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Marry Me Chicken has quickly become a family favorite and a go-to for special occasions, featuring seasoned, breaded chicken cutlets nestled in creamy parmesan and sundried tomato sauce. This skillet dinner not only ranks high among popular recipes for its quick and easy preparation, but it’s also a delicious and easy chicken recipe to enjoy with loved ones.
If you love saucy chicken, check out my copycat Chicken Bryan for another Tuscan-inspired recipe. Also, try my creamy Chicken Dijon and classic Chicken Paillard!
If you’re craving something cozy yet exciting, this Marry Me Chicken recipe is just what you need! The sun-dried tomatoes add a tangy, zesty punch to the tender chicken, while the heavy cream and parmesan bring that rich, Tuscan-style comfort. Think chicken Milanese, but instead of stopping there, it gets smothered in a creamy, dreamy sauce that’s packed with flavor. It’s a soul-warming dish that’ll have everyone asking for seconds!
As you can probably imagine, this dish hits all the right notes for me. I’m all about chicken skillet meals, and who doesn’t love a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce? This creamy, dreamy dinner has all of that and more. Plus, it’s super easy to make, even on a busy weeknight.
What Is Marry Me Chicken?
The joke is that this recipe is so good that whoever you serve it to might just fall in love! That’s right; this recipe is so good it could even spark a marriage proposal, in theory. I mean, stranger things have happened! Whatever the case, this is one amazing chicken recipe – with or without a wedding.
What You’ll Need
This is a perfect weeknight recipe that takes classic stovetop chicken breasts and turns them into a mouthwatering, Italian-style dinner made with simple ingredients in around 30 minutes.
- Chicken: This recipe uses skinless, boneless chicken breast cutlets.
- Salt and Black Pepper: To taste.
- All-Purpose Flour: Coconut flour works great, too. I use it all the time in place of all-purpose flour.
- Spices: Sweet paprika and onion powder give the chicken a wonderful earthy sweetness.
- Herbs: Dried thyme and basil give a punch of herbal freshness. You could also use Italian seasoning.
- Butter and Olive Oil: For sauteing. Canola oil and avocado oil also work great.
- Garlic: Press or mince four cloves of fresh garlic or use about 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or to taste.
- Broth: Low-sodium chicken stock is my favorite, but you could also use vegetable broth or even dry white wine.
- Cream: Heavy cream thickens the sauce mixture.
- Parmesan: Freshly grated parmesan cheese adds the perfect finishing touch to this flavorful marry me chicken recipe.
- Crushed Red Pepper: For a tiny hint of spice, a teaspoon or so of crushed red pepper flakes is just the thing. You can omit this, if you prefer.
- Sun-dried Tomatoes: I chop up sun-dried tomatoes in oil to give the dish its pretty color and warm, sunny flavor. I LOVE sun-dried tomatoes in recipes like my sun-dried tomato pasta and sun-dried tomato chicken, too.
- Chopped Fresh Basil: For garnish.
How To Make Marry Me Chicken
This easy recipe is so flavorful, and it only takes a few minutes to pull together! Put this one on your weekly menu rotation – it’s that good, and that fast.
- Bread the chicken cutlets. Season the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper. Next, mix the flour, paprika, onion powder, thyme, and basil together in a shallow dish and dredge the cutlets in the seasoned flour. similar to chicken parmesan.
- Saute. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces in a single layer and cook for about 5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Place the cooked chicken on a plate and cover.
- Make the sauce. Wipe down the skillet. Add some oil to it and stir in the garlic. Then, pour the chicken broth into the skillet. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the cream, parmesan, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the sauce for a couple of minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and chicken. Last, add the sundried tomatoes to the skillet and let them cook for a little before adding the chicken cutlets. Simmer until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is heated through.
- Enjoy! Remove from the heat, garnish the chicken with basil, and serve warm.
Recipe Tips
- Heavy Cream: I really recommend heavy cream here! Half and half would work, but don’t go lighter on the dairy than that. You want plenty of richness to make the sauce thick and flavorful.
- Parmesan: The best parmesan is usually freshly grated, so if you have time, grab a block or wedge at the store and grate it right before you add it to the dish.
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be substituted for the cutlets, but in that case, you will need to cook them for slightly longer. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness – chicken is cooked through when its internal temperature registers at 165˚F.
- Veggies: For an extra boost of nutrition, feel free to stir in a half-cup or so of frozen peas, fresh green beans, mushrooms, spinach, or whatever veggies you like!
Serving Suggestions
It probably goes without saying, but one of my favorite ways to serve this marry me chicken recipe is with a hearty pasta side. Olive pesto pasta is a great option, and so is this easy one pot Caprese pasta or simple angel hair pasta. Any store-bought or homemade breadsticks or fluffy dinner rolls are great for sopping up the creamy sauce.
For a hearty dinner in the colder months, I love this saucy marry me chicken served over buttermilk mashed potatoes or white rice (this cauliflower rice with mushrooms is a nice low-carb option, too). For dessert, you’ll find me sipping on a steamy mug of dark hot chocolate.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- To store, place leftover Marry Me Chicken in an airtight container or food storage bag. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing this because the cream sauce is likely to separate after freezing and thawing, spoiling the texture and taste.
- To reheat, place in a covered skillet over low heat and cook until the chicken is fully heated through. Do not overcook, or the chicken will become dry. If the dish seems dry, you can add a splash of water, milk, or broth.
More Easy Chicken Dinner Ideas
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Marry Me Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 chicken breast cutlets
- salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour, coconut flour works great, too
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
- chopped fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Season the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper.
- In a shallow mixing bowl, combine flour, sweet paprika, onion powder, dried thyme, and basil. Dredge the chicken cutlets in the flour mixture and shake off any excess.
- Melt butter and heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the chicken cutlets to the hot skillet and cook for about 5 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through.
- Remove chicken from the skillet and transfer to a plate; keep covered.
- Return the skillet to the burner, add a tablespoon of olive oil, and stir in the garlic; cook for 15 seconds or until fragrant.
- Stir in the chicken broth and, using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Cook for a minute.
- Stir in the heavy cream, grated parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Decrease heat to medium-low and let sauce simmer for 2 minutes.
- Add in the sundried tomatoes and cook for 30 seconds.
- Return chicken cutlets to the skillet and let simmer for about 2 minutes, or until sauce is thickened and chicken is heated through.
- Remove from heat.
- Garnish with basil and serve.
Notes
- Heavy Cream: Stick with heavy whipping cream for a thick, flavorful sauce. Half and half is okay, but avoid lighter options.
- Parmesan: Freshly grated is best for optimal flavor.
- Chicken: Thighs can replace cutlets, but they need a bit more cooking time.
- Veggies: Boost nutrition by adding half a cup of peas, green beans, mushrooms, or spinach.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
This is one of my wife’s and I favorite dishes. Thanks, Katarina, for this treasure.
Thank you so much! I’m thrilled it’s a favorite for you and your wife. I am so happy to hear that! 😊
Excellent!
This is my family’s favorite dish! Sometimes I don’t have leftovers and if I do it’s mine! Delicious!!
I love this dish and so does my family!
That’s wonderful to hear! It’s always great when a dish is a hit with the whole family! Thank YOU! 🙂
Are there any options to substitute for sun-dried tomatoes? I don’t have any on hand.