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Marry Me Chicken

Marry Me Chicken is a golden-seared chicken dinner simmered in a rich sun-dried tomato cream sauce with Parmesan and red pepper flakes. Sear the breasts in a cast iron skillet, simmer to thicken, then spoon the glossy sauce over top and finish with fresh basil.
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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: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 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
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Sun-dried tomato cream sauce
  • 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, then sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F; remove to a plate.
Make the sun-dried tomato cream sauce
  1. In the same pan, cook the minced garlic and sliced sun-dried tomatoes for 1 minute.
  2. Pour in the chicken broth and deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits.
  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 serve
  1. Return the chicken to the pan, spoon sauce over each breast, and simmer for 2 more minutes.
  2. Garnish with fresh basil and serve over pasta or mashed potatoes.

Notes

Pro tip: make sure the skillet is hot before searing so you get a deep golden crust; the sauce thickens best during the 4-5 minute simmer. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days; freeze yes (up to 2 months) though the sauce may thicken further when reheated. For a dairy-light swap, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (the sauce will be slightly less rich but still creamy).