Description
Marry Me Chicken is a creamy, flavorful skillet chicken recipe featuring tender chicken cutlets simmered in a parmesan cheese and sun-dried tomato cream sauce with aromatic herbs and a touch of chili flakes, perfect for serving over pasta or rice.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken
- 3 large chicken breasts boneless and skinless, sliced lengthwise into thin cutlets
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons (50 grams) all-purpose flour
Cooking Fat
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter
Sauce
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream (double cream in the UK)
- 1/2 cup (43 grams) parmesan cheese grated
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon thyme
- 1/3 cup sundried tomatoes chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Season the Chicken: Season the chicken cutlets evenly with salt and ground black pepper, then dredge them thoroughly in all-purpose flour, shaking off any excess flour to avoid a clumpy coating.
- Heat Fat in Skillet: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and melt the unsalted butter over medium heat, swirling the pan to ensure the oil and butter coat the surface evenly.
- Brown the Chicken: Place the floured chicken cutlets in the skillet without overcrowding. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until they are golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate, cover to keep warm, and set aside.
- Sauté Garlic: In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and sauté for about a minute until fragrant, taking care not to burn it.
- Deglaze the Pan: Pour in the chicken stock and scrape up all the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to infuse flavor into the sauce.
- Add Cream and Cheese: Lower the heat to medium-low, then stir in the heavy cream and grated parmesan cheese. Allow the sauce to simmer gently for a couple of minutes until it begins to thicken.
- Season the Sauce: Add chili flakes, thyme, oregano, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir well to combine all the flavors.
- Add Sundried Tomatoes and Reintroduce Chicken: Stir in the chopped sundried tomatoes, then return the browned chicken cutlets to the skillet, submerging them in the creamy sauce. Let the sauce simmer and thicken for a few more minutes to meld the flavors and heat the chicken through.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle freshly chopped basil leaves over the top and serve the Marry Me Chicken warm over cooked pasta or rice as desired.
Notes
- Chicken cutlets or steaks are commonly available at most supermarkets, but you can slice chicken breasts yourself for similar results.
- To slice chicken breasts into thin cutlets, place a breast flat on a cutting board, hold your hand flat on top, and carefully slice horizontally through the middle to create thin, even pieces about ¼ inch thick. Use a meat mallet if needed to pound thicker pieces thinner.
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be substituted, but will require longer cooking time.
- When sautéing garlic, adding a bit of sundried tomato oil can enhance the flavor.
- Avoid using half-and-half or single cream as they won’t thicken the sauce sufficiently.
- For best flavor and melting, grate parmesan cheese yourself from a block rather than using pre-grated store-bought cheese.
- Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or oven, adding a splash of water to loosen the sauce if it thickens too much.
- Freezing creamy sauces is not recommended as they tend to separate and become grainy upon thawing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 447
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 601mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 31g
- Cholesterol: 147mg
