Marry Me Chicken Pasta Katie Lee Biegel Recipe

Marry me chicken pasta Katie Lee Biegel has become a viral sensation for good reason. This creamy, indulgent dish is so irresistible that it’s guaranteed to make anyone fall head over heels. Katie Lee Biegel’s version of this beloved recipe combines tender ground chicken with sun-dried tomatoes, rich cream, and perfectly seasoned pasta to create what she also calls “Mom Is The Best” pasta. With its luxurious sauce and bold flavors, this 45-minute recipe delivers restaurant-quality results that will have your family begging for seconds.

Marry Me Chicken Pasta Katie Lee Biegel Recipe: The Ultimate Creamy Comfort Dish

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• Author: admin_homemaderecipes
• Total Time: PT45M
• Yield: 4 to 5 servings 1x

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Ingredients

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• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• One 4-ounce can tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 pound extra-long mafaldine-type noodles
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup grated Pecorino-Romano, plus more for garnish
• Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

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Instructions

• Boil the Water
  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.

• Cook the Chicken
  In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil.
  Add ground chicken and cook, breaking it into crumbles, for 7 to 9 minutes until browned.
  Season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
  Remove the chicken and set aside.

• Sauté Aromatics
  Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet.
  Lower the heat to medium and add minced garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and Italian seasoning.
  Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.

• Add Tomato Paste
  Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until it turns a deep red and begins to caramelize.

• Deglaze and Simmer
  Pour in the chicken stock and deglaze the skillet by scraping up any browned bits.
  Return the cooked chicken to the pan.
  Season with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
  Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes to reduce the sauce slightly.

• Cook the Pasta
  Add the mafaldine noodles to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions.
  Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.

• Finish the Sauce
  Add butter and heavy cream to the chicken mixture.
  Simmer gently to combine.

• Combine Pasta and Sauce
  Add the cooked pasta and ¼ cup reserved pasta water to the skillet.
  Toss well to coat.
  Add more pasta water if needed for a silkier sauce.

• Add Cheese and Serve
  Remove from heat. Stir in Pecorino-Romano cheese.
  Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with extra cheese and fresh basil leaves.

• Serve Hot and Enjoy!

Notes

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Pros:

• Rich, creamy, and flavorful sauce
• Quick and easy to prepare
• Balanced with protein, pasta, and vegetables
• Beautiful presentation with basil and Pecorino
• Great for romantic or family dinners

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Cons:

• High in calories and saturated fat due to cream and cheese
• Let me know if you’d like this in JSON-LD schema or for a WordPress recipe plugin!

• Prep Time: PT15M
• Cook Time: PT30M
• Category: Main course
• Cuisine: American, Italian-inspired

Nutrition

• Calories: Approx. 650–750 per serving

What Makes Katie Lee Biegel’s Marry Me Chicken Pasta Special

The Story Behind the Name

The “marry me” moniker isn’t just clever marketing – it’s a testament to how incredibly delicious this dish truly is. Katie Lee Biegel’s version has earned its reputation as a relationship-defining recipe, with countless home cooks reporting that their partners have proposed after tasting it. The name suggests that this pasta is so delicious, it could inspire someone to pop the question on the spot.

What sets this particular recipe apart is its perfect balance of flavors and textures. The combination of savory ground chicken, tangy sun-dried tomatoes, and rich cream sauce creates a harmony that’s both comforting and sophisticated. Katie Lee has mastered the art of making restaurant-quality pasta accessible to home cooks, ensuring that every bite delivers maximum impact.

Katie Lee’s Signature Touch

As a renowned chef and television personality, Katie Lee Biegel brings her professional expertise to this home-style recipe. Her background in culinary arts shines through in the thoughtful ingredient choices and technique refinements that elevate this dish above typical weeknight pasta.

Katie’s genius lies in her use of ground chicken instead of traditional chicken breasts. This choice not only reduces cooking time but also allows the protein to better integrate with the sauce, creating more flavor in every forkful. The ground chicken absorbs the seasonings more effectively and provides a heartier texture that pairs beautifully with the mafaldine pasta.

Her addition of tomato paste as a flavor base is another professional touch that home cooks often overlook. By cooking the tomato paste until it caramelizes, Katie develops deep, complex flavors that form the foundation of the sauce. This technique, combined with deglazing the pan with chicken stock, ensures that no flavor is left behind.

The sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil are Katie’s secret weapon for adding both sweetness and umami depth. Unlike fresh tomatoes, sun-dried varieties provide a concentrated flavor that doesn’t dilute the sauce, while their oil adds richness that complements the cream perfectly.

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Marry Me Chicken Pasta

Choosing the Right Pasta Type

Katie Lee Biegel specifically calls for extra-long mafaldine-type noodles, and this choice isn’t arbitrary. Mafaldine pasta features ruffled edges that create the perfect texture for holding onto the creamy sauce. The long, ribbon-like shape allows each strand to be thoroughly coated, ensuring that every bite delivers the full flavor experience you’re looking for.

If you can’t find mafaldine, don’t worry – several excellent substitutes will work beautifully. Pappardelle offers similar wide ribbons that capture sauce effectively, while fettuccine provides the classic creamy pasta experience. Rigatoni or penne work well too, as their tube shapes trap the sauce inside for bursts of flavor. The key is choosing a pasta shape with enough surface area or crevices to hold the rich, creamy sauce.

When cooking your pasta, always reserve at least half a cup of the starchy pasta water before draining. This liquid gold contains starches that help bind the sauce to the noodles, creating that silky, restaurant-quality finish that makes Katie Lee’s recipe so special.

Sun-Dried Tomatoes: The Flavor Game-Changer

The sun-dried tomatoes in this recipe are crucial – they’re what transform ordinary chicken pasta into something extraordinary. These concentrated flavor bombs provide a sweet-tart complexity that balances the richness of the cream sauce perfectly. Katie Lee specifically uses sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, which adds another layer of flavor and helps prevent the tomatoes from becoming tough during cooking.

When selecting sun-dried tomatoes, look for ones that are pliable rather than completely dried out. They should have a deep red color and feel slightly soft to the touch. The oil they’re packed in becomes part of the recipe’s flavor profile, so don’t drain them too thoroughly – a little of that herb-infused oil will enhance your final dish.

The Italian seasoning blend works in harmony with the sun-dried tomatoes to create an authentic Mediterranean flavor profile. This combination of dried herbs typically includes basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary, which complement both the chicken and the tomato elements beautifully.

Ground chicken serves as the perfect protein base for this dish. Unlike chicken breasts, ground chicken cooks quickly and evenly, breaking into small, sauce-friendly pieces that distribute throughout the pasta. The key to perfect ground chicken is allowing it to brown properly – resist the urge to stir too frequently, as this prevents the development of those flavorful browned bits that add depth to your sauce.

The heavy cream and Pecorino-Romano cheese create the luxurious sauce that makes this dish so irresistible. Pecorino-Romano offers a sharper, more complex flavor than Parmesan, with a slight saltiness that enhances all the other ingredients. The combination of cream and cheese creates a rich sauce without being overwhelming, coating each noodle in silky perfection.

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions

Preparing the Chicken Base

The foundation of Katie Lee Biegel’s Marry Me Chicken Pasta lies in properly preparing the chicken base. Start by bringing a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil – this will be ready for your pasta later. The key to exceptional flavor begins with heating your large skillet over medium-high heat with two tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil.

When the oil shimmers, add your pound of ground chicken to the hot skillet. Here’s where patience pays off – allow the chicken to brown undisturbed for the first few minutes before breaking it into crumbles with the back of a wooden spoon. This initial browning creates those essential caramelized bits that will infuse your entire dish with deep, savory flavor.

Continue cooking the chicken for 7 to 9 minutes total, breaking it into bite-sized pieces as it cooks. Season generously with one teaspoon of kosher salt and half a teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. The chicken should be golden brown and completely cooked through before you remove it to a plate.

Don’t clean that skillet! Those browned bits stuck to the bottom are liquid gold for your sauce. Add the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil and reduce the heat to medium. Add your minced garlic, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and Italian seasoning to the pan. Cook this aromatic mixture for just 30 seconds – you want the garlic fragrant but not burned.

Creating the Creamy Sauce

Now comes the magic moment that transforms simple ingredients into an extraordinary sauce. Add the tomato paste to your skillet and cook it until it turns a deep red color and becomes slightly caramelized, about 2 to 3 minutes. This step is crucial – cooking the tomato paste concentrates its flavor and removes any raw taste, creating a rich foundation for your sauce.

Deglaze the skillet with chicken stock, using the back of your wooden spoon to scrape up all those beautiful browned bits from the bottom of the pan. These fond particles are packed with flavor and will dissolve into your sauce, adding incredible depth. Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

Season with the remaining teaspoon of salt and half teaspoon of black pepper, then allow the stock to reduce for 8 to 10 minutes. During this time, the flavors will meld together and the liquid will concentrate, creating a more intense base for your final sauce.

Combining Pasta and Sauce

While your chicken mixture reduces, add your pasta to the boiling salted water and cook according to package directions until al dente. This timing is crucial – you want your pasta and sauce to be ready simultaneously for the best results. Before draining the pasta, reserve at least half a cup of that starchy cooking liquid.

To the reduced chicken mixture, stir in the butter and heavy cream, bringing everything to a gentle simmer. The butter adds richness and helps emulsify the sauce, while the cream creates that luxurious texture that makes this dish so irresistible.

Drain your cooked noodles and add them directly to the skillet along with a quarter cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss everything together, allowing the pasta to absorb the sauce. The starchy pasta water helps bind the sauce to the noodles, creating that perfect creamy coating. Add more pasta water as needed until you achieve the ideal consistency – the sauce should coat each noodle without being too thick or too thin.

Remove the skillet from the heat and sprinkle the grated Pecorino-Romano over the pasta, tossing gently to incorporate. The residual heat will melt the cheese, creating an even richer, more cohesive sauce that clings beautifully to every strand of pasta.

Pro Tips for Restaurant-Quality Results

Achieving the Perfect Sauce Consistency

The secret to mastering Katie Lee Biegel’s marry me chicken pasta lies in understanding sauce consistency. Professional chefs know that the perfect creamy pasta sauce should coat the back of a spoon without being too thick or too thin. When you’re making marry me chicken pasta Katie Lee Biegel style, the sauce should cling to each noodle while still allowing the pasta to move freely in the pan.

Temperature control is critical for this marry me chicken pasta recipe. Never let your cream sauce come to a rolling boil, as this can cause the dairy to separate and create an unappetizing texture. Instead, maintain a gentle simmer that allows the flavors to meld without breaking the emulsion. If your sauce starts to separate, remove it from the heat immediately and whisk in a tablespoon of cold butter to help it come back together.

The timing of adding your Pecorino-Romano cheese is crucial in Katie Lee Biegel’s Marry Me Chicken Pasta. Add the cheese off the heat to prevent it from becoming stringy or clumpy. The residual heat from the pasta and sauce will melt the cheese perfectly, creating that silky finish that makes this dish so memorable.

For the ultimate restaurant-quality experience with your marry me chicken pasta Katie Lee Biegel recipe, consider finishing the dish with a drizzle of high-quality extra-virgin olive oil. This adds a fresh note that brightens the rich cream sauce and provides a professional touch that elevates the entire dish.

Pasta Water: Your Secret Weapon

Understanding how to use pasta water properly is what separates amateur cooks from professionals when making marry me chicken pasta, Katie Lee Biegel style. That starchy, salty liquid isn’t just cooking water – it’s a powerful tool for creating the perfect sauce consistency and helping flavors bind together.

When cooking your pasta for Katie Lee Biegel’s marry me chicken pasta, make sure your water is as salty as the sea. This season, the pasta from within and creates more flavorful starch in the cooking liquid. Always reserve more pasta water than you think you’ll need – it’s better to have too much than too little when you’re trying to achieve that perfect creamy consistency.

Add pasta water gradually to your Marry Me Chicken Pasta Katie Lee Biegel recipe, starting with just a quarter cup and adding more as needed. The starches in the water act as a natural emulsifier, helping the oil-based and cream-based components of your sauce come together seamlessly. This technique is what gives restaurant pasta dishes that glossy, cohesive appearance that’s so appealing.

Professional chefs often finish their pasta dishes with a final splash of pasta water, even after plating. This technique works beautifully with Mary Me chicken pasta Katie Lee Biegel style – if your sauce seems to tighten up after plating, a small amount of warm pasta water will loosen it perfectly.

The key to using pasta water effectively in your marry me chicken pasta Katie Lee Biegel recipe is understanding that it should enhance, not dilute, your sauce. Add it slowly while tossing the pasta continuously, allowing each addition to be fully incorporated before adding more. This patient approach ensures that your final dish has the perfect creamy consistency that makes Katie Lee Biegel’s marry me chicken pasta so irresistible.

Remember that pasta water works best when it’s hot, so use it immediately after draining your noodles. Cold pasta water won’t have the same emulsifying properties and won’t help achieve that restaurant-quality finish that makes marry me chicken pasta Katie Lee Biegel recipe so special.

Nutritional Information and Dietary Considerations

Katie Lee Biegel’s marry me chicken pasta delivers approximately 650-750 calories per serving when divided among four to five people, making it a substantial and satisfying meal. This marry me chicken pasta Katie Lee Biegel provides excellent protein content from the ground chicken, with each serving containing roughly 35-40 grams of high-quality protein that supports muscle maintenance and keeps you feeling full longer.

The nutritional profile of marry me chicken pasta Katie Lee Biegel style includes essential nutrients from multiple food groups. The ground chicken provides lean protein along with important B vitamins, particularly B6 and B12, which support energy metabolism and nervous system function. The sun-dried tomatoes in this marry me chicken pasta recipe contribute lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that supports heart health and may help protect against certain cancers.

While this marry me chicken pasta Katie Lee Biegel recipe is undeniably rich, it’s important to understand that the fats come primarily from beneficial sources. The olive oil provides heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, while the heavy cream and cheese contribute calcium and vitamin A. A single serving contains approximately 25-30 grams of fat, which helps with nutrient absorption and provides sustained energy.

The carbohydrate content in Katie Lee Biegel’s marry me chicken pasta comes mainly from the pasta itself, providing about 45-50 grams per serving. Choosing whole grain pasta can increase the fiber content and provide additional B vitamins and minerals, though Katie Lee’s original recipe calls for traditional pasta for optimal sauce adherence.

For those watching sodium intake, this marry me chicken pasta Katie Lee Biegel contains approximately 800-900mg of sodium per serving, primarily from the chicken stock, sun-dried tomatoes, and Pecorino-Romano cheese. You can reduce sodium by using low-sodium chicken stock and reducing the added salt, though this may affect the overall flavor profile.

The calcium content in marry me chicken pasta Katie Lee Biegel style is noteworthy, with each serving providing about 200-250mg of calcium from the heavy cream and cheese. This contributes significantly to daily calcium needs, supporting bone health and muscle function.

To make Katie Lee Biegel’s marry me chicken pasta more diet-friendly, consider these modifications: substitute half-and-half for heavy cream to reduce calories and fat, use ground turkey instead of chicken for a leaner protein option, or add extra vegetables like spinach or bell peppers to increase fiber and nutrient density. These changes maintain the essence of the original marry me chicken pasta Katie Lee Biegel recipe while accommodating different dietary needs.

For those following specific dietary plans, this marry me chicken pasta Katie Lee Biegel can be adapted for keto diets by substituting zucchini noodles or shirataki noodles for traditional pasta. Gluten-free versions work well using rice-based or chickpea pasta, maintaining the satisfying texture that makes this marry me chicken pasta so appealing.

The iron content in Katie Lee Biegel’s marry me chicken pasta is substantial, with each serving providing approximately 15-20% of daily iron needs from the ground chicken and tomato paste. This makes the dish particularly beneficial for individuals who need to increase their iron intake.

Serving Suggestions and Variations

Katie Lee Biegel’s marry me chicken pasta shines as a complete meal on its own, but thoughtful accompaniments can elevate this already spectacular dish to new heights. This marry me chicken pasta Katie Lee Biegel recipe pairs beautifully with a crisp Caesar salad or simple arugula salad dressed with lemon vinaigrette, which cuts through the richness of the cream sauce while adding fresh, peppery notes that complement the sun-dried tomatoes.

For wine pairings with marry me chicken pasta Katie Lee Biegel style, consider a medium-bodied white wine like Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio, which won’t overpower the delicate chicken while providing enough acidity to balance the cream. Red wine enthusiasts can opt for a light Pinot Noir that complements the tomato elements without overwhelming the dish’s creamy character.

Garlic bread makes an excellent accompaniment to Katie Lee Biegel’s marry me chicken pasta, allowing diners to soak up every drop of that incredible sauce. For a lighter option, serve crusty Italian bread or focaccia on the side. The bread’s texture provides a delightful contrast to the silky pasta while ensuring no sauce goes to waste.

Creative variations of marry me chicken pasta Katie Lee Biegel allow you to customize the dish for different preferences and dietary needs. Seafood lovers can substitute shrimp or scallops for the ground chicken, reducing cooking time and adding a luxurious twist to the original marry me chicken pasta. The seafood should be added during the last few minutes of cooking to prevent overcooking.

Vegetarian adaptations of Katie Lee Biegel’s marry me chicken pasta work wonderfully with mushrooms as the protein substitute. Use a mix of cremini, shiitake, and portobello mushrooms, cooking them until golden brown to develop deep, umami-rich flavors that complement the sun-dried tomatoes beautifully. This variation maintains the hearty character that makes marry me chicken pasta Katie Lee Biegel, so satisfying.

For those wanting to add more vegetables to their marry me chicken pasta Katie Lee Biegel style, consider incorporating baby spinach, roasted bell peppers, or artichoke hearts. These additions should be stirred in during the final minutes of cooking to maintain their texture and color while absorbing the delicious cream sauce.

Spice enthusiasts can enhance Katie Lee Biegel’s marry me chicken pasta by adding red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce to the base sauce. This creates a subtle heat that doesn’t overpower the dish’s creamy character but adds an exciting dimension to each bite of marry me chicken pasta.

Herb variations can transform the flavor profile of marry me chicken pasta Katie Lee Biegel recipe while maintaining its essential character. Fresh thyme, oregano, or rosemary can replace or supplement the Italian seasoning, while fresh basil added at the end provides a bright, aromatic finish that makes this marry me chicken pasta even more irresistible.

For special occasions, consider serving Katie Lee Biegel’s marry me chicken pasta family-style in a large, beautiful serving bowl, garnished generously with fresh herbs and extra Pecorino-Romano cheese. This presentation style emphasizes the communal, love-inspiring nature that gives marry me chicken pasta Katie Lee Biegel its romantic reputation.

Conclusion

Marry Me Chicken Pasta, popularized by Katie Lee Biegel, is a beloved dish known for its creamy, flavorful sauce and tender chicken. Its origins trace back to a viral 2016 recipe, and its versatility allows it to be enjoyed as a complete meal or adapted with various sides. While rich in calories, it offers substantial nutrition and can be modified for dietary needs. Katie Lee Biegel’s continued presence on The Kitchen keeps this dish in the spotlight, making it a go-to for home cooks seeking a romantic, restaurant-quality meal. Savor it with loved ones and enjoy its heartwarming appeal!

FAQ About Marry Me Chicken Pasta Katie Lee Biegel