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So good it’ll make everyone want to marry you… that’s really how good Marry Me Chicken is! And even you’re not in the market for a proposal, your diners will certainly love you a little bit more after you’ve dished this beauty of a chicken dinner up.
I’ve been wanting to try create my own version of this recipe after it was all over Pinterest for years, then later went viral on Tik Tok. But where would I start with Marry Me Chicken?!
I looked at maybe 20 versions online, and according to Today, the name for this chicken-in-a-vaguely-Italian-style-cream-sauce was coined by American food publication Delish, because it was even better than Ina Garten’s much-loved ‘Engagement Roast Chicken’ recipe (national foodie treasure in the US).
All of the recipes had in common using chicken, cream, sun dried tomatoes and parmesan. I made a couple of tweaks for my own version, which, dare I say, make it even better?! Please try it and let me know if you agree!
My take on Marry Me Chicken:
⭐️ I’ve added sun dried tomatoes earlier in the process so they kind of melt a little into the sauce. I tested both ways and this felt much tastier than adding later.
⭐️ I used oregano rather than thyme, as I feel the light flavour works better here.
⭐️ I coated the chicken breasts in flour to thicken the sauce slightly (not all of the recipes I looked at do this).
⭐️ I used the juice of half a lemon at the end, just to ‘lift’ the sauce from being too rich. Do taste it yourself and decide if you feel you need it.
I have been cooking weekly for a friend going through cancer treatment. This is the one dish that she has actually requested I do again. I’m so pleased to have found something she has enjoyed so much. It also impressed our son-in-law when the family visited – and he is an excellent cook. Thanks for coming up with such a delicious and foolproof recipe!
What else I have to say about Marry Me Chicken!
As a modern-day feminist, I’m not entirely sure about the title of this recipe. Are we still saying that marriage is the ultimate goal in life?! To be honest, the chicken is so good that I’m not going to get bogged down with what is essentially a catchy title to try and convey just how delicious this pan-fried chicken dish is.
AND ANOTHER THING!… I’m not normally a huge fan of cream sauces as they can be so heavy, but this uses one small pot of cream and the impact is huge. Really – it’s so worth it.
Marry Me Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken breasts – Skinless and boneless
- Plain flour – Also called all-purpose flour
- Olive oil
- Garlic – Fresh or shortcut-type is fine.
- Sun dried tomatoes
- Dried oregano
- Paprika
- Double cream – Heavy cream in the USA and CAN/thickened cream in AUS.
- Chicken stock– Made from a cube is fine. Also called bouillon cube.
- Parmesan cheese – Finely grated.
- Fresh basil leaves
- Lemon – We just want the juice.
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
How to make Marry Me Chicken
1. Coat the chicken in flour, as per the full recipe below.
2. Heat oil in a pan and carefully add the chicken. Brown on each side.
3. Turn the heat down and add garlic, sun dried tomatoes, oregano and paprika to the pan. Cook as per the recipe below.
4. Add the cream, stock, parmesan and salt and pepper. Stir and add the chicken. Put the lid on and cook as per the recipe below.
Hint: Once you’re sure the chicken is cooked through, remove the pan from the heat, sprinkle over the basil and a squeeze of lemon.
What sides to serve with Marry Me Chicken
- Colcannon
- Roast Parsnips
- Rice
- Boulangere Potatoes
- Couscous
- Parmentier Potatoes
- Green veg – lots of green veg!
- Smashed Potatoes
Leftovers
In the fridge You can keep this recipe in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat fully in the microwave or covered in the oven before serving.
In the freezer Creamy sauces don’t freeze overly well and the chicken would be a little dry when you’re reheating it from frozen, however I wouldn’t let it go to waste. If freezing is your best option, do it, but manage your expectations for when you reheat it. Adding it to pasta as a sauce might be nice though.
Top tips
Cooking times
How long your chicken will take will vary on the thickness of the breasts. If in doubt, check your meat thermometer to make sure it is cooked through. (The ideal cooking temperature for chicken is 74°C, according to Thermapen – my go-to thermometer-makers. There’s also more cooking time information here).
If your sauce curdles
When you add the lemon juice at the end, the sauce can curdle a little if it’s very hot. If it does, just remove the chicken breasts to serve and give the sauce a good whisk.
Adapt this recipe
You can simplify this recipe with a slightly different version – Marry Me Chicken Orzo – it’s a quick one pot pasta with all the flavours and deliciousness of the original dish!
More Marry Me Chicken recipes…
One Pot Pasta
Marry Me Chicken Orzo {One Pot Recipe}
Under 30 minutes
Marry Me Chicken Pasta {One Pot Recipe}
Slow Cooker Chicken
Slow Cooker Marry Me Chicken
Chicken
Marry Me Meatballs
Dump & Bake
Marry Me Chicken and Rice {Dump & Bake}
Chicken
Marry Me Chicken Soup
FAQ
The combination of pan-frying the chicken as well as simmering it in the sauce gives a delicious golden coating with a succulent meat on the inside. The sauce is just the right balance of creamy, zesty and cheesy.
While there’s so much wonderful flavour, it’s also a pretty simple recipe and anyone can make it, which is the ultimate test of how well a recipe is received! No nonsense. Just delicious.
It’s also impressive if you’re cooking a special meal, without much faff or expense involved.
Yes! You can substitute it if you like. We’ve tested this and we’re happy to say it works fine.
Full fat crème fraîche does taste marginally better, but if you’re looking to reduce calories and fat content particularly, using reduced fat crème fraîche will absolutely work.
Just be careful when you’re cooking to keep the heat low so it doesn’t split or curdle.
I always use my favourite saute pan, you can read my reviews here with links: One Pan Review.
Yes sure. Just swap the cream and parmesan for dairy-free alternatives and you’re good to go.
How about the sister recipe, Divorce Me Chicken?! I love a recipe with a story behind it, and because food is all about coming together and sharing, you can impress your family or guests with some of these other funky-named meals: Campfire Stew, Hunter’s Chicken, Bubble and Squeak, Cowboy Pie, Dirty Rice.
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
Marry Me Chicken {BEST Ever Recipe!}
Ingredients
- 650 g (1.5 lb) Chicken breast (skinless and boneless), About x4
- 50 g (6 tbsp) Plain flour (all-purpose flour)
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 3 Garlic cloves, Peeled and crushed
- 150 g (1 cups) Sun dried tomatoes, Drained
- 1 tsp Dried oregano
- 2 tsp Paprika
- 150 ml (0.75 cup) Double cream (heavy cream (US/CA) or (AU) thickened cream)
- 200 ml (0.75 cup) Chicken stock (bouillon cube)
- 50 g (0.5 cup) Parmesan cheese, Grated
- 15 g (3 tbsp) Fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 Lemon, Just the juice
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Coat the chicken breasts in the flour.
- In a large, deep frying pan, heat the oil over a medium heat. When it's hot, carefully add the chicken breasts. Cook for 5 minutes. Flip and cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Remove the chicken breasts to a plate, turn the heat under the pan to low and add the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano and paprika. Stir for 3-5 minutes until the garlic is softened.
- Add the cream, stock, parmesan and plenty of salt and pepper and give everything a good stir.
- Sit the chicken back in the sauce. Put the lid on the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the chicken and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Check the chicken is cooked through. Remove the pan from the heat, sprinkle over the basil leaves and the squeeze of half a lemon.
Did you make this recipe? Click here to let us know how it went and give it a ⭐️ rating! Your feedback helps us to make more recipes you really want.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutritional values are per portion unless otherwise stated.
This post was originally published on March 26, 2023 and updated later to make improvements.
The first time I made this recipe I was blown away, and so were the people I served it to. It immediately went on the family rotation. Quick and easy to make, yet it looks and tastes so elegant.
Hi Isobel, what a lovely thing to read, thank you! We love that it’s earned a permanent spot on your family rotation, and that something so quick to make can feel elegant too. Thank you for sharing it with your guests and great to hear they enjoyed it too!
I need to make this for 50 people. Can you give me the measurements?
Hi Karin, what a feast! The easiest way is to use the servings adjuster on the recipe card, just change it to 50 and all the quantities will scale up automatically. Do bear in mind you’ll need to cook it in several pans or batches, as the sauce won’t reduce properly in one huge pot.
so good! it makes the chicken feel less dry and the lemon at the end gives it a beautiful after-taste!
Hi Thalia, we are so pleased you enjoyed it! You’re absolutely right, that little hit of lemon at the end really lifts everything and keeps the chicken lovely and moist. Thanks so much for the lovely review
made this tonight. girlfriend loved it. I cut the chicken into strips, worked fine. added a little extra parm to the sauce. we like cheese. flavor was there and the plates were cleared. great recipe!
Hi BB, cleared plates and a happy girlfriend, that’s exactly what we like to hear! Cutting the chicken into strips and adding extra parmesan both sound spot on. So glad the flavour was there, thanks for the lovely review!
This recipe is great,Although I turned it into a pasta dish as I lovee my pasta.
Turning it into a pasta dish is a brilliant idea, Steven! That creamy sauce is made for clinging to pasta, so I can absolutely see why you went that way. Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for sharing how you served it up.
!
I made this with sliced chicken breast and it still worked, the sauce was absolutely delicious! If I make this again I would make extra sauce to eat with pasta and add extra parmesan for topping
Great to know it works well with sliced breast too, Stephanie, and I’m fully behind making a bit of extra sauce for pasta, no bad idea at all! Thanks for sharing your tips and leaving us a five star review!
Love your recipes and make them all the time, particularly this one! I recently made it with sun dried tomato paste instead of chopping up the sun dried tomatoes. It was even easier and made a smoother sauce which was a hit with my kids!!
We love that swap, KS, sun-dried tomato paste is such a clever shortcut for a smoother sauce, and anything that’s a hit with the kids is a win. Thanks for the lovely comment, and for making so many of the recipes over the years.
Brilliant so tasty and relatively easy. Served with jacket potato with rice yummy
Hi Jillian, jacket potato AND rice, that’s how you do it! So glad you enjoyed it, it’s such a good one and thanks for the lovely review!
Great recipe made it a few times. This time I didn’t have sundried tomatoes so used tomato paste and cooked onion in the the garlic, paprika and oregano, added a 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika and used cooking cream.