Tender, juicy chicken is simmered to perfection in a creamy, dreamy sun-dried tomato sauce. This delicious Marry Me Chicken is easy to make in just 30 minutes and is equally suitable for busy weeknights or special occasions. It's so good, it may just get you a marriage proposal too!
I can never have enough easy skillet recipes. There's just something so enticing about being able to cook dinner in one pan with minimal clean up afterwards, especially on busy weeknights. Some of my favorite skillet dishes are my Creamy Paprika Chicken, Cheesy Turkey and Cauliflower Rice Taco Skillet, and French Onion Chicken.
Now I'm super excited to share this Marry Me Chicken, which is one of the most delicious chicken recipes ever! This elegant chicken dinner is the perfect dish for special occasions but is deceptively easy to make with simple ingredients.
I simmer juicy chicken breasts in a decadent cream sauce infused with rich flavor from sun-dried tomatoes, herbs, and parmesan cheese. This Marry Me Chicken recipe will surely win the heart of anyone you make it for!
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Why Is It Called Marry Me Chicken?
Legend has it that when the editors at Delish magazine first tasted this dish, it was so good that some of them proclaimed, "I'd marry you for that chicken" and "That's marriage material!" And so, Marry Me Chicken was born. After that, the recipe went viral and many variations were spawned.
I confess I never made this dish for my husband Pete when we were dating. However, I do distinctly recall making Rachel Ray's You Won't Be Single For Long Pasta for my pasta-loving loving husband.
Was it love at first bite? I can't say for sure but we've been happily married for over 15 years now!
Whether you're looking for a marriage proposal or not, you must try this delicious Marry Me Chicken recipe. Tender chicken breasts are simmered to perfection in a rich and flavorful sun-dried tomato cream sauce and topped with fresh basil. It's lick-your-plate good!
It's the perfect one-pot chicken dish that's equally suitable for elegant dinner parties, date nights or quick weeknight meals. It's perfect to put on your Valentine's Day dinner menu.
Why You'll Love This Dish
- It's SOOOOO good- a delicious chicken recipe!
- An easy dinner recipe made with simple, inexpensive ingredients
- Versatile- fancy enough for company, fast enough for weeknight dinners
- Kid-friendly- the whole family will love this dish
Ingredients
Recipe Notes and substitutions (see recipe card below for complete ingredient list and measurements):
- Chicken- although the original marry me chicken dish used chicken thighs, I like to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I slice them in half to make them thinner so that they cook quickly. You can also buy chicken cutlets, which have been sliced already.
- Flour- I dredge the chicken in a light dusting of flour to give it a nice brown crust and help seal in the juices.
- Olive oil- I like to use the olive oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes for extra flavor and color.
- Italian seasoning- you can use other herbs like thyme, rosemary or basil.
- Sun-dried tomatoes- I use tomatoes packed in oil rather than dry-packed because I use the oil in the jar to cook the chicken.
- Heavy cream- don't use light cream as the sauce won't thicken up enough.
Step-By-Step Instructions
See recipe card below for full recipe amounts and instructions
- Step 1- Slice the chicken breasts horizontally to make 4 cutlets. You can also buy chicken cutlets, which have already been pre-sliced. If you prefer, you can use regular chicken breasts and pound them out to ¼-inch thickness with a meat mallet. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dredge them lightly in flour. Shake off any excess flour.
- Step 2- Heat oil in a large skillet like a cast iron skillet over medium heat. For extra flavor, use the oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes. Add the chicken cutlets and cook about 4 minutes until golden brown. Flip and cook another 3-4 minutes on the second side. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Step 3- Add the remaining oil to the skillet and cook the garlic.
- Step 4- Add the chicken stock and turn up to medium-high heat. Cook 1-2 minutes until it reduces slightly, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Step 5- Stir in the heavy cream, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and Italian seasoning. Simmer 1-2 minutes until thickened, then stir in the parmesan cheese.
- Step 6- Nestle the chicken back into the sun-dried tomato cream sauce and spoon some of the sauce over the chicken. Cook another couple of minutes until the chicken is heated through. Garnish with fresh basil and serve.
Chef's Tips
- You can buy chicken breast cutlets from the grocery store or you can slice regular chicken breasts in half and get the same results.
- When you add the chicken back to the pan with the sauce, don't forget to add any juices that have accumulated on the plate. You don't want to miss out on that flavor!
- I like to dredge the chicken lightly in flour to give it a nice brown crust. It also helps lock in the juices. If you're trying to make this Marry Me Chicken keto, you can skip this step.
- I like to use sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil rather than dry-packed tomatoes for this dish because I use some of the oil from the jar to cook the chicken. It adds extra flavor and color.
- You can add a splash or white wine to the sauce for even more flavor (then enjoy the rest of the bottle along with dinner!)
- You can make this dish with chicken thighs or even salmon or pork chops.
How To Serve This Dish
I like to serve this creamy sun-dried tomato chicken with pasta (like fettuccini, angel hair, penne or rigatoni) or my Mediterranean pasta, to soak up all the delicious sauce. You can also serve this tasty dish with mashed potatoes, celery root puree, cauliflower polenta or rice.
If you're watching your carbs, you can serve this chicken with spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles or butternut squash noodles instead.
Round out your meal with a vegetable like my roasted asparagus and grape tomatoes, air fryer diced potatoes or air fryer zucchini.
You can also serve some crusty bread on the side to dip into the sauce. Try my easy pan con tomate (Spanish tomato bread). For a low carb option, you can serve it with my cauliflower cheesy bread.
Storage
You can store any leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can reheat the dish in the oven or microwave. The sauce will thicken in the fridge so add a splash of chicken stock, water or cream to thin it out as needed.
Have you ever wondered how long chicken can sit out before you need to toss it? Read my post all about how to properly handle and store chicken to help ensure that it's always safe to eat!
Recipe FAQs
Marry Me Chicken is a delicious chicken dish featuring juicy chicken breasts in a decadent cream sauce infused with rich flavor from sun-dried tomatoes, herbs, and parmesan cheese.
Legend has it that when the editors at Delish magazine first tasted this dish, it was so good that some of them proclaimed, "I'd marry you for that chicken" and "That's marriage material!" And so, Marry Me Chicken was born. After that, the recipe went viral and many variations were spawned.
Yes, this dish is a good option if you're following a keto diet. One serving of this Marry Me Chicken has 6 grams net carbs. To cut down the carbs even more, skip the step of dredging the chicken in flour.
No, this recipe is not gluten free because the chicken breasts are dredged in flour before they're cooked. You can use gluten-free flour or skip this step altogether to make this recipe gluten free.
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Recipe
Marry Me Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breast cutlets (about 1.5 lbs)*
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided use (can use the oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes)
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 cup chicken stock
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- Optional garnish: fresh basil
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally to make 4 cutlets. Season them with salt and pepper. Place the flour on a plate and dredge the chicken lightly on both sides in the flour. Dust off any excess flour. Discard any remaining flour.
- Heat 1 ½ tablespoons of oil in a large skillet like a cast iron skillet over medium heat. For extra flavor, use the oil from the jar of sundried tomatoes. Add the chicken cutlets and cook 4 minutes until golden brown. Flip and cook another 3-4 minutes on the second side. Remove the chicken and set aside on a plate.
- Add the remaining ½ tablespoon oil to the skillet and add the garlic. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn. Add the chicken stock and cook 1-2 minutes until it reduces slightly. Stir in the cream, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and Italian seasoning. Simmer 1-2 minutes until thickened. Stir in the parmesan cheese.
- Nestle the chicken back into the sauce (be sure to add any juices that have accumulated on the plate. Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken. Cook another couple of minutes until the chicken is heated through. Garnish with fresh basil and serve.
Notes
- * You can buy chicken breast cutlets from the grocery store or you can slice regular chicken breasts in half horizontally and get the same results.
- When you add the chicken back to the pan with the sauce, don't forget to add any juices that have accumulated on the plate. You don't want to miss out on that flavor!
- I like to dredge the chicken lightly in flour to give it a nice brown crust. It also helps lock in the juices. If you're trying to make this dish keto, you can skip this step. Note, the nutritional calculation just uses 1 tablespoon of flour, which is the amount that adheres to the chicken (the rest of the flour is discarded).
- I like to use sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil rather than dry-packed tomatoes for this dish because I use some of the oil from the jar to cook the chicken. It adds extra flavor and color.
- You can add a splash or white wine to the sauce for even more flavor (then enjoy the rest of the bottle along with dinner!)
Joyce Smith says
This was a huge hit with my husband and me. I was so excited when I was making it because of the wonderful smells and beautiful appearance that I forgot to snap a picture. It was absolutely delicious and so easy to make. Hubby said that he’d like it again…,soon!
Dr. Sonali Ruder says
I'm so happy that you both enjoyed the recipe! It's a favorite in my house. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
Martin M. says
I served it with Rice and added a 1 glass of dry white wine to the sauce, absolutely delicious !
Dr. Sonali Ruder says
That sounds delicious! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
Denise says
I made this many time. Always a winner, even with picky eaters.
Dr. Sonali Ruder says
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment! So happy to hear you enjoy the recipe. It's a winner in my house too 🙂
usha chunilal ruder says
Love this dish! Instead of chicken I used salmon, and it was delicious! The sauce tasted so good, and everybody loved it. Thank you for this amazing recipe, Sonali.