Marry Me Chicken
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
Fall in love with Marry Me Chicken, a dish of tender sautéed chicken in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce.
Marry Me Chicken is a dish of tender sautéed chicken in a rich and creamy sun-dried tomato sauce. The recipe gained popularity after going viral on TikTok, where it was touted as so delicious, it will win the heart of anyone you cook it for. Using ready-to-cook thinly sliced chicken breasts, my version of Marry Me Chicken is quick and easy to make in just 30 minutes, making it perfect for a weeknight dinner or special occasion. While I can’t guarantee it’ll make someone profess their undying love to you, the balance of flavors in the dish does make it hard to resist!
Serve the saucy chicken with pasta, rice, garlic bread, or roasted potatoes and roasted broccoli. If you’d like to add some extra greens, simply toss a few handfuls of baby spinach into the sauce before adding the chicken back to the pan.
Table of Contents
“Everything about this is perfect. It’s quick, easy, and beyond delicious!”
What You’ll Need To Make Marry Me Chicken
- All-Purpose Flour: Used for coating the chicken, giving it a light crust that helps thicken the sauce.
- Thin-Sliced Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: Chosen for their quick cooking time and tender texture.
- Onion and Garlic: These aromatics form the flavor base for the sauce.
- Heavy Cream: Creates a rich, creamy sauce that envelops the chicken.
- Chicken Broth: Adds savory depth, complementing the creaminess of the sauce.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Provide a tangy, concentrated tomato flavor that brightens the dish.
- Tomato Paste: Intensifies the tomato flavor, giving the sauce a robust and rich dimension.
- Oregano and Red Pepper Flakes: Add a touch of earthy flavor and a slight kick.
- Grated Parmigiano Reggiano: Adds a salty, nutty element. For the best flavor, stick with authentic Parmigiano Reggiano—it’s richer and more complex than domestic Parmesan cheese.
- Basil: Offers a burst of freshness and color.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Place the flour, ¾ teaspoon salt, and the black pepper in a ziplock bag and shake to combine.
Add the chicken to the bag; seal the bag tightly and shake to coat the chicken evenly. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place the flour-dusted chicken in the pan, shaking off any excess first.
Cook, flipping once, until the chicken is lightly golden brown and just cooked through, about 3 minutes total. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds more; do not brown.
Add the cream, broth, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, red pepper flakes, sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt; use a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits from the pan into the liquid.
Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and gently boil, uncovered, until the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano (or Pecorino Romano) and basil.
Add the chicken back to the pan, along with any juices that accumulated on the plate; reduce the heat to low and simmer until the chicken is warmed through and the sauce thickens a bit more, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with more fresh basil, if desired, and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but you’ll need to first cut them in half horizontally to form flat fillets, then pound them until they are between ⅛ and ¼-inch thick. (It’s important to cut them in half first; otherwise they’ll be enormous after pounding.)
Marry Me Chicken is best enjoyed fresh, but you can prepare it in advance if needed. Cook the chicken and sauce as directed, then cool and refrigerate. When ready to serve, gently reheat the chicken in the sauce over low heat, adding a little chicken broth if the sauce has thickened too much during storage.
While heavy cream yields the richest and most flavorful sauce in Marry Me Chicken, there are alternatives for those seeking lighter or dairy-free options. Half-and-half can be used to achieve a lighter version of the sauce. For a dairy-free alternative, full-fat coconut milk offers a creamy texture, though it will alter the flavor profile.
Video Tutorial
You May Also Like
Marry Me Chicken
Fall in love with Marry Me Chicken, a dish of tender sautéed chicken in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 thin-sliced chicken breasts (about 1¼ lbs; see note)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Place the flour, ¾ teaspoon salt, and the black pepper in a ziplock bag and shake to combine. Add the chicken to the bag; seal the bag tightly and shake to coat the chicken evenly. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place the flour-dusted chicken in the pan and cook, flipping once, until the chicken is lightly golden and just cooked through, about 3 minutes total. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds more; do not brown. Add the cream, broth, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, red pepper flakes, sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt; use a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits from the pan into the liquid. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and gently boil, uncovered, until the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano (or Pecorino Romano) and basil. Add the chicken back to the pan, along with any juices that accumulated on the plate; reduce the heat to low and simmer until the chicken is warmed through and the sauce thickens a bit more, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with more fresh basil, if desired, and serve.
- Note: I use pre-cut, ready-to-cook, thin-sliced chicken breasts for this recipe. If you'd like to use regular chicken breasts, you'll need to first cut them in half horizontally to form flat fillets, then pound them until they are between ⅛ and ¼-inch thick. (It's important to cut them in half first; otherwise they'll be enormous after pounding.)
Pair with
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 527
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated fat: 17 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Sugar: 6 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Sodium: 719 mg
- Cholesterol: 191 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Great recipe and results. Husband raved about it and typically doesn’t like chicken breast recipes. Even ate it cold from fridge. I’ve made MM chicken a couple times before using other recipes but first time using this one and it was delicious and first time husband raved. I think key is the precision of cooking instructions and refinements Jenn has made that make this the best. Wonder how “marry me cauliflower” would turn out….
Made this for our family tonight and it was outstanding. I have recently purchased and been cooking through your Weeknights cookbook (another 5 star recommendation) and this popped up on my Facebook. Bonus: after taking 10mins to prep the chicken earlier in the afternoon and chopping the onion and tomatoes, it came together super fast. Simply perfection like all your recipes I have tried!
I wanted to love this recipe, but the sauce split. Any tips for why?
Hi Jen, I’m sorry you had a problem with the sauce – did you use heavy cream? Did you make any adjustments to the recipe?
I have seen recipes for a version of this recipe done in a slow cooker. Could this recipe be done that way?
Hi Paula, this recipe is not a great option for a slow cooker – sorry!
Is there another ingredient one can use instead of sun-dried tomatoes? My husband can not tolerate them. Canned diced Plum tomatoes maybe? Thanks
Hi Kathy, you can use the canned tomatoes – just make sure you include the tomato paste too. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Hi Jenn, having my parents & partner’s parents over for dinner together for the first time on Saturday and want to make this! We’ll be 6 so I’m thinking of 1.5 or doubling the recipe, maybe best in two skillets? Don’t want to overcrowd the pan..
I usually prefer chicken thighs to breasts as they are more tender, would that work? Maybe I just need to have faith that chicken breasts CAN be tender haha
PS: Thank you for all your fantastic recipes. I’ve shifted over to more plant based cooking but whenever it’s a special occasion and I want something with meat or fish, I come straight to you!
Hi Emile, Yes, I’d make 1.5 times the recipe. I think you can get away with using one skillet if you brown the chicken 2 batches. and I wouldn’t recommend thighs here — I think the extra fat in them will make the sauce too greasy. Hope everyone enjoys!
Emilie, I’ve been cooking for 40 years. I too prefer dark meat, thighs are my favorite. I often make Chicken Marsala , Picatta , Cordon Bleu and always use breasts for these recipes. Always have extra sauce and filet and pound the breasts and you will love them. Just be careful not to overcook that’s why breasts get too dry. Good luck!
I have always wanted to make this and I finally did. Unfortunately, I bought thighs instead of breasts by mistake. I thought it would be ok since thighs are supposed to be more tender and tastier. It was just okay. Broth wasn’t too greasy as I had removed much of the fat, but the remaining fat that I didn’t remove, made it unpleasant and difficult to cut and eat the chicken. I was so disappointed but my own fault.
Finally made this and we loved it! Wonderful flavors and so easy! Will definitely be making again!
Want to make for dinner party
Can I make it in morning and reheat
Many thank you’s
Hi Barbara, It’s doable to make it ahead, but it’s best if served right after cooking. If making it ahead, I’d reheat it gently in a skillet. You may need to add a touch more broth when reheating if the sauce is too thick.
Perfection! A hit every time I make it!
Excellent recipe. My husband loved it. I especially loved the flavorful sauce.