Description
Marry Me Chicken is a creamy, flavorful one-pan dish featuring pan-seared chicken breasts simmered in a garlicky Parmesan cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil. Perfect for an easy yet impressive dinner served over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 (6-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Sauce
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (chopped)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves (chopped)
Instructions
- Season the chicken: Generously season the chicken breasts on both sides with Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and black pepper to enhance the flavor.
- Sear the chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate; it does not need to be fully cooked at this point.
- Sauté garlic and deglaze: In the same skillet, add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in the chicken stock while scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan to build flavor.
- Make the creamy sauce: Reduce heat to medium. Stir in heavy cream, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, grated Parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes if using. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Finish cooking chicken in sauce: Return the chicken breasts to the skillet, spoon sauce over the top, and simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the chicken is cooked through.
- Add fresh basil and serve: Stir chopped fresh basil into the sauce just before serving. Serve the chicken with extra sauce over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes for a complete meal.
Notes
- This is a one-pan recipe, minimizing cleanup and maximizing flavor absorption.
- To lighten the dish, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half, though the sauce will be less rich.
- Use chicken stock or broth with low sodium to control salt content.
- For a spicier kick, increase red pepper flakes to ½ teaspoon.
- Fresh basil can be replaced with fresh parsley or oregano for a different herb flavor.
- Ensure chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F for food safety.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 ounces
- Calories: 457 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 996 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0.01 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 31 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg
