Marry Me Chicken

30 min dinner! Juiciest chicken with a rich, ultra-creamy sun-dried tomato Parmesan cream sauce. So good it will prompt a marriage proposal!

Ingredients · Servings 4

1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cloves garlic (minced)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/3 cup white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes (chopped)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
8 chopped fresh basil leaves

Method · 30 min

Season chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Working in batches, add chicken to the Dutch oven in a single layer and cook until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 4-5 minutes per side; set aside.
Stir in tomato paste, garlic, oregano, thyme and red pepper flakes until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
Stir in wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven.
Stir in chicken stock, heavy cream and sun-dried tomatoes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and flavors have blended, about 5 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add more stock as needed.
Stir in Parmesan and basil. Return chicken to the Dutch oven.
Serve warm.

30 min dinner! Juiciest chicken with a rich, ultra-creamy sun-dried tomato Parmesan cream sauce. So good it will prompt a marriage proposal!

Why you’ll love this marry me chicken recipe

So much flavor. Marry me chicken includes a velvety, dreamy sun-dried tomato parmesan cream sauce spooned over the juiciest, golden-brown pan-seared chicken.
Speedy comfort food. The entire dish comes together in just 30 minutes – it’s warm, it’s cozy, and it’s restaurant-quality, best served with all the crusty bread to sop up all the saucy bits!
Perfect for all occasions. Marry me chicken is perfect for a quick weeknight family meal, a romantic night for two, or for weekend company for a crowd-pleasing dinner with minimal effort.

What is marry me chicken?

“Marry Me Chicken” is a viral chicken dish that was so good, it initiated a marriage proposal, quickly becoming the ultimate go-to romantic dinner. The dish typically consists of pan-seared chicken with a rich, cream sauce made with:

Chicken stock
Heavy cream
Sun-dried tomatoes
Parmesan
Basil

Is marry me chicken and tuscan chicken the same thing?

These two dishes are actually very similar, including a rich sun-dried tomato cream sauce, but they also have a few key differences.

Heat. Marry Me Chicken includes red pepper flakes for a kick of heat.
Basil. Tuscan Chicken typically includes spinach, whereas Marry Me Chicken omits the greens and adds basil instead.

How to make marry me chicken

Prep the chicken. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. If using chicken breasts, pound the chicken to 1/2-inch thickness.
Cook the chicken. Sear the chicken until a nice golden-brown crust forms, letting it cook undisturbed for 4-5 minutes per side. Cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Set aside.
Cook the aromatics. Cook the tomato paste, garlic, oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes until fragrant.
Add the flour. Stir in the flour until browned – this will serve as a premium thickening agent for the cream sauce. Cooking the flour also eliminates that raw flour taste.
Deglaze the pan. Stir in the wine, deglazing the pan by scraping up all of the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the Dutch oven. Chicken stock can be substituted for the wine.
Make the sauce. Add the chicken stock, heavy cream, and sun-dried tomatoes. Heavy cream will result in that luxurious creaminess whereas half-and-half (or whole milk) will be lighter but watery.
Simmer. Simmer until slightly thickened, adding additional stock if the mixture is too thick.
Add the finishing touches. Add the Parmesan, basil and cooked chicken.
Serve. Garnish with parsley and serve over pasta, mashed potatoes or rice with crusty bread.

Why is it called “Marry Me Chicken”?

The chicken dish is just so good, it will prompt anyone who eats it to propose!

Can I use chicken breasts?

Yes, chicken breasts can absolutely be used here, but chicken thighs have more dark meat and a higher fat content which will yield juicier, more flavorful chicken (and are much more forgiving when overcooked!). If using chicken breasts, gently pound the chicken to 1/2-inch thickness for even cooking without drying out.

Can I use half-and-half for the heavy cream?

Heavy cream is the gold standard due to its high fat content, yielding that luxurious, rich, and velvety texture. Half-and-half can certainly be used but may result in a thin sauce.

Why is my sauce too thin?

Heavy cream will thicken as it simmers. If the sauce is too thin, let it simmer for longer until the desired consistency is reached. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of chicken stock.

What can I serve this with?

This can be served with anything that can soak up the sauce – pasta, mashed potatoes, rice, and crusty bread are all solid options.

How can I store leftovers?

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, reheating in the oven in a baking dish with a splash of stock or water (covered in foil) at 325°F until warmed through, about 15-20 minutes.