'Marry me' chicken has proved to be one of the internet’s most enduring comfort-food trends, thanks to its winning combination of creamy sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and herbs. Now Sainsbury’s has released a new ready meal inspired by the viral dish, and it looks set to rival M&S’ version which was launched earlier this month.
As soon as I spotted Sainsbury’s limited edition Taste the Difference Marry Me Chicken with tortiglioni pasta landing on shelves this week, I was struck by its similarity to M&S’ Marry Me chicken pasta bake. At first look, here's how the two compare.
Sainsbury’s ready meal costs £7.50 for 700g and serves two, while M&S’ version is £8.50 for a slightly larger 800g portion, also serving two. That makes Sainsbury’s £1 cheaper, although you get 100g less food in the cooked meal. Both dishes are made with ridged tubular pasta shapes that are excellent at catching creamy sauce. Whilst Sainsbury's is topped with Parmigiano Reggiano, M&S' is finished with Regato cheese (Irish cow's milk cheese, with a similar nutty flavour). One marked difference I'm noticing is that the chunks of tender chicken in the M&S version are larger and on the more generous side, whereas Sainsbury's dish prioritises more sun-dried tomato chunks (using SunBlush® tomatoes) but the chicken pieces appear smaller. Additionally, Sainsbury's uses white wine for a burst of acidity in their sauce, whilst M&S' sounds slightly more rich (from a combination of double cream and full fat soft cheese).
Both dishes follow the same winning formula: chicken, pasta and a creamy, tomato-based sauce with the familiar herby notes associated with Marry Me Chicken. I like that Sainsbury’s has opted for a more tomato-led sauce, but M&S may have the edge if you’re after a slightly more generous portion with larger chicken chunks (admittedly at a higher cost).
To make either into a proper meal, I’d serve with a sharply dressed green salad and some garlic bread. You could also add steamed broccoli to cut through the richness.
Can't get enough of this flavour combination? Sainsbury’s is also taking the trend beyond pasta with a new 250g Marry Me Chicken pie to serve one (£4). It offers the same creamy, indulgent taste profile in a much more compact format. I can see this being ideal for a solo autumn supper, although I do wish there was a larger family-sized option too. Just add peas, buttery mash or roasted vegetables and you’ve got a comforting dinner with very little effort. You can alternatively buy two pies in a pack for £7.25, saving 75p off the individual price.
If you’d rather build your own viral pasta dish, I spotted that Sainsbury’s also sells a 350g jar of Heinz Marry Me pasta sauce for £2. This vegetarian, gluten-free sauce contains tomatoes, cream, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian hard cheese, garlic and herbs, and is designed to be stirred through pasta once it's cooked.
Simply combine it with chicken breast pieces, rigatoni and a handful of spinach plus sun-dried tomato chunks, then finish everything with extra parmesan. That gives you more control over the portions, and makes the £2 jar go a little further.
Whether you choose the ready meal, the pie or the DIY sauce, Sainsbury’s clearly thinks Marry Me Chicken still has plenty of life left in it. I’m tempted to try the new chicken pasta whilst it's available, and look forward to seeing what other products may join this range from either supermarket.
Make our version of the original 'marry me' chicken recipe, or try our other variations:
Marry me chicken & orzo
Marry me gnocchi
One-pan marry me butter beans
Marry me mushroom pasta
Marry me chicken meatball orzo
source https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/news-trends/sainsburys-new-marry-me-chicken-pasta
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