Go Back

Marry Me Chicken

Marry Me Chicken is a creamy sun-dried tomato chicken dinner with golden seared chicken breasts and a glossy Parmesan cream sauce. The method sears, deglazes, then simmers until thick enough to spoon over every bite.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breasts and seasoning
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 0.5 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.5 tsp pepper to taste
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder to taste
  • 0.5 tsp Italian seasoning to taste
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika to taste
Creamy sun-dried tomato sauce
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil drained and sliced
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 fresh basil for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts generously on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
  3. Sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden, then confirm the internal temperature reaches 165°F; remove the chicken to a plate.
Make the sun-dried tomato cream sauce
  1. Cook the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes in the same pan for 1 minute.
  2. Pour in the chicken broth and deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the pan.
  3. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan, dried Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Finish and garnish
  1. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon the sauce over each breast, then simmer for 2 more minutes.
  2. Garnish with fresh basil and serve over pasta or mashed potatoes.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the sauce at a gentle simmer so it thickens without separating—if it gets too thick, loosen with a splash of chicken broth. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; freeze the sauce and chicken together for up to 2 months. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (the sauce will be slightly less thick but still creamy).