Marry Me Chicken Soup – The Almond Eater

Have you heard of marry me chicken? This dish is viral for a reason. It simmers juicy chicken in a creamy, parmesan-packed sun-dried tomato sauce, similar to my sun-dried tomato chicken skillet. 

I love this dish so much that I just had to transfer those flavors to a luxurious, winter-ready soup! My Marry Me Chicken Soup recipe simmers chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, pasta, and kale together in a luscious, cheesy broth. It has everything I love about the classic version, plus you can curl up with a bowl on the couch. 

Marry Me Chicken Soup Ingredients

Chicken – I use diced boneless, skinless chicken breasts to keep the soup light yet filling. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, pre-cooked shredded chicken, or a shredded store-bought rotisserie chicken (stir in the pre-cooked chicken at the end).

Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil – You need both the tomatoes and the oil in the jar for searing the chicken. You can make this with olive oil and dried and rehydrated sun-dried tomatoes instead, but you’ll be missing out on some of the Tuscan-inspired flavors here.

Chicken broth – I like using homemade instant pot bone broth in my soup recipes, but any good-quality chicken broth will work as well. If you’re using store-bought broth, I recommend choosing low-sodium for more control over the salt level.

Pasta – Go with small, scoop-shaped pasta noodles, like shells, orecchiette, ditalini, or elbow macaroni. 

Heavy cream – Full-fat heavy cream makes the soup luxuriously creamy, but you can swap in half-and-half for a slightly lighter version.

This list is to provide further clarification on a few of the ingredients. See recipe card below for the full ingredient list. 

Variations

• Gluten-free option – Use your favorite gluten-free pasta noodles instead of regular pasta. You can also swap the pasta for cooked grains, like rice, quinoa, or farro.
• Instead of chicken – Make this with turkey breasts, Italian sausage, or shrimp.
• Vegetarian version – This soup would be just as satisfying made with canned white beans, chickpeas, cubed tofu, or vegetables (like diced zucchini, bell peppers, mushrooms, or peas) instead of meat. Remember to replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth as well.
• Dairy-free option – A can of full-fat coconut milk or homemade cashew cream works just as well as heavy cream. Omit the parmesan cheese or replace it with a vegan alternative.

How to Make Marry Me Chicken Soup

Step 1: Sear the chicken. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then sear it in a large pot with the sun-dried tomato oil. Once it’s golden brown and cooked through, transfer the chicken to a plate. 

Step 2: Sauté the aromatics. Sauté the onions, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and red pepper flakes in the now-empty pot with melted butter.

Step 3: Build the flavors. Stir in the tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes. Next, pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Heat to a boil.

Step 4: Cook the pasta. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente. 

Step 5: Finish. Return the cooked chicken to the pot, along with the kale, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese. Simmer until the kale is wilted, then remove the pot from the heat.

Step 6: Garnish and serve. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with extra parmesan and/or a pinch of red pepper flakes, and enjoy! 

Erin’s Tips and Tricks

• The sun-dried tomato oil is full of flavor and gives the broth that signature “Marry Me Chicken” richness. I highly recommend using it over olive oil!
• Take your time when toasting the tomato paste. Sautéing the paste in the hot pan until it takes on a dark rust-red color will deepen its natural umami flavors and tone down its metallic bitterness.
• Deglaze the pot and scrape up any stuck browned bits from the bottom. These small pieces are full of flavor!

Marry Me Chicken FAQs

Storage

Make ahead: If you plan on making this for meal prep, leave the pasta, cream, and parmesan out of the batch. Cool and store the soup base in the fridge for up to 2 days. When it’s time to eat, heat the soup on the stove and stir in the cream, parmesan cheese, and freshly cooked pasta.

Refrigerator: Let the leftover chicken soup cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. 

Freezer: You can freeze the soup without the pasta for up to 2 months. Thaw the leftovers overnight in the fridge before reheating them with freshly cooked pasta.

Reheating: Reheat the soup in a saucepan over low-medium heat on the stove, adding a splash of broth or cream to loosen it if needed.