Recipe Info
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Servings: 4 persons
- Cuisine: American / Italian-Inspired
- Course: Main Course
Why Everyone Is Obsessed with Marry Me Chicken
You've probably seen a sizzling pan of golden chicken cutlets covered in a rich, sun-dried tomato cream sauce if you've recently spent any time on TikTok, Instagram, or Pinterest. According to legend, if you prepare this dish for your significant other, a marriage proposal will soon follow!
Whether it's a myth or not, "Marry Me Chicken" is one of the most popular midweek dinners in the US for good reason:
- One-Pan Convenience: maximum flavour cooked in a single skillet with minimal mess and quick cleaning.
- Less than 30 Minutes: Ideal for hectic weeknights when you want comfort meal fit for a restaurant without having to spend hours in the kitchen.
Big, Bold Flavours: The sauce made with garlic, parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh basil is so opulent that you'll want to lick the pan clean.
Ingredients You'll Need
- 1.5 pounds of skinless, boneless chicken breasts (cut into thin cutlets horizontally)
- One-half cup all-purpose flour (for dredging)
- ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
One tablespoon of olive oil
One tablespoon of unsalted butter
For the Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce:
- Three minced garlic cloves
- Half a cup of low-sodium chicken stock or chicken broth
One cup of heavy cream
- One-half cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Half a cup of sun-dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped after being drained of oil
One teaspoon of dried oregano
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes, if desired, for a mildly spicy kick
- Chopped fresh basil leaves (for garnish)
Substitutions & Variations
- Gluten-Free: Use cornflour or a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour in place of the all-purpose flour, or do not dredge at all.
- Thighs vs. Breasts: Simply increase the searing time by one to two minutes on each side to substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs for chicken breasts.
- Lighter/Dairy-Free Option: Although the sauce will be a little thinner, you can replace heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk or unsweetened cashew cream.
- Add Greens: During the final two minutes of boiling, stir in two cups of fresh baby spinach until it wilts.
How to Make Marry Me Chicken Step-by-Step
1. Sear the Chicken
- Using parchment paper, sandwich your chicken cutlets and pound them until they are a uniform ½-inch thick.
- In a small dish, season the flour with salt and black pepper. Shake off any excess flour after dredging each chicken cutlet in it.
- In a big skillet, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Sear the chicken cutlets for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until they are cooked through and golden brown (internal temperature reaches 165°F). After moving the chicken to a platter, cover it loosely with foil.
2. Build the Creamy Garlic Base
- Reduce the temperature to medium. Add the red pepper flakes and minced garlic to the same skillet. Take care not to burn the garlic as you sauté it for one minute until it becomes aromatic.
- To deglaze the pan, add the chicken broth. Scrape up all the tasty browned bits that have adhered to the skillet's bottom with a wooden spoon.
3. Simmer & Finish
- Put the heavy cream, grated parmesan, dry oregano, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes over low heat.
- Simmer the sauce moderately for three to four minutes, stirring now and again, until the parmesan is melted and the sauce has slightly thickened.
- Put the seared chicken cutlets back into the skillet along with any leftover juices on the dish. After adding the creamy sauce to the chicken, cook it for a further one to two minutes.
- Add some freshly cut basil as a garnish and serve right away!
Pro Tips for the Perfect Sauce
- Instead of using pre-shredded bag cheese, grate your own cheese. Anti-caking starches are applied to prepackaged cheeses to prevent them from melting into a silky cream sauce.
- Don't Boil the Cream: After adding the heavy cream and parmesan, keep the stove at a low simmer. Dairy sauces may break or curdle over high heat.
- Use Sun-Dried Tomatoes Packed in Oil: Compared to dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes, oil-packed tomatoes are considerably softer and more flavourful.
What to Serve with Marry Me Chicken
- Over Pasta: To ensure that the noodles soak every last bit of the garlic cream sauce, serve over penne, fettuccine, or angel hair pasta.
- Mashed Potatoes or Rice: For the ultimate comfort dish, spoon over buttered jasmine rice or garlic mashed potatoes.
- Warm Garlic Bread: To mop up the pan sauce, keep a loaf of crusty sourdough or French bread close by.
- Low-Carb Selections: Serve with a fresh Caesar salad, steamed broccoli, or roasted asparagus.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- To Store: You may keep leftovers in the fridge for up to three or four days if you store them in an airtight container.
- To reheat, add a little heavy cream or chicken broth to loosen up the sauce and reheat over low heat on the hob. The oil in the sauce may separate if you reheat it in the microwave on high power.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it possible to prepare this dish in advance?
Indeed! The entire dish can be cooked, cooled, and kept overnight. To restore the smooth sauce texture, reheat gently over low heat on the hob with an additional splash of cream or broth.
My sauce is too thin; why is that?
Simmer your sauce on low for an additional two to three minutes if it seems a little runny. It will naturally thicken as the parmesan melts and the heavy cream lowers. Keep in mind that as the sauce cools somewhat off the heat, it will also thicken.
Does Marry Me Chicken have a lot of heat?
Not at all! The richness of the cream is counterbalanced by the delicate warmth of the ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Just leave off the pepper flakes if you want no heat.
