1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente according to package directions. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.

2. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken and sear until golden brown on both sides and cooked through in the center. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

4. Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter to the same skillet. Once melted, stir in the minced garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

5. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and crushed red pepper flakes to the skillet, stirring to coat them in the butter and browned bits from the pan.

6. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Stir and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

7. Add the heavy cream and stir to combine. Let the sauce come back to a gentle simmer, then gradually sprinkle in the grated Parmesan cheese, stirring constantly until smooth and slightly thickened.

8. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to coat in the creamy sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, gradually stir in some of the reserved pasta water until it reaches a silky, pourable consistency that clings to the pasta.

9. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes as desired.

10. Slice the cooked chicken breasts into strips and place them on top of the creamy pasta in the skillet.

11. Sprinkle the pasta with crumbled bacon if using, and garnish with chopped fresh basil or parsley. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the top if you like a bright finish.

12. Serve the Creamy Marry Me Chicken Pasta immediately while hot and creamy, with extra Parmesan on the side if desired.