This Marry Me chicken recipe takes pasta out of the equation, giving you a rich, creamy base for other recipes. Tender boneless skinless chicken thighs come together with a rich, creamy Marry Me tomato sauce featuring sun dried tomatoes to create classic comfort food that can be served over pasta, rice, or enjoyed on its own with some garlic bread.
If you've been following my site for any length of time, you know I love a creamy pasta dish. Whether I'm making creamy chicken pasta or something a little more fancy, like this prawn chorizo pasta, I firmly believe that everything tastes better with a rich, creamy sauce.
I've tweaked this recipe slightly to create a versatile dish that can be combined with other ingredients to create a variety of dishes. This Marry Me chicken recipe takes the flavor of my signature Marry Me chicken pasta and leaves out the pasta. I also replaced the breasts with thighs for a deeper, more complex flavor, much like I did with my Tuscan chicken thighs.
Serve this delicious, rich chicken dish with my light, fruity, and earthy arugula salad with pistachios for a complete meal overflowing with flavor.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Rich and Creamy: The sun-dried tomatoes, heavy cream, and tomato paste create a rich, creamy sauce.
- Super Flavorful: The seasoned chicken thighs, combined with the sun-dried tomato flavor and aromatic seasonings of the sauce, create a deep, complex flavor in every bite of this delicious chicken dinner.
- Simple Ingredients: This recipe uses a few basic staples found in most kitchens or at the grocery store.
- So Easy: This dish is full of flavor, but it's not a labor-intensive recipe. It only takes about 30 minutes to make from start to finish.
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Ingredients
You'll find the complete list of ingredients and their exact amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Variations
- Chicken Thighs: Feel free to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or even pork chops if you prefer. You can also add shrimp, as I did with this Marry me shrimp pasta.
- Spicy: Add a dash of red pepper flakes for a little heat. Use as much or as little as you like.
- Add Vegetables: Try adding mushrooms or spinach for more flavor and texture. You can even add both!
- Cheese: Add mozzarella in place of Parmesan cheese for an extra creamy, cheesy version.
- Dairy-Free: Use plant milk and cheese to create a dairy-free version.
How to Make Marry Me Chicken
Step 1: Wash the chicken and pat it dry. Then, season it with the chicken seasonings.
Step 2: Sear the chicken thighs in olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Then, transfer them to a plate.
Step 3: Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the sun-dried tomatoes, shallots, minced onion, and seasonings. Stir well.
Step 4: Add the remaining sauce ingredients.
Step 5: Add the chicken thighs and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees and the sauce has thickened.
Step 6: Add fresh basil leaves, and enjoy over pasta, rice, or even mashed potatoes. Or serve it with veggies on the side.
Expert Tips
- Use a skillet large enough to sear the chicken and cook the sauce without overcrowding the pan.
- I love my Circulon C1 Series skillet for recipes like this one. It's made of stainless steel with ScratchDefense technology, making it extremely durable and safe for metal utensils. Because it's an induction pan, it also heats up quickly and retains the heat well.
- When rinsing the chicken, place it in a strainer at the bottom of the sink and use a gentle stream of water to minimize splashing and prevent the spread of bacteria.
- Begin searing the chicken with the smooth side down for the most even cooking and prettiest presentation.
Marry Me Chicken FAQ
You sure can! In fact, pan-seared chicken thighs give the dish a deeper, more complex flavor, thanks to the extra richness the thighs bring to the recipe.
Marry Me chicken is incredibly delicious. In fact, that's how it got its name. People said it was so good, it would have the diner proposing to the cook.
One of the best ways to cook tender, juicy chicken thighs is to sear them first and then poach them. That's basically what happens in this Marry Me chicken recipe.
📖 Recipe
Marry Me Chicken
Video
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 chicken thighs boneless, skinless
- 1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika
- 1 tbps Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato oil from the jar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Sauce
- 2 tablespoon dried shallots
- 1 tablespoon minced onion
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ⅓ cup chicken broth
- 1 ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil
Instructions
- Wash the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels.
- Coat the chicken with the paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl.
- Heat the sun-dried tomato oil and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Then, sear the chicken thighs, starting with the smooth side down, for 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer them to a plate.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes, shallots, minced onion, Italian seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, and dried basil. Stir and reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Add the heavy cream, chicken broth, tomato paste, and Parmesan cheese and stir until melted.
- Add the chicken thighs and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes until their internal temperature reaches 165 degrees and the sauce has thickened.
- Add chopped fresh basil and enjoy!
Notes
- Refrigerate for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- Freezing is not recommended.
- Reheat the entire dish in a skillet over medium-low heat or microwave individual portions at 1-minute intervals.
- Use a skillet large enough to sear the chicken and cook the sauce without overcrowding the pan.
- I love my Circulon C1 Series skillet for recipes like this one. It's made of stainless steel with ScratchDefense technology, making it extremely durable and safe for metal utensils. Because it's an induction pan, it also heats up quickly and retains the heat well.
- When rinsing the chicken, place it in a strainer at the bottom of the sink and use a gentle stream of water to minimize splashing and prevent the spread of bacteria.
- Begin searing the chicken with the smooth side down for the most even cooking and prettiest presentation.
amy liu dong says
I adore this dish so much. It is so easy to make, creamy, and delicious!
Jaleah says
This chicken is incredible! It is packed with flavor!
Swathi says
Marry me chicken is delicious perfect meal idea, my family enjoyed it.
Greta says
Marry me chicken is one of my favorite comforting dishes. We all loved it and will do it! Thanks x
Riley says
A very simple and easy meal to make on the go. The chicken was absolutely bomb and tender prepping my meals throughout the week
Lora says
One of my favorite chicken recipes. It's so flavorful and it's always a hit!
Ashley says
Love this crowd-pleasing recipe. A favorite in our house!
Sonja says
Just the comfort food I need when I'm in a hurry! Your recipe was so quick and that sauce was divine. I frankly would have been happy with just the sauce and a big hunk of bread! It also kept the chicken so lovely and juicy.