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Win hearts with this easy marry me chicken recipe! The depth of flavor in the perfectly seasoned creamy tomato sauce is incredible in this 30-minute meal.
In search of another unforgettable date night option? Try my Simple Filet Mignon next.
Why you’ll love it
You’ll say a thousand times “Yes!” to this easy chicken recipe. Supposedly, marry me chicken will snag you a spouse if you make it for that special someone. Who can resist the tomato-y, creamy, garlicky, white wine-y, herby, totally delicious magic?
As with most of the creamy chicken recipes in the Salt & Lavender arsenal, this one is hassle-free and quick to make with a simple technique. Marry me chicken was popularized on TikTok, but I’m hoping my take on it will be the one you fall in love with!
What you’ll need
- Chicken breasts – we’re cutting boneless skinless chicken breasts in half lengthwise so they cook faster and more evenly
- Garlic powder – along with salt & pepper, it seasons the chicken directly
- Butter and olive oil – for sautéing
- Flour – to thicken the sauce
- Garlic – adds more savory flavor
- White wine – an elegant touch. Use a dry white like pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc, not a cooking wine.
- Heavy cream – to make the sauce luxurious
- Tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes – for that rich tomato flavor
- Oregano and basil – dried oregano and fresh basil are meant to be together
- Red pepper flakes – they add a gentle warmth and really do enhance the dish, so unless you absolutely can’t tolerate even a hit of spice, I’d keep them in
- Parmesan – the final cheesy touch
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- I use my 10.25″ Le Creuset skillet for many of my skillet chicken recipes.
- A Microplane zester is a simple way to grate the parmesan.
- Use a classic chef’s knife to easily slice the chicken.
- A wire whisk is useful for helping dissolve the flour into the sauce.
- An instant read thermometer is the easiest way to know it’s cooked through to 165F.
How to make marry me chicken
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Cut the chicken in half to make four cutlets. Season them, and then pan sear until cooked through. Transfer to a plate, and cover. To the skillet, add the flour and garlic, cooking for about a minute.
Pour in the wine, and whisk so that the flour dissolves. Simmer, and reduce by half. Stir in the cream, tomatoes and tomato paste, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
After letting it thicken to your desired consistency, remove from the heat, and stir in the parmesan and basil. Return the chicken, and season with extra salt & pepper if needed.
Helpful tips
- Grate your own parmesan cheese! The pre-grated kind doesn’t melt or taste as good, and it tends to clump together.
- Sun-dried tomatoes sometimes come in jars packed in oil, or you can get them dry-packed without oil. They will often come julienne-cut (thin strips), but you can definitely chop them to a more manageable size if yours don’t.
- Be sure to let your skillet heat up sufficiently before you add the chicken. It helps achieve a nice sear!
Substitutions and variations
- This recipe has the perfect marriage of flavors, so I recommend making it the first time as suggested. 😉
- If you’re not a fan of sun-dried tomatoes, I would chop up a small tomato and use it instead, or leave them out altogether.
- You could add a handful of fresh spinach in towards the end until it wilts.
- I don’t recommend subbing the cream. The acidity in tomatoes is likely to curdle the sauce, and it won’t taste as good.
- You may sub the white wine for chicken broth if needed.
What to serve with marry me chicken
- A dinner roll, a veggie side like my Easy Roasted Asparagus or Maple Roasted Beets and Carrots, and a simple Baked Potato or Mashed Potatoes make this a fantastic meal.
- Round it out with a salad for balance. Try my Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad or spring mix with this Creamy Balsamic Dressing.
Leftovers and storage
- Store marry me chicken for 3-4 days in a covered container in the fridge.
- Reheat in a saucepan over a low heat slowly until warmed through.
- Creamy sauces don’t freeze well, so I wouldn’t recommend doing that.
More easy chicken recipes
If you said yes to this marry me chicken recipe, leave a star rating and review below! You can also tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram if you made it.
Marry Me Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes see note
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 small handful fresh basil chopped/torn
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise to make four thinner pieces. Sprinkle them with the garlic powder and salt & pepper.
- Add the butter and olive oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Let the pan heat up for a few minutes.
- Cook the chicken for about 5-6 minutes/side or until it's golden and cooked through (165F). Transfer the chicken to a plate and loosely tent it with foil to keep it warm (turn the heat off while doing this step).
- Turn the heat back on to medium, and add the flour and garlic to the skillet (the pan should still be hot, but if it's not, let it warm up a bit first). Let it cook for about a minute or so, stirring often.
- Pour in the wine and whisk it until the flour has dissolved. Let it bubble until the liquid has reduced by half.
- Stir in the cream, tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes, and then let it simmer for a few minutes until it's thickened to your desired consistency (turn the heat down if it's rapidly boiling).
- Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the parmesan and basil.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet (and any juices from the plate) and spoon some sauce over top. Season with extra salt & pepper as needed.
Notes
- Use parmesan cheese from a block that you’re grating yourself for best results. The pre-grated kind doesn’t taste or melt as well, and it tends to clump together.
- If your sun-dried tomatoes are packed in oil, drain them first. If they aren’t already cut into small pieces/strips, I recommend chopping them.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This was the bomb! Knocked it out of the park in regards to flavor 😋 this recipe is definitely a keeper!
Thank you so much!
Delicious – Hubs said he’d marry me everyday of the week. Awesome were his words. I used broth over wine, didn’t have tomato paste either so I used a touch more sun-dried tomato’s. Otherwise, followed recipe to a T. Variation of flavors, each bite was different. oOf course he had seconds. Prepped everything beforehand.
Hehe love that!
Easy and super good!!
Thank you so much, Leslie!!
SO yummy! I didn’t have fresh basil, but threw in some spinach and served with mashed potatoes as suggested. My husband said he would marry me all over again 😉
Ahahha love it, Cara!
I made this for dinner last night, so rich, creamy and delicious. Really easy recipe to follow. I added more tomato paste as I didn’t have any sun dried tomatoes and it still turned out amazing. I highly recommend this to anyone wanting a quick and easy midweek meal. I had this with steamed broccoli and potatoes if anyone wants to know what to eat it with.
Thank you so much, Sophie!! 😀 I’m so glad you liked it. Sounds delish with broccoli and potatoes. I also have some more serving suggestions in the blog post for folks.
this was fantastic! i’m one of the people who love a good “novel” about how to make a dish, and pictures are also what i consider an added bonus. i’ve been cooking for 40 years and still like to see it all! this was served with your garlic noodles and my family went on and on about how good it was. thank you for taking the time to print such a delicious recipe!
I’m thrilled to hear that. Love your perspective!! 😀 You are very welcome, and thank you for taking the time to write me a review.
Why did I wait so long to make this?! Made it with my boyfriend’s help in the kitchen and we both loved it. Served it with lemon asparagus and garlicy gruyere mashed potatoes. We will definitely be making this again (and working on changing my ‘girlfriend’ title) LOL 😉
Hahaha love it. Let me know when he pops the question. 😀
Hi,
Can I make this earlier in the day, and then heat up for supper? Your recipe looks amazing.
Hi Cindy! See the “leftovers & storage” instructions in the blog post.
Just made it this morning and will have it for supper with pasta… loved the response to Ginger… 😀
Hahaha thanks, Floyd. I like to have fun with comments or else some of them would make me cry. Lol.
Delicious, like all your other recipes I’ve tried! My husband did not ask me to marry him again, but he’s still sitting here next to me and happy as a clam. Thank you for the clear instructions and the “jump to recipe” link! Will definitely make this again, next time for company.
So glad it was a hit!