Marry Me Chicken Casserole Recipe

Name: Marry Me Chicken Casserole
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds chicken cutlets; 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste; 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided; 1 pound elbow macaroni pasta; 2 tablespoons unsalted or salted butter; 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato oil, from a jar of sun-dried tomatoes; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 3 cups chicken broth; 1 cup heavy cream, half-and-half, or whole milk; 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed; 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided; 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped; 12 ounces frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry, and roughly chopped; 3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs

I’m a bit skeptical of viral recipes, but I’ve been a fan of the Marry Me Chicken since the start. It highlights some of my favorite flavors (Sun-dried tomatoes! Cheese!) and is a great skillet chicken recipe for fast meals.

Marry Me Chicken was made to be transformed into a casserole. It has a creamy sauce, protein, and pasta. The casserole version is great for preparing dinner in advance, combining all the flavors you want in an irresistible baked casserole.

19 Classic Comfort Food Casseroles

My Trick for a Flavorful Sauce

Like so many casseroles, this sauce starts with a roux. Generally, this would be butter and flour cooked together, but since we will be using sun-dried tomatoes, I like substituting some of the butter for the oil in the sun-dried tomato jar. That oil has a huge flavor and works great in this recipe.

Once you have your roux, you can slowly whisk in the liquids (chicken broth and cream) until the mixture thickens into a light gravy. Then stir in the cream cheese and Parmesan to make it very cheesy and decadent.

Overhead view of finished baked casserole dish of Marry Me Chicken Casserole recipe — Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

Easy Tweaks to Marry Me Chicken Casserole

Add some red pepper flakes to the sauce for a bit of spice (start with 1/2 teaspoon).
If you would like to use rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken, you can swap the cutlets for 2 to 3 cups of shredded chicken, mixing it into the sauce along with the pasta.
For an even cheesier casserole, add 1 to 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese or mozzarella cheese.

Make Ahead Instructions for Marry Me Chicken Casserole

You can prepare this entire casserole and store it, covered in foil, in the fridge for up to 2 days. When you are ready to bake it, leave it covered and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Then uncover the casserole and bake it for another 20 minutes so the top gets crispy.

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Chicken Casseroles

Marry Me Chicken Casserole

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 45 mins

Total Time 60 mins

Servings 6 to 8 servings

Yield 1 (9x13-inch) casserole

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

1 1/2 pounds chicken cutlets
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound elbow macaroni pasta
2 tablespoons unsalted or salted butter
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato oil, from a jar of sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream, half-and-half, or whole milk
8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
12 ounces frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry, and roughly chopped
3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs

Cook the chicken:

Season the cutlets well with Italian seasoning and salt.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Once hot, sear the chicken until browned for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove from the heat and set aside; the chicken will not be fully cooked. If needed, cook in batches.

Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
Meanwhile, cook the pasta:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until it is al dente, 8 to 9 minutes. Drain and briefly rinse to prevent sticking.
Preheat oven to 400°F.

Spray a 9x13-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray or grease it with butter.
Make the sauce:

In a large pot over medium heat (you can use the same pot you used for pasta here), add the butter and sun-dried tomato oil. Add the flour and whisk together to form a roux. Whisk until the flour turns a tan color, 1 to 2 minutes.

Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and heavy cream in batches to form a thin gravy. Work slowly to prevent clumping. After the gravy has thickened, stir in the cream cheese and 1 1/2 cups of the grated Parmesan (reserve 1/2 cup for topping). Once the cheeses have melted, taste the sauce and season with salt as needed.

Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. Stir well to combine.

Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
Bake the casserole:

Fold the cooked pasta into the sauce and stir well to combine. Transfer the creamy pasta to the baking dish. Nestle the chicken cutlets on top.

In a small bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, reserved 1/2 cup Parmesan, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Top the casserole with the breadcrumb mixture.

Bake the casserole, uncovered, for 30 minutes until bubbling and crispy on top. Let cool briefly before serving.

Store any leftovers tightly covered in the pan or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
679	Calories
37g	Fat
49g	Carbs
38g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories	679
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 37g	47%
Saturated Fat 16g	80%
Cholesterol 169mg	56%
Sodium 1252mg	54%
Total Carbohydrate 49g	18%
Dietary Fiber 4g	15%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 38g
Vitamin C 2mg	11%
Calcium 406mg	31%
Iron 4mg	23%
Potassium 581mg	12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.