Marry Me Chicken Recipe
The perfect cross between creamy, spicy and sweet, Marry Me Chicken has won countless fans across the world for its easy preparation and balanced flavors.
According to food Blogger Ksenia Prints of At the Immigrant's Table, Marry Me Chicken gets its name from the old wives' tale that anyone who makes this dish to their significant other will shortly get a marriage proposal. Though we could not scientifically test this proposition, the flavor of this chicken dish does leave us suspecting that any red-blooded individual would greatly appreciate the chef behind the dish. Quickly pan-fried chicken breasts are cooked in a creamy sauce that combines sweet, plump sun-dried tomatoes, tangy Parmesan cheese, heat-laden chili flakes, and full-bodied cooking cream. The whole affair is finished in the oven, resulting in a thin, cheesy crust. The result is cheesy, spicy, and absolutely crave-worthy.
Whether you make this Marry Me Chicken for your significant other, family, or friends, we are confident that you will be reaping the compliments — and maybe even a marriage proposal!
Gather the ingredients for Marry Me Chicken
To make this legendary dish, you will need boneless and skinless chicken breasts, heavy cream (or half and half), Parmesan cheese, garlic cloves, sun-dried tomatoes, salt, pepper, dried oregano, and chili flakes.
Pan fry the chicken
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Pat the chicken dry, and season both sides with salt and pepper.
Preheat a non-stick, oven-safe pan to medium-high heat. You can use a non-stick pan, an enameled pan or a regular pan, but just make sure it has no plastic parts. Add the oil, and sauté the chicken breasts until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Keep in mind that the chicken doesn't need to be fully cooked at this point — it will cook more in the oven.
Make the creamy sauce
It's time to make the delicious, creamy sauce that goes along with this chicken. Reduce the heat to medium heat, and to the same pan where you cooked the chicken, add garlic. Sauté for just a minute, until fragrant. Add the cream, Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, and chili flakes.
Finish the dish in the oven
Return the seared chicken breasts to the pan. Transfer the pan to a preheated oven and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken's internal temperature is 165 F.
Serve up this proposal-worthy dish
Slice the chicken breasts into 1-inch slices. Serve the chicken immediately, with leftover sauce spooned on top. It goes very well with pasta, home fries or simple wedge potatoes.
Leftover chicken will keep for four days if stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It can be reheated in the microwave.
- 2 pounds chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes, or to taste
- Preheat the oven to 375 F.
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Preheat a non-stick, oven-safe pan to medium-high heat. Add oil, and sauté the chicken breasts until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic. Sauté for 1 minute. Add the cream, Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, and chili flakes.
- Return the chicken breasts to the pan. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken's internal temperature is 165 F.
- Serve right away, with sauce spooned on top of the chicken.
| Calories per Serving | 572 |
| Total Fat | 33.0 g |
| Saturated Fat | 18.1 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 259.7 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 6.9 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.1 g |
| Total Sugars | 4.4 g |
| Sodium | 730.2 mg |
| Protein | 60.0 g |
