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Easy Marry Me Chicken Recipe with Creamy Keto Option

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Here is an easy recipe for Marry Me Chicken. This dish gets its name from its ability to win over even the pickiest eaters with its delicious and hearty flavors. The combination of tender chicken, creamy sauce, and savory spices is simply irresistible.

Whether you’re cooking for a special occasion or just looking for a new go-to chicken dinner recipe, this Marry Me Chicken is sure to become a favorite in your household. It’s so good, you’ll want to marry it!

Marry Me chicken sliced on top of pasta on a plate.

Why People Love Marry Me Chicken

There are a few reasons why people love Marry Me Chicken:

  • It’s delicious: The combination of tender chicken, creamy sauce, and flavorful spices creates a dish that is hard to resist.
  • It’s easy to make: This is a relatively simple recipe that doesn’t require any complex techniques or hard-to-find ingredients. I can even be doable on busy weeknights.
  • It’s versatile: This easy chicken recipe can be served over pasta, rice, or potatoes, making it a great option for a variety of different meals.
  • It’s a crowd-pleaser: Marry Me Chicken is a dish that appeals to a wide range of people, making it a great option for feeding a group of people.
  • It’s a comfort food: The creamy sauce and hearty flavors of this chicken dinner make it a comforting and satisfying meal.

What is Marry Me Chicken?

Marry Me Chicken or Marry Me Pasta is a yummy marriage proposal on a plate. It’s a creamy chicken dish made with simple ingredients. You get juicy chicken breasts in a delicious sauce, full of great tastes. It’s so good, it can make anyone fall in love with its flavors. Serve it with pasta, rice, or potatoes. Perfect for winning hearts!

The dish is believed to have originated in the United States, although it has gained popularity in other parts of the world as well. It’s recently become a bit of a TikTok sensation, giving it new life amongst the younger crowd. Keep this recipe in mind for your next date night, or any time you want to serve a rich and creamy chicken dinner.

Chicken and spices and oils in bowls.

Marry Me Chicken Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this chicken dinner recipe. The measurements are in the recipe card below.

  • Avocado oil
  • Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Basil
  • Dried thyme
  • Crushed red pepper
  • Garlic, minced
  • Chicken broth
  • Heavy cream
  • Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
  • Parmesan cheese, grated

How to Make Marry Me Chicken

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat and add oil.

In a small bowl, mix together salt, pepper, basil, thyme, and crushed red pepper. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with this mixture.

Place the seasoned chicken cutlets in the hot skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set it aside.

Add minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.

Pour in chicken stock to deglaze the pan, using a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Pour in the heavy cream and stir to incorporate.

Stir in the Parmesan cheese and add the chopped sundried tomatoes, stirring to combine. Allow the sauce to come to a low simmer.

Place the chicken breasts back in the skillet and spoon some sauce over them.

Chicken breasts in a skillet with marry me chicken cream sauce.

Place the skillet in the preheated oven and cook for 15-18 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Marry me chicken in a skillet with sauce.

Serve the chicken and sauce warm over pasta, or with a side of rice or mashed potatoes. Enjoy! It should be love at first bite!

Marry me chicken in a skillet with pasta in the background.

What to serve with Marry Me Chicken

Here are some ideas for sides to serve with Marry Me Chicken:

  • Pasta: Marry Me Chicken is often served over pasta, such as spaghetti, linguine, or penne.
  • Rice: White rice, brown rice, or wild rice are all great options for serving this creamy chicken dinner.
  • Potatoes: Roasted, mashed, or fried potatoes would all be tasty options.
  • Vegetables: Roasted or steamed vegetables, such as broccoli, asparagus, or green beans, would be a healthy and flavorful side dish. Consider unicorn stuffed mushrooms for the kiddos!
  • Salad: A simple dinner salad or a more fancy salad, like a Caesar salad or a mixed greens salad with toppings, would be a refreshing way to start the meal.
  • Bread: Garlic bread, rolls, cheesy garlic pull apart bread, or a loaf of crusty bread would be perfect for soaking up the delicious sauce from the chicken.
Skillet with a wooden spoon lifting out a piece of Marry Me Chicken.

Substitutions and Variations

Here are some substitutions and variations for the ingredients in Marry Me Chicken:

  • Avocado oil: You can use any cooking oil that you prefer, like olive oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil.
  • Chicken breasts: You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts if you prefer.
  • Salt, pepper, basil, thyme, and crushed red pepper: You can adjust the amounts of these spices to your liking, or you can use a different combination of spices such as oregano, paprika, or Italian seasoning. Use some fresh basil as a topping if you want, too.
  • Garlic: You can use fresh or jarred minced garlic, or you can omit it if you don’t like garlic.
  • Chicken broth: You can use vegetable broth or beef broth instead of chicken broth if you prefer.
  • Heavy cream: You can use half-and-half or whole milk instead of heavy cream if you prefer a lighter sauce. You can also use a lower-fat dairy product such as 2% milk or non-dairy milk, but the sauce may not be as creamy.
  • Sun-dried tomatoes: You can leave out the sun-dried tomatoes if you don’t have any on hand, or you can use diced fresh tomatoes instead. You can also top with some red pepper flakes if you’d like.
  • Parmesan cheese: You can use any type of hard, grated cheese such as Asiago, Pecorino Romano, or Gouda. You can also skip the cheese if you prefer.
Marry me chicken over pasta on a plate.

To make Marry Me Chicken low-carb and keto-friendly, you can try the following modifications:

  • Use a low-carb pasta: Instead of serving the chicken over traditional pasta, you can use a low-carb pasta alternative such as spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles, or shirataki noodles.
  • Use a low-carb flour: If you want to thicken the sauce with fewer carbs, you can use a low-carb flour such as almond flour or coconut flour instead of regular all-purpose flour.
  • Serve with low-carb sides: Instead of serving the chicken with pasta, rice, or potatoes, you can serve it with low-carb sides such as roasted vegetables, cauliflower rice, or a salad.
A plate of marry me chicken on top of pasta with the skillet in the background.

Kitchen Tools Needed

  • Large skillet or sauté pan: You will need a large skillet or sauté pan to cook the chicken and create the sauce. I like to use a cast iron skillet.
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Cutting board
  • Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
  • Optional: If you want to garnish the chicken with additional Parmesan cheese or chopped fresh herbs, you will need a grater and a cutting board and knife for those ingredients.

How to Store Leftovers

Transfer any leftover chicken to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Recipe Notes and FAQ

Can Marry Me Chicken be made with other proteins?

While Marry Me Chicken is the most common version of this dish, it can also be made with other proteins such as shrimp or tofu. Simply substitute the protein of your choice in place of the chicken in the recipe.

Yield: 3

Marry Me Chicken

Marry Me chicken sliced on top of pasta on a plate.

Chicken so good, you'll want to marry it! This hearty chicken dish is loved by even the pickiest eaters.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon basil
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¾ cup chicken broth
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  
  2. Add oil to a large cast iron skillet over medium heat.
  3. Add salt, pepper, basil, thyme, crushed red pepper to a small bowl. Stir to combine.
  4. Season both sides of the chicken breast with the seasoning mixture.
  5. Cook the seasoned chicken breasts in the preheated cast iron skillet for 3-4 minutes each side. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
  6. Add minced garlic to the hot skillet and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. 
  7. Pour in chicken stock to deglaze the pan, and use a wood spoon to scrape off any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet. 
  8. Pour in the heavy cream. Stir to incorporate.
  9. Stir in parmesan cheese.
  10. Add chopped sundried tomatoes and stir to combine. Allow sauce to come to a low simmer.
  11. Add chicken breasts back into the skillet and spoon a little sauce over the chicken. 
  12. Place skillet in preheated oven for 15-18 minutes or until chicken is cooked to 165 degrees F. Enjoy warm served over a bed of pasta, or with a side of rice or mashed potatoes.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

3

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 483Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 155mgSodium: 1196mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 43g

Nutrition facts are an estimate only.

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Recipe originally published on 12/22/22.

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Marry me chicken in a skillet and on top of pasta on a plate.

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Let me know if you make this easy marry me chicken recipe. Did it make you hear wedding bells? I’d love to hear if they put a ring on it! 😉

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