Make the best Marry Me Chicken with tender, lightly breaded chicken cutlets simmered in a creamy pancetta sauce and served over fusilli pasta. This rich and comforting chicken pasta recipe is made with spinach, shallot, garlic, Parmesan cheese, white wine, and a few simple seasonings that bring everything together beautifully. Whether you are cooking for a special dinner, a cozy night in, or simply want a creamy chicken pasta that feels restaurant-worthy, this recipe is one to remember.
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This Marry Me Chicken recipe is all about building layers of flavor. Thin chicken cutlets are seasoned, lightly coated in flour, and browned until golden. The sauce is made in the same pan with pancetta, garlic, shallot, white wine, spinach, Parmesan cheese, heavy cream, and pasta water. Everything is finished over fusilli pasta with butter, Pecorino Romano, fresh parsley, and cracked black pepper.
The Best Marry Me Chicken
Melissa Jo
This creamy Marry Me Chicken with pasta is made with scallopini chicken breasts, also known as thinly sliced chicken cutlets. The chicken is lightly dredged in seasoned flour, browned in a combination of butter, olive oil, and a small amount of vegetable oil, then returned to a flavorful cream sauce. The result is tender chicken with a delicate golden crust and a rich sauce that coats every twist of fusilli.
The sauce gets its savory depth from diced uncured pancetta, sliced garlic, shallot, and white wine. Baby spinach adds color and freshness, while freshly shredded Parmesan cheese and heavy cream create the creamy texture that makes this dish so satisfying. A little reserved pasta water helps loosen the sauce and allows it to cling to the pasta without becoming too heavy.
Ingredients
- 4 scallopini chicken breasts thinly sliced chicken cutlets
- 1 cup fine flour, such as Wondra
- Italian seasoning blend use about 1 teaspoon in the flour and 1 teaspoon on the chicken
- garlic powder
- smoked paprika
- cracked black pepper
- salt
- 1 lb. fusilli pasta
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 4 oz. diced uncured pancetta
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 shallot, sliced
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 4-6 oz. white wine chardonnay works well
- 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 4 oz. freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1.5 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water use more if needed
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
- 2 tbsp. butter for the pasta
- 2 tbsp. freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese for the pasta
Instructions
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Pat the chicken dry to remove excess moisture. For best browning, allow the chicken to come closer to room temperature before breading.
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Season both sides of the chicken with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cracked black pepper, and salt. Add the same seasonings to the flour and whisk until evenly combined.
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Lightly dredge each chicken cutlet in the seasoned flour. Shake off the excess flour and set the chicken aside.
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Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water, add the fusilli pasta, and cook until al dente. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.
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In a pan with high sides, heat the butter, olive oil, and vegetable oil over medium to medium-high heat.
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Add the lightly breaded chicken to the pan. Let it brown without moving it around so a golden crust can form. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes, then flip and brown the other side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
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Remove about half of the accumulated oil from the pan. Add the diced pancetta and sauté over medium heat until the fat renders and the pancetta is lightly golden.
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Add the sliced garlic and shallot. Season with salt and pepper, then sauté until fragrant and golden.
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Deglaze the pan with white wine. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes to cook off the alcohol and loosen the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
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Add the chopped baby spinach and sauté for a few minutes, just until it begins to wilt into the sauce.
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Lower the heat to medium-low or low. Add the Parmesan cheese and stir for about 30 seconds.
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Pour in the heavy cream and 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water. Simmer on low for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly. Add more pasta water if the sauce needs loosening.
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Return the chicken to the pan along with any juices from the plate. Stir gently so the chicken is coated in the creamy pancetta sauce.
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Drain the fusilli and place it in a serving bowl. Add the butter and freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, then toss to coat.
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Pour the creamy pan sauce over the pasta, then arrange the chicken on top.
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Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and cracked black pepper before serving.
Notes
- Fats: Butter and olive oil add flavor, while a small amount of vegetable oil helps with browning because of its higher smoke point. This combination helps create a golden crust on the chicken.
- Flour: Wondra fine flour works beautifully for lightly breading chicken because it creates a delicate crust. All-purpose flour can also be used if that is what you have available.
- Pan: Use a pan with high sides so there is enough room for the sauce, chicken, and pasta water without spilling.
- Chicken: Make sure the chicken is cut scallopini-style. If you cannot find thinly sliced cutlets, butterfly regular chicken breasts and pound them until they are thin and even.
- Pasta water: Reserve more than you think you will need. The starchy water helps bring the cream sauce together and makes it easier to coat the fusilli evenly.
This Marry Me Chicken is creamy, savory, and full of comforting flavor without being complicated. The browned chicken, salty pancetta, tender spinach, and cheesy cream sauce make a complete meal when served over fusilli pasta. It is a wonderful recipe for anyone who loves creamy chicken pasta with a rich pan sauce and plenty of flavor in every bite.