Description
Marry Me Chicken: Tender chicken cooked in a creamy tomato sauce with garlic, herbs, and parmesan cheese. Comforting, quick, and irresistible!
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 5 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ⅔ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
- Fresh basil for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare the Chicken Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels—this ensures proper browning. If the breasts are very thick, butterfly them or pound to an even ½-inch thickness for even cooking. Season both sides with ¾ teaspoon salt and the black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Step 2: Sear the Chicken Place the seasoned chicken breasts in the hot skillet without overcrowding (work in batches if needed). Sear undisturbed for 5-6 minutes until golden brown, then flip and cook for another 5 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent loosely with foil. Don’t clean the skillet—those browned bits will flavor your sauce!
- Step 3: Create the Sauce Base Reduce heat to medium and add butter to the same skillet. Once melted, add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant (be careful not to burn it). Sprinkle in Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and remaining salt, stirring to combine. Pour in chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all those flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Step 4: Build the Creamy Sauce Pour in the heavy cream, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer (never a boil) and let it reduce slightly for 3-4 minutes. Gradually add the grated Parmesan, stirring constantly until the cheese melts smoothly into the sauce. Fold in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and let the sauce continue to simmer for 2 minutes until it reaches a silky consistency.
- Step 5: Finish the Dish Return the chicken breasts to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce. Spoon some sauce over each piece and allow everything to simmer together for 2-3 minutes until the chicken is warmed through and has reached 165°F. This final step allows the chicken to absorb some of that incredible sauce flavor. Garnish your Marry Me Chicken with fresh basil leaves if desired, and serve immediately while hot.
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Calories: 490
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 790mg
- Fat: 36g
- Saturated Fat: 17g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 33g
- Cholesterol: 145mg