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Marry Me Chicken

Marry Me Chicken is a creamy sun-dried tomato chicken dinner with golden seared breasts and a thick, glossy Italian cream sauce. Pan-seared chicken is simmered right in the sauce for restaurant-style flavor with fresh basil on top.
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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 breasts
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • Salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • garlic powder to taste
  • Italian seasoning to taste
  • smoked paprika to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
sauce
  • 4 clove garlic 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

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. Pat lightly so the spices adhere.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden, then remove when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Make the sun-dried tomato cream sauce
  1. In the same pan, cook the minced garlic and sliced sun-dried tomatoes for 1 minute, stirring so the garlic doesn’t brown. Keep the heat at medium-high.
  2. Pour in the chicken broth and deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits. Simmer briefly just to combine, about 30-60 seconds.
  3. Stir in the heavy cream, grated Parmesan, dried Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 4-5 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens and looks glossy.
Finish and serve
  1. Return the chicken breasts to the pan and spoon the sauce over each one. Simmer for 2 more minutes to reheat the chicken and coat it thickly.
  2. Garnish with fresh basil and serve over pasta or mashed potatoes. Spoon extra sauce from the skillet over the top.

Notes

For best texture, let the seared chicken rest briefly off the heat while you make the sauce, then simmer it only 2 minutes to avoid drying. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of broth to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not recommended because the cream can separate. If you want a lighter option, use half-and-half in place of heavy cream and simmer a bit longer until thick.