Marry Me Chicken
Marry Me Chicken has the most irresistible marriage of flavors that will leave you wanting more! This recipe makes plenty of restaurant-quality sauce to serve with pasta on the side.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 437kcal
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Salt/Pepper
- 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- ½ chicken bouillon cube or ½ tsp better than bouillon
- ½ cup half and half
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce see notes
- ½ cup white wine see notes
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1/3 cup sundried tomatoes drained and diced
- 1 tablespoon cream cheese at room temp
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
Sauce Seasonings
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon Each: dried oregano, dried basil, mustard powder
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
Instructions
Prep Work
- For the sauce: In a large measuring cup with a spout, combine the chicken broth, bouillon, half and half, honey, hot sauce, and sauce seasonings and set aside.
- Measure out all remaining ingredients before beginning.
Make the Chicken
- Slice the chicken in half lengthwise to create 2-3 thinner slices. Cover with saran wrap and use the textured side of a meat mallet to pound it to ½ inch thick.
- Season each side with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Sprinkle with flour and rub it over the surface of each side. (The flour gives it a little texture and prevents it from sticking to the skillet. It also thickens the sauce a little more at the end.)
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken in batches for 4-5 minutes per side, until a golden crust has developed. Set aside.
Make the Sauce
- Turn the heat off. Add the wine and then set the heat to medium. Use a silicone spatula to clean the bottom and sides of the skillet, the “fond” will add more flavor to the sauce. Bring to a gentle bubble and reduce by half, about 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 more minute.
- Melt the butter and add the flour. Stir continuously for 2 minutes, until the raw flour smell is cooked off.
- Add the chicken broth mixture in small splashes, stirring continuously. (This is the mixture that we combined in step 1 of prep work.)
- Add the sundried tomatoes. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let it simmer and reduce for 10 minutes. During this time the flavors will meld, and the sauce will thicken and concentrate.
- Reduce heat to low. Stir in the cream cheese until combined. Gradually stir in the Parmesan cheese.
- Add the chicken back and spoon the sauce on top. Let it simmer and reduce for 5-7 minutes, uncovered. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley and serve!
Notes
Pro Tips:
Storage:
The nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 4 servings in this recipe.
- Wine: Sauvignon Blanc is the best wine to use in this recipe, followed by Chardonnay, and then Pinot Grigio. Chicken broth can be used if you don’t cook with wine.
- I prefer to use Mezzetta Sundried tomatoes in this recipe. Be careful about selecting a variety that may be seasoned with herbs, I prefer plain as we’re already seasoning this sauce.
- Some of the oil from the sundried tomatoes can be used to sear the chicken for even more flavor!
- I use Mutti Tomato Paste tubes, they're handy for measuring smaller/customized amounts.
- Hot Sauce: This is a flavor enhancer in this recipe and doesn't make the end result spicy, I use Frank's Hot Sauce.
- Cheese: Shred the cheese from a block, it will melt and taste much better than packaged shredded cheese. I use Belgioioso Parmesan.
- The longer this sauce simmers, the thicker and more concentrated it will get.
- Optional additions include: Sauteed mushrooms, spinach, and sliced cherry tomatoes, basil.
- Variations of This Dish: Try my Marry Me Chicken Pasta, Marry Me Chicken Orzo, and Marry Me Chicken Soup recipes as well!
- 📘 Find this recipe on page 110 of my 2nd cookbook, Let’s Eat!
Storage:
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. This does freeze/reheat well.
- To reheat: Defrost leftovers in the fridge overnight or in the microwave, then bake in a small, lightly greased, covered casserole dish at 350° for 20-25 minutes.
The nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 4 servings in this recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 437kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 1117mg | Potassium: 735mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 719IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 204mg | Iron: 3mg