Creamy Marry Me Chicken Bowtie Pasta
Ingredients
Pasta and Sauce
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs thinly sliced
- 12 ounces bowtie pasta
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes drained and chopped
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter divided
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh basil or parsley chopped, for garnish
- Water as needed for boiling
Instructions
Pasta and Chicken
- Cook bowties in boiling salted water to the package’s al dente timing. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil or butter over medium to medium-high heat and cook strips 5–7 minutes, turning, until lightly browned and at least 165°F; transfer to a plate.
Sauce
- Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil or butter over medium-low heat. Cook garlic 30–60 seconds until fragrant, then stir in tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and optional red pepper flakes for 1 minute.
- Add broth and gently simmer 2–3 minutes. Stir in cream and simmer 3–4 minutes more until slightly reduced.
- Turn off heat and gradually stir in Parmesan. Fold in pasta and cooked chicken, loosening with reserved cooking water as needed; add herbs and divide into 4 portions.
Notes
- Chill within 2 hours and use within 3 days.
- Reheat gently with water as needed until the center reaches 165°F.
- Cream sauce may separate after freezing or reheating.
