Marry Me Chicken Soup: A Perfect Recipe for Love

There are soups that warm you up — and then there are soups that flirt with your soul. Marry Me Chicken Soup doesn’t just land in your bowl; it sweeps in with creamy Parmesan promises and sun-dried tomato whispers, convincing even the most commitment-shy eaters to say “yes” to a second helping.

If you’ve ever fallen for the one-skillet Marry Me Chicken Soup dinner that took the internet by storm, this soup is your next cozy obsession. It captures all the magic — tender chicken, rich cream, that signature umami — and stirs it into a brothy, pasta-laced comfort potion. It’s designed for those cold, dragging weeks where dinner needs to feel like a warm hug and a gentle nudge to keep going.

Whether you’re cooking for two on a chilly Tuesday or batch-prepping for Sunday night soul food, this one-pot wonder promises maximum comfort with minimum cleanup. Bonus? It’s flexible, freezer-friendly, and surprisingly elegant for something that comes together in under an hour.

So if you’re searching for a meal that’s low-effort but high-impact, comforting without being cloying, and just maybe romantic enough to win over a picky eater — you’ve landed in the right kitchen.

Marry Me Chicken Soup

Chef Carol

Marry Me Chicken Soup isn’t just cozy — it’s romantic. This one-pot wonder takes all the magic of the internet-famous Marry Me Chicken and ladles it into a creamy, brothy bowl laced with pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, tender chicken, and a hint of Parmesan. It’s rich, satisfying, and perfect for chilly nights, meal prep Sundays, or surprise date-night dinners. It tastes like a warm hug — with just enough flair to make it special.

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Prep Time 15 days d

Cook Time 30 days d

Total Time 45 days d

Course Dinner, Soup, Comfort Food

Cuisine American

Servings 6 Serves

Calories 450 kcal

Equipment

• Large heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven
• Sharp chef’s knife (for chopping chicken and vegetables)
• Cutting board
• Wooden spoon or silicone spatula (for sautéing and stirring)
• Ladle (for serving)
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Grater or microplane (for Parmesan)

Ingredients

  

• 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken (breasts or thighs)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium yellow onion diced (about 1 ½ cups)
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Pinch of red pepper flakes optional
• 8 ounces dried medium pasta shells
• 5 ounces baby spinach about 5 packed cups
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• ½ ounce grated Parmesan cheese about ¼ cup, plus more for garnish

Instructions

 

• Prep the chicken: Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and toss with 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
• Brown the chicken: In a large heavy-bottomed pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Sear chicken in batches until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
• Sauté aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. In the same pot, add onions, garlic, black pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Cook until softened, about 4–5 minutes.
• Add tomato base: Stir in tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the paste deepens in color.
• Deglaze and simmer: Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up browned bits. Add thyme and red pepper flakes if using. Bring to a gentle simmer.
• Cook the pasta: Add pasta shells. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Simmer for 10–12 minutes until al dente.
• Finish the soup: Return chicken to the pot. Stir in spinach, heavy cream, and Parmesan. Simmer for 2–3 more minutes until the spinach is wilted and the soup is creamy.
• Taste and serve: Adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot, garnished with extra Parmesan if desired.

Notes

or make-ahead meals, cook the pasta separately and combine just before serving to avoid soggy noodles.

Use rotisserie chicken for a shortcut — just stir it in at the end with the cream.

Swap cream for full-fat coconut milk for a dairy-free version.

For extra veggies, add chopped kale, peas, or zucchini.

Keyword chicken soup with pasta, Creamy chicken soup recipe, Easy comfort food soup, one pot chicken soup

This comforting one-pot recipe keeps things simple without skimping on flavor. Here’s what you’ll need to bring it to life:

1/2 ounce grated Parmesan cheese
(About 1/4 cup — stir some in and sprinkle the rest on top.)

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken
(Breasts, thighs, or a mix — go for what you have. Thighs offer richer flavor; breasts cook slightly faster.)

2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
(Season in layers for best flavor.)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
(For sautéing and adding richness.)

1 medium yellow onion, diced
(About 1 1/2 cups — adds sweetness and depth.)

3 garlic cloves, minced
(Because what’s a comforting soup without garlic?)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper
(A baseline — adjust to taste later.)

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced thin
(Dry or oil-packed both work; drain if using oil-packed.)

3 tablespoons tomato paste
(Gives a deep, simmered-all-day feel in minutes.)

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
(Homemade if you’re fancy, boxed if you’re smart. Either works.)

1 teaspoon dried thyme
(Pairs beautifully with tomato and cream.)

Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
(Adds subtle warmth. Totally skip if serving kids.)

8 ounces dried medium pasta shells
(Perfect for catching all that creamy broth.)

5 ounces baby spinach
(About 5 packed cups — wilts down fast and adds freshness.)

3/4 cup heavy cream
(For the signature silkiness.)

How to Make Marry Me Chicken Soup

You don’t need to be the kind of person who “knows their way around the kitchen.” Honestly, if you can stir and don’t mind a bit of steam in your face, you’re good.

Here’s what to do — with the kind of directions that feel like they came from a friend, not a recipe robot.

1. Chicken first. Always.

Grab your chicken and cut it into bites you’d want on a spoon — not too big, not toddler-sized. Toss with about a teaspoon of salt. Nothing fancy yet. Just let it sit a sec while your pot heats.

2. Brown it, but don’t babysit it.

Melt your butter in a big heavy pot. Medium-high heat. Drop in half the chicken. Let it sit. No poking. You’re looking for browning, not “lightly beige and confused.” Flip once, then get it out. Do the same with the rest. Don’t worry if some bits stick.

3. Enter the aromatics.

Same pot — now reduce the heat. Throw in your onions, garlic, a bit of black pepper, and the rest of the salt. Scrape. Stir. Let things get soft, not mushy. If you’re thinking “this smells like soup,” you’re doing it right.

4. Tomato things.

Add in your tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir until the paste darkens a bit and clings to the bottom. It’s not burning — it’s concentrating.

5. Broth + vibes.

Now pour in the broth. It might sizzle. That’s fine. Add your thyme, maybe a pinch of red pepper flakes if you’re into that. Bring it to a simmer. Not a wild boil — just a confident bubble.

6. Shell time.

Toss in the pasta shells. Stir a few times so they don’t glue themselves to the bottom. Let them cook until they’re just barely tender. 10–12 minutes should do it.

7. Creamy comeback.

Drop your chicken back in. Add spinach, cream, and Parmesan. Stir gently. The spinach will wilt fast, the broth will thicken, and suddenly it’ll smell like a meal worth remembering.

8. Final touch.

Taste. Adjust salt and pepper. Maybe a little more cheese? You know what you like. Serve hot, ideally with someone who deserves something special — even if that someone is just you on the couch.

H3: Can I make it in advance?

Totally — just skip the pasta until you’re ready to eat. Reheat the broth base, then cook or add pasta fresh. Everything else holds up like a champ.

Tips & Tricks for Next-Level Marry Me Chicken Soup

This isn’t a fussy soup, but it is one of those recipes where a few small choices make the difference between “pretty good” and “whoa, did I make this?”

Browning > Boiling

Let the chicken really brown before pulling it out. If it’s just pale and cooked, you’ll miss out on that deep base flavor. Think caramelized edges, not cafeteria cubes.

Don’t rush the tomato paste

It’s tempting to just stir and move on, but give it a couple minutes in the pot. It goes from raw and sharp to rich and almost jammy. That’s where the “simmered for hours” illusion comes from.

Let the pasta work for you

If you’re eating this soup right away, the pasta’s perfect. But if it’s for leftovers or meal prep? Either cook the pasta separately and add it as needed, or undercook it slightly — it’ll soften more in the broth.

Cheese, but not too much

Parmesan adds that salty, nutty backbone. But go easy — a heavy hand turns creamy into cloying. Taste as you go.

Spinach timing matters

Add it at the very end. Like, last 2 minutes. If you throw it in earlier, it’ll disintegrate into sad green strings. Nobody wants that.

Can I use rotisserie chicken instead?

Absolutely. Just skip the browning step and stir the shredded chicken in at the end with the cream and spinach. It’s a great shortcut when time (or energy) is low.

Substitutions & Variations Marry Me Chicken Soup

Maybe you’re out of an ingredient. Maybe you’re cooking for someone who swears cream is evil. Whatever the case, this soup’s got range.

Dairy-Free Version

• Swap the heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk or unsweetened oat cream. Different vibe, still rich.
• Use nutritional yeast or a plant-based Parm alternative for that cheesy depth.

No Chicken? No Problem.

• Use turkey (leftovers work great).
• Try white beans or chickpeas for a vegetarian version.
• Or heck, go rogue and use shrimp — just add them in the last few minutes so they don’t turn rubbery.

Gluten-Free?

• Swap the shell pasta for gluten-free elbows or rice-shaped pasta.
• Make sure your broth is certified gluten-free (some sneaky brands sneak in wheat-based flavorings).

Want to add more veggies?

• Go for chopped kale instead of spinach — just give it 5 extra minutes to soften.
• Stir in frozen peas, shredded carrots, or even diced zucchini near the end.

Make it spicier

• Add an extra pinch of red pepper flakes or a splash of hot sauce at the finish.
• Or use spicy sun-dried tomato pesto if you’ve got it — big upgrade.

Can I make Marry Me Chicken Soup it vegan?

You can! Use veggie broth, skip the chicken, and swap in white beans or lentils. Coconut cream gives you the richness, and a bit of miso paste adds that umami hit you’d normally get from Parmesan.

quick and healthy busy day soup recipe

FAQs:

Nutrition Information Marry Me Chicken Soup

This soup walks that line between indulgent and balanced. Here’s what you’re roughly looking at per serving (based on a batch serving 6):

• Calories: ~450
• Protein: 28–32g (thanks, chicken + Parm)
• Fat: 20–25g (mostly from cream and cheese)
• Carbohydrates: 35–40g (pasta + tomatoes)
• Fiber: 3–4g
• Sugar: 5–6g
• Sodium: ~700mg (varies based on broth and added salt)

A Few Notes:

Want to boost fiber? Add more leafy greens or swap in whole grain pasta.

Use reduced-sodium broth and go light on Parmesan if watching salt.

Substituting coconut milk for cream will shift the fat profile slightly.
traditional comfort food like Grandma’s chicken soup

Final Thoughts: It’s Just Soup… But Also Not

Let’s be honest — calling anything “marry me” is kind of ridiculous. Soup isn’t a proposal. It won’t fix your bad week or make someone love you. And yet…

There’s this thing that happens when you sit down with a bowl of this — the creamy broth, the heat from the pepper flakes, the little pasta shells catching bits of tomato and melted cheese — it does something. Not dramatic. Just enough. Enough to feel taken care of, even if you’re the one who cooked it.

I’ve made this soup on nights when everything felt off. I’ve made it for friends going through breakups. For family visits that felt too short. And every time, someone asks, “Wait — what is this?” And they don’t mean the name. They mean why does this feel like more than soup?

That’s the magic of it. Or maybe just the cream.

Either way, make it once. Then maybe again. Maybe not for a proposal — but for those days when “I love you” sounds a lot like “I made you something warm.”

See the Marry Me Chicken Soup pin and save it on Pinterest.

Read the full Marry Me Chicken Soup recipe on CarolTasty’s official Medium.