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Marry Me Chicken

Marry Me Chicken is a creamy sun-dried tomato cream sauce chicken dinner with golden-seared breasts in a glossy, Parmesan-thickened skillet sauce. Sear, simmer until rich, then spoon the thick sauce over the chicken for a restaurant-style result.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and seasoning
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts Pat dry before seasoning for best browning.
  • salt
  • pepper
  • garlic powder
  • Italian seasoning
  • smoked paprika
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
  • fresh basil for garnish Use for a fresh top note right before serving.

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. Make sure the coating is even so the chicken browns well.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 5–6 minutes per side until golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F, then remove the chicken to a plate.
Build the sun-dried tomato cream sauce
  1. Cook the minced garlic and sliced sun-dried tomatoes in the same pan for 1 minute. Stir to coat the aromatics in the browned bits.
  2. Pour in the chicken broth and deglaze, scraping up the browned fond from the pan. Cook until the liquid looks slightly reduced.
  3. Stir in the heavy cream, grated Parmesan, dried Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 4–5 minutes until the sauce thickens to a spoon-coating consistency with visible bubbling.
Simmer with chicken and finish
  1. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon the sauce over each breast. Simmer for 2 minutes so the chicken heats through and absorbs some of the sauce.
  2. Garnish with fresh basil and serve immediately over pasta or mashed potatoes. The sauce should look glossy and pooled around the chicken.

Notes

For the thickest sauce, use finely grated Parmesan and simmer until it visibly coats the back of a spoon before returning the chicken. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently to avoid breaking the cream. Freezing is not recommended due to potential texture changes in the cream. For a lighter option, swap heavy cream for half-and-half and simmer a minute or two longer to help it thicken.