Marry Me Chicken

Marry Me Chicken is a weeknight favorite made up of wonderfully succulent pieces of chicken in a creamy sauce with sun-dried tomatoes. It’s so good, anyone who tries it might propose to you. Ready in 40 minutes.

For legal reasons, I must tell you that I’m not responsible for any unexpected or unwanted engagement rings that may appear after serving this dish. I also can’t promise you that this Marry Me Chicken recipe will actually make someone propose. However, I can tell you that I made it for my (then) girlfriend when we first started dating, and that she later married me. So it probably works pretty well.

this recipe

What is Marry Me Chicken

Marry Me Chicken is an endearing name for a popular Sicilian-inspired chicken recipe – the dish consists of tender pieces of chicken in a creamy sauce made using sun-dried tomatoes, cream and cheese.

The original recipe is credited to Lindsay Funston, during her stint as an editor at Delish, and was originally called “Sicilian Chicken Skillet” (a variation on an earlier Tuscan Chicken Pasta recipe), but quickly renamed to the catchy Marry Me Chicken, when the videographer took a bite of the recipe and exclaimed, “I’d marry you for that chicken!”

It should be noted that this recipe is not a traditional Tuscan or Sicilian recipe. It was simply inspired by them.

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• Skinless chicken breasts
• Salt, to taste
• Black Pepper, to taste
• Garlic cloves
• Fresh thyme
• Red pepper flakes
• Chicken stock
• Heavy cream
• Sun-dried tomatoes (chopped or sliced)
• Black pepper
• Parmesan cheese, grated
• Fresh basil leaves, for garnishing

How to make Marry Me Chicken

Making Marry Me Chicken is a fairly quick and simple process (and only requires one ovenproof pan). Begin by heating the olive oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, add the chicken breasts (you may need to do this in batches, depending on the size of your pan) and season them generously with salt and black pepper. Let the seasoned breasts sizzle away until the bottoms are golden brown, flip and repeat for both sides, about five to six minutes per side.

With your chicken beautifully browned, we’ll start building those incredible flavors. Remove the chicken from the pan, and set aside. Add the minced garlic cloves to the pan, letting them release their aromatic magic for just a minute. Follow with a sprinkle of fresh thyme and teaspoon of red pepper flakes, filling your kitchen with their fragrant warmth.

Deglaze the pan with the chicken stock, scraping up all those flavorful brown bits from the bottom and then pour in the heavy cream. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and black pepper, stirring gently to combine.

Sprinkle in the parmesan cheese, stir until it melts into the sauce creating a velvety smooth texture. Return the browned chicken to the pan, letting it nestle into the sauce and continue cooking for a moment. (Don’t forget to spoon some of your lovely sauce over the chicken!)

To ensure that the chicken has cooked through, transfer it into the oven at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Serve immediately, and while I can’t promise that this will lead to a proposal, I foresee plenty of “I love you” around the dinner table.

Tips

What kind of pan to use

For the easiest experience, I recommend using a heavy-bottomed, oven-proof pan. A cast iron pan is ideal, but any other skillet that fits the description will work too. If your pan isn’t oven proof, you’ll need to transfer the dish to an ovenproof container before cooking it in the oven. (You also won’t be able to tell people that this is a one pot Marry Me Chicken recipe.)

What kind of chicken to use

Marry Me Chicken can be made with chicken breasts or chicken thighs. The official/original recipe is made using chicken breasts, but I like using boneless, skinless chicken thighs too – I find thighs have the best balance of flavor and convenience.

To maintain even cooking, try to use similar-sized (in dimensions and thickness) pieces of chicken. You can even use a mallet to beat a piece so that it’s the same as the other pieces! (Excellent stress relief.)

What kind of cream to use

I recommend using whipping cream or heavy cream for this recipe. Using light cream or table cream will result in a much thinner sauce that doesn’t coat the chicken as well. The key to a delicious Marry Me Chicken is the velvety sauce.

Adjusting the sauce consistency

If your sauce is too thick, splash in a bit more chicken broth. Too thin? Let it simmer a bit longer. 

Serving suggestions

A creamy chicken recipe like this one pairs well with many things. Rice or pasta are good options, but you could also opt for some simple mashed potatoes. If you’re looking for something lighter, try serving it up with a side of Asperges à la Flamande.

Make sure to also prepare a chilled glass of “I’m definitely getting proposed to” Saudi Champagne.

Variations

Vegetarian Cupid. Swap out the chicken for thick slices of portobello mushrooms or firm tofu.

Spicy Proposal: Add an additional pinch (or more, if you’re the daring sort) of red pepper flakes for a fiery twist.

Tone it down: If you’re looking for a brighter tomato flavor, add a tablespoon or two of tomato paste to the recipe.

Low-Carb Love: Serve over cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles.

Dairy-Free Date: Use coconut cream instead of heavy cream and nutritional yeast in place of Parmesan.

Breaded chicken: If you prefer your chicken to have a light crust, you can dredge it in a bit of flour prior to cooking. Make sure to shake off any excess before you add it to the pan.