Everyone keeps asking me about this recipe, so here goes nothing. I made this marry me chicken soup last month when my sister came over and literally—LITERALLY—she asked for the recipe before she even finished her bowl. Then texted me three days later saying her boyfriend proposed. Coincidence? I think not. 😂
Okay, so obviously the soup didn’t make him propose (they’d been dating for like five years), but she swears it helped seal the deal. And honestly? I get it. This soup is ridiculously good.
I first saw the original marry me chicken thing on TikTok or Instagram—honestly can’t remember which because I scroll through both way too much at night. But it was this creamy chicken dish with sun-dried tomatoes that supposedly was so good it made people propose. Dramatic, right? But then I thought… what if I made it into soup? Because soup makes everything better.
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Why This Creamy Marry Me Chicken Soup Actually Lives Up to the Hype
Look, I’m not usually one for viral recipes. Half of them are overhyped and underwhelming. But this one? Different story entirely.
The combination of sun-dried tomatoes, cream, and parmesan creates this rich, tangy, umami-packed broth that’s just… chef’s kiss. And because it’s soup, you get all those flavors in every single spoonful instead of trying to get the right ratio of sauce to chicken like with the original dish.
My husband, who normally won’t touch anything with “too many vegetables” (his words, not mine), had three bowls. THREE. Then asked if we could have it again the next week.
Even my 14-year-old, who’s in that phase where everything I make is “mid” (I had to Google what that meant), admitted it was “actually pretty fire.” I’m counting that as a major win.
What Makes This Viral Marry Me Chicken Soup Special
Here’s the thing about this recipe—it tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but it’s actually done in like 30 minutes. Maybe 35 if you’re slow at chopping onions like me. (Speaking of onions, am I the only one who still cries even with those fancy onion goggles? Total scam if you ask me.)
The secret is using rotisserie chicken. I know, I know. Some people are all “make your own chicken from scratch” but honestly, life’s too short. The rotisserie chicken from Costco is like $5 and it’s already seasoned and cooked. Work smarter, not harder, people.
And the sun-dried tomatoes! Don’t skip these. I tried making this once without them when I forgot to buy them at the store. Disaster. Complete disaster. The whole flavor profile was just… wrong. My neighbor Sarah still brings it up and it was six months ago.
Ingredients You’ll Need for the Best Marry Me Chicken Soup
The Main Players:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or butter—I’ve used both and they’re equally good)
- 1 medium onion, diced (yellow or white, doesn’t matter)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (or like 6 if you’re me and obsessed with garlic)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped (save that oil for cooking!)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional but I always add them)
- 4 cups chicken broth (I use the low-sodium kind from Trader Joe’s)
- 3 cups cooked rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 1½ cups uncooked pasta (I like orecchiette or ditalini, but honestly whatever you have works)
- 1 cup heavy cream (half-and-half works too if you’re trying to be lighter)
- ¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (NOT the stuff from the green can—trust me)
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: fresh basil for garnish if you’re feeling fancy
Quick tip about the sun-dried tomatoes—get the ones packed in oil, not the dry ones. The oil-packed ones are already soft and flavorful. The dry ones need to be rehydrated and it’s just extra work nobody needs.
How to Make Easy Marry Me Chicken Soup
Step 1: Start With the Aromatics
Heat your olive oil (or the oil from your sun-dried tomato jar—game changer!) in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for about 5 minutes until it’s soft and starting to smell amazing.
Add your garlic and cook for another minute. Do NOT walk away during this step. I burned the garlic once because my dog started barking at literally nothing and I got distracted. Burnt garlic tastes bitter and ruins everything. Learned that the hard way.
Step 2: Build the Flavor Base
Stir in the tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook this for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. It’ll look kind of thick and paste-y but that’s normal. You’re basically making a flavor bomb that’s going to make the whole soup incredible.
Step 3: Add the Broth and Chicken
Pour in your chicken broth and increase the heat to bring it to a boil. Once it’s boiling, add your shredded chicken and reduce to a simmer. Let this cook for about 10 minutes so all the flavors can get to know each other.
This is when your kitchen starts smelling AMAZING. Like, candle-companies-should-bottle-this-scent amazing.
Step 4: Cook the Pasta
Add your pasta directly to the soup and cook according to package directions, usually about 8-10 minutes depending on the shape. Stir occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the bottom. I set a timer because I always forget and overcook pasta when I’m multitasking.
Step 5: Make It Creamy
Once the pasta is tender, reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Let it cook for another 2-3 minutes until the cheese melts and everything gets all creamy and gorgeous.
Then add the spinach and stir until it wilts, which takes like 30 seconds. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. I usually need more salt because apparently I underseason everything on the first try.
Tips That Actually Matter for This Marry Me Chicken Soup Recipe
Use real parmesan cheese. I cannot stress this enough. Freshly grated parmesan melts smoothly and tastes a million times better than the pre-grated stuff. The pre-grated kind has that anti-caking powder that makes the soup grainy. Not cute.
Don’t add the cream until the end. If you add it too early, it can curdle or separate, especially if your soup is boiling. Been there, fixed it by pretending nothing happened and serving it anyway. Nobody noticed, but still.
Pasta options are flexible. I’ve used orecchiette, ditalini, fusilli, rotini, even tortellini once when that’s all I had. All worked great. Just adjust cooking time based on what the package says.
This reheats beautifully. Make a big batch and eat it all week. The pasta will absorb more liquid as it sits, so you might need to add a splash of broth or cream when reheating. No big deal.
Freeze it without the pasta and cream. If you want to freeze this, make the soup base with chicken but leave out the pasta and cream. Freeze that, then when you’re ready to eat, thaw it, bring it to a simmer, and add fresh pasta and cream. Works perfectly.
What to Serve With This One Pot Marry Me Chicken Soup
Crusty bread. Always crusty bread. I buy those part-bake baguettes from the grocery store and everyone thinks I’m fancy. Takes 10 minutes in the oven and you look like a domestic goddess.
Also great with garlic bread, crackers, or just a simple side salad. My kids like to dip grilled cheese sandwiches in it which sounds weird but is actually delicious.
Why This Is the Perfect Comfort Food
This hearty marry me chicken soup is one of those recipes that just makes everything better. Bad day at work? This soup. Rainy weekend? This soup. Tuesday? Also this soup.
It’s creamy but not heavy. It’s filling without making you need to unbutton your pants (though no judgment if you do). And it’s packed with protein and vegetables, so you can pretend you’re being healthy even though there’s a cup of heavy cream in there.
Plus it’s a one-pot meal, which means less dishes. And less dishes means more time for literally anything else. That’s the kind of life hack I can get behind.
The Honest Truth About This Marry Me Chicken Soup With Pasta
Will this soup actually make someone propose to you? Probably not. But will it make people ask for seconds and maybe thirds and definitely ask for the recipe? Absolutely.
I’ve made this at least a dozen times now. It’s been to a potluck where it was gone in 20 minutes. I’ve made it for sick friends who said it was better than their grandma’s soup (don’t tell grandma). And I’ve served it to my in-laws who are notoriously picky and they loved it.
The flavors are just RIGHT. The sun-dried tomatoes give it this sweet-tangy thing. The cream makes it rich and cozy. The parmesan adds that salty, umami depth. And the spinach makes you feel like you’re eating vegetables so it’s basically health food. (That’s how this works, right?)
Make this. Seriously. Make it this week. Make it tonight if you can. Your family will love you. Your taste buds will thank you. And you’ll have found your new go-to comfort soup.
Let me know how yours turns out! And if anyone actually gets engaged after eating it, I want an invite to the wedding. 😊
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