Description
Marry Me Chicken is a luscious dish featuring tender boneless, skinless chicken breasts cooked in a rich and creamy sun-dried tomato sauce infused with garlic, parmesan cheese, and aromatic herbs. This recipe combines quick stovetop searing with oven baking, resulting in juicy chicken coated in a velvety, flavorful sauce guaranteed to impress at any dinner.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt (to taste)
- Freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (or other neutral oil)
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream (at room temperature)
- ½ cup grated fresh parmesan cheese (at room temperature)
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes (preferably packed in oil)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (more or less to taste)
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
Garnish
- Chiffonaded fresh basil
- Grated fresh parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare and Sear the Chicken: Begin by trimming and pounding the chicken breasts to an even thickness to ensure uniform cooking. Season the chicken generously with salt and freshly cracked black pepper on both sides. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then sear the chicken breasts for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until lightly golden but not fully cooked. Remove the chicken and set aside without draining the skillet.
- Make the Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce: Preheat your oven to 375°F and adjust the rack to center. Return the skillet to medium-low heat and sauté minced garlic for 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant. Add the low-sodium chicken broth, scraping up browned bits for flavor. Remove the skillet from heat briefly, then stir in heavy cream until fully incorporated. Add grated parmesan cheese and whisk gently until melted and smooth. Return to medium-low heat and heat the sauce for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add Seasonings and Simmer: Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, dried oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning as needed with salt, pepper, oregano, or red pepper flakes. Increase heat to medium-high and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.
- Combine Chicken and Sauce: Return the seared chicken breasts to the skillet, turning them several times to coat thoroughly with the sauce. Once coated, transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. If available, insert a leave-in meat thermometer probe into the thickest part of a chicken breast.
- Bake the Chicken: Bake the chicken for approximately 13 minutes, then check the internal temperature. Continue baking as needed until the chicken reaches 160°F internally.
- Finish and Rest: Remove the skillet from the oven and spoon additional sauce over the chicken breasts. Let the chicken rest in the skillet for 5 minutes; this resting time allows the meat to finish cooking to a safe internal temperature of 165°F and preserves juiciness.
- Serve: Transfer the chicken breasts to serving plates, pour remaining sauce over them, and garnish with chiffonaded fresh basil and extra grated parmesan cheese if desired. Serve immediately alongside your choice of sides such as potatoes or asparagus. Enjoy your flavorful Marry Me Chicken!
Notes
- Low-sodium chicken broth is recommended to control saltiness in the sauce.
- Use sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil for optimal flavor and texture.
- Room temperature heavy cream and parmesan cheese blend better into the sauce.
- Checking the internal temperature of chicken ensures it is safely cooked but still juicy.
- Letting chicken rest after baking allows residual heat to reach perfect doneness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
