Marry Me Chicken Recipe

I love cooking this creamy Marry Me Chicken when I want a date-night dinner that only dirties one pan. I simply sear chicken breasts and serve them in a sun-dried tomato and Parmigiano cream sauce with a hint of Calabrian pepper. In just one hour, I can have a rich, slightly spicy, and ridiculously good dinner on the table.

Marry Me Chicken

Marry me chicken is a skillet dish of seared chicken breasts finished in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce. It got its name from the idea that it is good enough to prompt a proposal. It was created by one of the managing editors at Delish, and it has been a viral weeknight dinner ever since.

While this is a marry me chicken, I used a few classical techniques to get more flavor out of the sauce. I browned the shallots for umami and married them with Calabrian peppers for a little heat. I deglazed the pan with dry white wine for acidity and body and cooked the tomato paste down to a rust color, the step chefs call pinçage. Then, I let the stock and cream reduce on their own before the Parmigiano ever goes in.

I wasn’t sure if my daughter would go for it since there is a lot going on in that sauce, but guess what? She loved it spooned over a pile of plain pasta. Absolutely delish! Check out my serving suggestions below for more ways to enjoy this delicious recipe. It’s a one-pan weeknight dinner that is still nice enough to serve to company, so give it a shot. Sound good? Let’s cook!

Ingredients and Substitutions

This is a one-pan chicken dinner, so every ingredient in the sauce is doing real work. Here is the list, along with some substitutions I recommend:

• Chicken – This is obviously the main protein in the recipe. I personally like to use boneless skinless chicken breasts for ease of cooking and eating. A bone-in split breast or thighs work too. Keep them on the stovetop at a lower temperature so the outside does not scorch before the inside is done.
• All-purpose flour coats the chicken, giving it a delicate crust that browns as it sears. Bread flour works fine if that is what is open.
• Olive oil – This is the searing fat. It takes the higher heat the chicken needs to get color without the butter scorching.
• Butter, unsalted, always, so I control the salt instead of a butter company. It caramelizes the shallots and finishes the sauce with extra fat, more flavor, and a glossy sheen.
• Browned shallot brings excellent umami and a little texture to the sauce. A small yellow onion works if that is all you have.
• Garlic – Nothing like delicious garlicky umami flavors to add to the dish. If you like garlic, feel free to add a few more. If you think it’s just OK, maybe scale back a few cloves. Totally up to you.
• Calabrian peppers – These are my spice of choice and give the sauce just the right amount of heat. Crushed red pepper flakes are the classic swap and do the same job.
• Dry white wine – A Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or Pinot Grigio deglazes the pan and adds body, a little fruit, and acidity to the sauce.
• Tomato paste – This thickens the sauce and adds sweetness, umami, and a punch of red color once it is cooked down.
• Chicken stock adds body and richness as it reduces. Vegetable stock or even water will work, but you lose some of that backbone.
• Heavy cream – Whipping cream is what makes this dish what it is, all the creaminess and richness in one pour.
• Sun-dried tomatoes – I use dry-packed over the oil-packed kind in a jar. They have a brighter tomato flavor and a nice chew.
• Parmigiano Reggiano – One of my favorite cheeses, and being Italian, I am biased. It adds umami and natural saltiness. It also helps thicken the sauce to nappe, meaning it coats the back of a spoon.
• Thyme – Some earthy, light herb flavor, and I use the tender stems and all. Dried thyme works as a substitute, just scale it down since it is more concentrated.
• Lemon – This isn’t in the original recipe, but to me all that fat needs to be cut with some acid. This brightens up the sauce and the chicken so much, and it’s such an easy technique to incorporate. Definitely do this.
• Basil – Nothing complements tomatoes like fresh basil. It adds a punch of green and sweet, peppery notes at the finish.
• Salt and pepper – Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly ground peppercorns. I stay in control of the seasoning from start to finish.

How to Make Marry Me Chicken

Pound and season the chicken: Pound the breasts to an even thickness with the flat side of a mallet between parchment paper so they cook evenly. Pat them dry with paper towels, season both sides with salt and pepper, and set aside.

Dredge and rest: Mix the flour with salt and pepper in a cake tin or wide shallow bowl. Dredge the chicken on both sides and knock off as much excess as you can. Set it on a rack over a sheet tray for 5 to 7 minutes to let the coating set.

Sear the chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large stainless steel pan over medium-high until it just barely smokes. Then, add the chicken and cook untouched for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip it, drop the heat to medium, and cook another 6 to 7 minutes. That undisturbed first side is where the crust and the browned fond in the pan come from. That fond is the foundation of the whole sauce, so do not move the chicken early.

Caramelize the shallots and peppers: Set the chicken aside. Add a tablespoon of butter and the shallots to the pan and saute for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned. Then, stir in the Calabrian peppers and cook for 1 minute.

Deglaze and cook the tomato paste: Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 to 45 seconds. Deglaze with the wine and cook until only a tablespoon or two remains. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes. Cooking the paste until it turns rust-colored is a step called pinçage, which deepens the sweetness and umami, making the sauce taste concentrated rather than raw.

Reduce the sauce: Once the paste is rust-colored, add the chicken stock and cream and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in three-quarters of the sun-dried tomatoes and the Parmigiano over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Finish the sauce: Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the remaining butter, the thyme, and the lemon juice until glossy and combined.

Return the chicken: Nestle the chicken back into the sauce along with the rest of the sun-dried tomatoes and cook over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes to heat the chicken through.

Garnish and serve: Finish with the chopped fresh basil and serve warm.

Serving Suggestions

The beauty of this marry me chicken dish is that it can be served with a variety of sides. Roasted broccoli and crispy roasted potatoes are my wife’s and daughter’s favorites, but I love serving it with plain homemade pasta. The creamy sauce coating the pasta is absolutely fantastic!

This is also great with garlic green beans and a few slices of homemade garlic bread to soak up the sauce. I have to say that the leftovers are even better the next day. Yes! The sauce thickens up amazingly, and I fold it into whatever pasta I have in the fridge for a quick lunch.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: I do not make this one too far ahead because the cream keeps thickening as it sits. 20 minutes max held over very low heat is as far as I take it.

How to Store: Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

How to Reheat: Add the amount you want to a saute pan with a splash of chicken stock or water. Cover and warm it over low heat to loosen the sauce and heat the chicken through.

How to Freeze: Freeze, covered, for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then reheat using the same method you would for refrigerated leftovers.

More Chicken Recipes

• Classic Italian Chicken Piccata
• Easy Chicken Parmigiana
• Classic Chicken Francese
• Chicken Alfredo
• Cowboy Chicken