Marry Me Chicken

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This easy marry me chicken recipe is packed with flavor and personality. This irresistibly easy dish only needs a few simple ingredients and a short prep time. It’s very similar to my sun-dried tomato chicken, except with parmesan as the main sauce thickener.

When you don’t want to make fancy filet mignon or lobster tails for your date, try this chicken. I think you’ll both fall in love with this recipe!

What Is Marry Me Chicken?

Marry me chicken is a flavorful, comforting dish made with chicken breasts cooked in a skillet with Italian spices, then smothered in a sun-dried tomato parmesan cream sauce. The sauce is both savory and sweet — it’s a flavor so unforgettable that some people say it will win over your sweetheart!

Why You’ll Love This Marry Me Chicken Recipe

• Juicy, tender chicken
• Luscious, savory, and slightly sweet sun-dried tomato cream sauce
• One pan for easy cleanup
• No need to bake or use any flour
• On the table in 30 minutes
• An easy chicken dish for meal prep or date night

Marry Me Chicken Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the ingredients for the best marry me chicken recipe, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

• Chicken – I used boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you could also use boneless skinless chicken thighs if you like. Cook time might vary slightly.
• Seasoning – Sea salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and fresh basil. You could also add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little bit of heat.
• Olive Oil – For sauteing the chicken. Any other neutral cooking oil, such as avocado oil, would work.
• Garlic – Use fresh garlic for the best flavor, but you could also use 1 teaspoon jarred minced garlic for convenience.
• Chicken Broth – I used reduced-sodium broth for this recipe, but feel free to make chicken broth, or use your favorite type and brand or vegetable broth. (You will need to reduce the salt if your broth is not reduced-sodium.) If you’d like a richer flavor, try bone broth.
• Heavy Cream – Makes the marry me chicken sauce rich and creamy. If you need a dairy free option, you can use coconut cream or full-fat canned coconut milk, but the flavor will be a bit different.
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes – I made my own, but you can get jarred ones as well. Find tomatoes packed in oil, then drain and chop into julienne-style pieces.
• Parmesan Cheese – I used parmesan cheese in a shaker can for convenience, but freshly grated parmesan would give you a fresher taste.

How To Make Marry Me Chicken

This section shows how to make marry me chicken, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

1. Season the chicken. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Season both sides with sea salt and black pepper.

VARIATION: Butterfly the chicken.

Instead of whole chicken breasts, slice them in half to make chicken cutlets to decrease cooking time. You will have to brown chicken in batches, but the upside is it will cook more quickly and evenly.

2. Sear the chicken. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and sear both sides until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan, cover with foil to keep warm, and set aside.

TIP: Is it done? Use a meat thermometer to check.

Chicken cook time will vary depending on its thickness. The best way to ensure the chicken is cooked through is to use a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should reach 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

3. Saute the garlic. Add minced garlic to the skillet (add a little more oil if it’s dry). Cook until fragrant.
4. Make the sauce. Add broth, cream, sun dried tomatoes, and Italian seasoning. Use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan (this is called deglazing). Increase heat to bring to a gentle boil, then simmer until the volume is reduced by about half and a thin sauce forms.
5. Thicken. Reduce heat to low. Add grated parmesan cheese and stir until thickened. Adjust salt and pepper to taste if needed.

7. Combine. Add chicken back to the pan and spoon sauce over it. If needed, cook for 1-2 minutes to warm up the chicken.
8. Garnish. Top marry me chicken with basil ribbons before serving.

Storage Instructions

• Store: To store leftover marry me chicken in the refrigerator, place it in an airtight container. Make sure to use the chicken within 1-2 days of storing.
• Reheat: Warm chicken in a 350 degree F oven for about 10 minutes, or until heated through. Alternatively, you can also reheat the chicken in a microwave using short bursts of heat until it reaches the desired temperature.
• Freeze: Transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.

What To Serve With Marry Me Chicken

This dish pairs perfectly with a variety of sides. Here are a few of my top picks:

• Roasted Veggies – My favorite roasted vegetables are roasted asparagus and roasted cauliflower, but garlicky roasted broccoli or a mix of oven roasted vegetables would pair nicely as well.
• Noodles – You can serve this dish with regular pasta, but I prefer lighter options like zucchini noodles, easy shirataki noodles (miracle noodles), or baked spaghetti squash.
• Rice – Another classic side. I use cauliflower rice, but white or brown rice works, too.
• Potatoes – Mashed potatoes (or mashed cauliflower) can soak up all the sauce. You can also serve oven baked potato cubes, or roasted rutabaga for a lighter option. Fried radishes would also work as a potato substitute.

More Creamy Chicken Dinner Recipes

These chicken dinner recipes are also great for date night — or any night of the week!

Buttered Garlic Chicken

Chicken Florentine

French Onion Chicken

Creamy Mushroom Chicken

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Recipe Card

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Mary Me Chicken (Just 25 Minutes!)

You'll fall in love with this marry me chicken recipe, featuring chicken breasts cooked in a luscious sun-dried tomato cream sauce.

Prep: 5 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Total: 25 minutes

Author: Maya Krampf from Wholesome Yum

Servings: 4 (adjust to scale recipe)

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Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

• 4 8-oz Boneless skinless chicken breasts ▢
• 3/4 tsp Sea salt ▢
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper ▢
• 1 tbsp Olive oil ▢
• 2 cloves Garlic (minced) ▢
• 1/2 cup Chicken broth  (reduced sodium) ▢
• 1 cup Heavy cream (or coconut cream for dairy-free) ▢
• 1/2 cup Sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil, drained and julienned) ▢
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning ▢
• 1/4 cup Grated parmesan cheese ▢
• 1/4 cup Fresh basil  (cut into ribbons) ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.

1. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season them on both sides with sea salt and black pepper.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and sear for 4-8 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature should reach 165 degrees F (74 degrees C)). Time will vary depending on the thickness of your chicken and whether it's whole or cut into strips.

3. Remove the chicken from the pan, cover with foil to keep warm, and set aside.

4. Add the minced garlic to the skillet (add a little more oil if it's dry). Cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.

5. Add the broth, cream, sun dried tomatoes, and Italian seasoning. Use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Increase heat to bring to a gentle boil, then simmer for 7-8 minutes, until the volume is reduced by about half and a thin sauce forms.

6. Reduce heat to low. Stir the grated parmesan cheese, until thickened. Adjust salt and pepper to taste if needed.

7. Add the chicken back to the pan and spoon the sauce over it. If needed, cook for 1-2 minutes to warm up the chicken.

8. Top "marry me chicken" with basil ribbons before serving.

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Try More Of My Recipes

• 
  Mediterranean Chicken Recipe
• 
  Chicken Caprese
• 
  Oven Roasted Cauliflower
• 
  Chicken Marsala Recipe

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 chicken breast with sauce

Nutrition Facts

Amounts per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 560

Fat 33.1g

Protein 54g

Total Carbs 11.2g

Net Carbs 9.2g

Fiber 2g

Sugar 7.1g

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keywords: marry me chicken, marry me chicken recipe

Calories: 560 kcal

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