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This marry me chicken is the one I make when I want dinner to feel a little bit special without any real effort. Golden seared chicken simmers in a creamy Parmesan sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and Italian herbs, all in one skillet, and it is ready in about 35 minutes.
In short, marry me chicken is seared chicken breast simmered in a sauce of chicken broth, heavy cream, Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and Italian seasoning in one skillet. It takes 35 minutes, including 10 minutes of prep, serves 4 and works out at about 530 calories per serving.
The first time I cooked it, I was sceptical of the name. Then my partner wiped the pan clean with a heel of bread and asked, quite seriously, if we could have it every Friday. I now cut the breasts into chunks before searing, as you can see in the photos, because they brown faster and every piece gets coated in that blush pink sauce.
Quick Breakdown
Why You’ll Love This Marry Me Chicken
- One pan, 35 minutes. Sear, build the sauce and simmer in the same skillet.
- A restaurant style sauce. Cream, Parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes taste far fancier than the effort involved.
- Juicy chicken. A quick sear for colour, then a gentle simmer in the sauce keeps it tender.
- Eleven everyday ingredients. Most of them are probably in your cupboard already.
- Endlessly flexible. In fact, it is just as good over rice, pasta, mash or with crusty bread.
Where Does the Name Come From?
As the story goes, marry me chicken is so irresistible that whoever eats it will propose to the cook. There is no single proven origin; it spread through food magazines and then social media, and the name stuck because it captures exactly how people feel about it. It is rich, savoury, a little sweet from the tomatoes and properly comforting.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken breasts. 1 1/2 lbs (680 g), boneless and skinless. I cut them into large bite-size chunks; whole breasts work too if you prefer.
- Salt and pepper. One teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of black pepper to season the chicken before searing.
- Olive oil. One tablespoon, for searing.
- Garlic. Two cloves, minced. It only needs a minute in the pan.
- Sun-dried tomatoes. A third of a cup (85 g), chopped. Oil packed ones are softer and more flavourful.
- Chicken broth. One cup (240 ml), for deglazing and for body.
- Heavy cream. One cup (240 ml). Full fat cream resists splitting at a simmer, and Harvard Health explains that the full fat versus low fat dairy debate is more nuanced than it used to be.
- Parmesan. Half a cup (50 g), freshly grated. Real Parmigiano melts smoothly; Cleveland Clinic covers what makes Parmesan so nutritious.
- Italian seasoning and basil. One teaspoon of Italian seasoning in the sauce, and a quarter cup (10 g) of fresh basil to finish.
How to Make Marry Me Chicken Sauce Thick and Silky
The sauce is built in the same pan the chicken browned in, so it starts with all those caramelised bits. Broth lifts them off the bottom, then cream and Parmesan go in and simmer gently with the chicken. Over 10 to 15 minutes, the liquid reduces and the cheese thickens it naturally, so you do not need any flour or cornstarch.
If yours is too thin, simply simmer it uncovered for a few more minutes. If it gets too thick, loosen it with a splash of broth. The goal is a sauce that coats the back of a spoon and clings to every piece of chicken.
| Cut | Sear | Simmer in sauce |
|---|---|---|
| Bite-size chunks | 4 to 5 minutes, turning | About 10 minutes |
| Thin cutlets | 3 to 4 minutes per side | 8 to 10 minutes |
| Whole breasts | 4 to 5 minutes per side | 12 to 15 minutes |
How To Make Marry Me Chicken
1. Season the chicken. First, cut the chicken into chunks if you like, then season with the salt and pepper.
2. Heat the oil. Next, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until it shimmers.
3. Sear. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until golden brown. It does not need to be cooked through yet.
4. Set aside. Then transfer the chicken to a plate.
5. Garlic and tomatoes. After that, add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes to the skillet and cook for 1 minute.
6. Deglaze. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
7. Make it creamy. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan and Italian seasoning.
8. Return the chicken. Now tip the chicken and any juices back into the skillet.
9. Simmer. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) inside and the sauce has thickened.
10. Add basil. Sprinkle with the fresh basil.
11. Serve. Finally, serve straight away, spooning plenty of sauce over each portion.
Chunks are tricky to judge by eye in all that sauce, so I check the thickest piece with an instant read thermometer before the basil goes on.
Why Did My Cream Sauce Split?
A Parmesan cream sauce usually splits because it boiled hard after the cream went in, or because it was made with pre-grated Parmesan or lower fat dairy. Keep it at a gentle simmer, grate the Parmesan fresh and use heavy cream. The common problems:
- It boiled hard. Cream sauces like a gentle simmer. Keep the bubbles small once the cream goes in.
- Pre-grated Parmesan. The anti-caking powder can make the sauce grainy. Grate it fresh.
- Light cream or milk. Lower fat dairy splits much more easily. Stick with heavy cream.
- The chicken is pale. The pan was not hot enough, or it was crowded. Sear in two batches if needed.
- The chicken is dry. It simmered too long. Chunks cook quickly, so check them at 10 minutes.
Tips for the Best Marry Me Chicken
- Pat the chicken dry before seasoning. Dry meat browns; wet meat steams.
- Do not move the chicken for the first couple of minutes, so it forms a golden crust.
- Use a wooden spoon to deglaze. Those browned bits are the backbone of the sauce.
- Splash in a spoonful of the sun-dried tomato oil for extra flavour.
- Rest it for 5 minutes off the heat. The sauce thickens a little more as it stands.
Storage and Reheating
- Fridge. Store leftover marry me chicken in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Reheating. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of broth if the sauce has thickened too much.
- Freezing. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Make ahead. It keeps beautifully, so I often make it the night before a busy day.
Variations and Substitutions
- Chicken thighs. Boneless, skinless thighs work well and stay very tender.
- Add vegetables. Spinach or mushrooms work particularly well. Stir spinach in at the end until wilted; brown mushrooms before the garlic.
- Make it pasta night. Toss the finished sauce with penne or tagliatelle and a splash of pasta water.
- Bring the heat. Add a pinch of chilli flakes with the garlic.
- Hands off version. My crockpot marry me chicken makes the same creamy dish in the slow cooker while you are out.
- Lighter chicken dinners. For a fresh change, try my zesty baked lemon chicken, or the quick air fryer chicken breast.
What to Serve With Marry Me Chicken
Fluffy white rice is my favourite, exactly as in the photos, because it drinks up the sauce. Pasta, mashed potatoes and crusty bread are all brilliant too.
For a cosy Sunday version, serve it alongside creamy scalloped potatoes and roasted green beans. A crisp salad with a lemony dressing balances the richness on lighter nights.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ingredients and Method
Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?
Yes. Use the same 1 1/2 lbs (680 g) of boneless, skinless thighs, which stay very tender, and simmer until the thickest piece reaches 165°F (74°C).
What vegetables can I add to marry me chicken?
Spinach and mushrooms work particularly well. Stir spinach in at the end until it wilts, and brown the mushrooms in the pan before the garlic goes in.
Can I use half and half instead of heavy cream in a Parmesan cream sauce?
Yes, but keep the heat very low, because half and half splits more easily than heavy cream, and expect a thinner sauce.
What is marry me chicken sauce made of?
One cup (240 ml) each of chicken broth and heavy cream, half a cup (50 g) of Parmesan, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and Italian seasoning, built on the browned bits left from searing the chicken. The cheese thickens it, so no flour is needed.
Serving and Storage
What should I serve with marry me chicken?
Fluffy white rice, because it soaks up the sauce. Pasta, mashed potatoes, crusty bread, roasted green beans or a crisp lemony salad all pair well too.
Can I make marry me chicken ahead of time?
Yes, the night before. Refrigerate it within 2 hours in an airtight container, where it keeps for up to 4 days, then reheat gently over low heat with a splash of broth.
Can I freeze marry me chicken?
Yes, for up to 2 months in an airtight container. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat slowly over low heat so the cream sauce stays smooth.
How do you know when the chicken in a cream sauce skillet is cooked through?
When the thickest piece reads 165°F (74°C) on an instant read thermometer, after 10 to 15 minutes of covered simmering. Bite-size chunks are usually ready in about 10 minutes.
Is marry me chicken gluten free?
It can be. The sauce is thickened with Parmesan rather than flour and the other ingredients are naturally gluten free, but check that your chicken broth is labelled gluten free, and serve it with rice or mash rather than regular pasta or bread.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (680g), cut into chunks if you like
- 1 tsp salt (5g)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper (2g)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (15g)
- 2 cloves garlic minced (10g)
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped (85g)
- 1 cup chicken broth (240ml)
- 1 cup heavy cream (240ml)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (50g)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning (3g)
- 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped (10g)
Instructions
- Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. I cut it into bite-size chunks first.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sear the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes to the skillet and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning.
- Return the chicken to the skillet.
- Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Sprinkle with the fresh basil.
- Serve immediately.
