Why Marry Me Chicken is So Good – Creamy, Comfortable, and More Delish than Anything at the Restaurant
It is impossible not to notice how people get silent when eating this creamy Mary Me Chicken because it is just so incredibly tasty. One of those dishes which feel slightly fancy, tastes super delicious, and surprisingly can be prepared in less than 30 minutes? Yes, please! Mary Me Chicken starts with pan-searing the chicken until it gets crispy, then it continues cooking in creamy Parmesan sauce stuffed with garlic, basil, and bites of sun-dried tomatoes. It’s such an easy and quick meal, and yet it feels luxurious enough to serve guests.
To be honest, it started my love story with this recipe because I wanted to prepare something comforting for dinner when it was raining cats and dogs outside. From the first moments of cooking, I realized how amazing this chicken could be – the smell of buttery garlic and bubbly cream combined with flavors of sun-dried tomatoes is just irresistible. And now I am using Marry Me Chicken when I need to eat something cozy and at the same time delicious for friends.
In this article, I will share all the tips on how you can make creamy, rich, and delicious Marry Me Chicken. Trust me – this recipe will make your life easier.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 large chicken breasts (1 ½ pounds / 680g)
- 1 tsp garlic and herb seasoning (5g)
- 1 tsp kosher salt (5g)
- ½ tsp black pepper (1g)
- 2 tbsp olive oil (30ml)
Chicken breasts are ideal for cooking this Marry Me Chicken. However, sometimes I find chicken thighs more convenient because they stay super juicy and usually cost less.
For the Sauce
- 1 tsp butter (5g)
- 3 large garlic cloves, chopped
- ⅓ cup heavy cream (80ml)
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock (360ml)
- ½ tsp garlic and herb seasoning (2g)
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, sliced (90g)
- 4 to 5 fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (50g)
It is recommended to use freshly grated cheese because pre-shredded Parmesan cheese doesn’t blend into the sauce easily and causes graininess.
For Serving
- Angel hair pasta
- Mashed potatoes
- Rice
- Crusty bread
My personal choice is angel hair pasta because it absorbs all the sauce nicely.
Preparing the Chicken
Before starting the preparation process, check the thickness of the chicken breasts – if necessary, divide them in half horizontally. It will take less time for the chicken to cook. The first time I used big chicken breasts, they became slightly dry before the middle part got properly cooked. Cutting them into pieces solved the issue.
Pat chicken with paper towels, then season both sides of each breast with garlic and herb seasoning, salt, and pepper. Please remember to dry the chicken before the preparation process begins.
Place olive oil in a skillet or Dutch oven and warm it up on medium-high heat. Add chicken into the pan, and listen to the sound of sizzling when it hits the pan.
Cook chicken on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until it becomes golden-brown. At this step, the chicken doesn’t have to be cooked inside because you are going to cook it again after making the sauce.
At this stage, you can smell how yummy it is – the smell is savory, garlicky, and extremely warm.
Pro Tip: Don’t disturb the chicken breasts while cooking them. Otherwise, it won’t become golden brown and will turn into steamed chicken.
Making the Sauce
Take the chicken out of the pan and reduce the heat to low.
Add oil from the sun-dried tomatoes pack straight into the pan – it will add more flavor to the sauce. Throw in garlic and butter.
After the garlic and butter start melting in the pan, you will be amazed by the smell it creates – it is absolutely incredible!
After 30 seconds, add the following ingredients: heavy cream and chicken stock. Sprinkle garlic and herb seasoning and stir gently, using the wooden spoon to remove those browned spots that appear on the bottom of the pan.
That’s where all the magic happens!
Now it’s time to add slices of sun-dried tomatoes and simmer them in the sauce for a couple of minutes. Remember to use wet sun-dried tomatoes instead of dry ones because otherwise, they won’t cook perfectly and become a little chewy.
Adding the Basil
When the sauce starts to bubble, throw in basil leaves.
Basil leaves are responsible for the aroma of this meal – its scent becomes peppery and adds balance to the creamy sauce.
Pro Tip: I always keep the heat low once all ingredients for the sauce are added to the pan. Using high heat leads to the separation of the cream sauce and affects its consistency negatively.
Cooking the Chicken
Once the sauce is almost ready, put the chicken breasts back into the pan, including their drippings. Partially cover the pan with a lid and let it all simmer for 10 minutes.
At first, I kept the chicken in the pan until the sauce became thicker because I thought that it would result in the perfect meal. However, the chicken became tough and dry. Therefore, now I try to avoid overcooking it and stop cooking once it reaches the proper temperature.
You will know when it is done by its tenderness and the sauce that covers the plate nicely.
Parmesan Time!
Now that the chicken is perfectly cooked, it’s time to add Parmesan cheese and melt it into the sauce.
Gently stir the sauce until the cheese melts. It makes the sauce velvety, creamy, and slightly shiny. Little lines of cheese appear in the sauce, giving it a rich, savory aroma.
Don’t forget to taste the sauce once all the cheese is melted – depending on the situation, you may have to season it with salt. It often happens because Parmesan, chicken stock, and garlic already contain enough seasoning.
Pro Tip: Finely shredded cheese melts better into the sauce than chunky pieces.
Ready to Serve!
Serve this chicken with angel hair pasta, mashed potatoes, or rice. Personally, I prefer to put the meal on the angel hair because these noodles absorb sauce nicely.
But it can be served with mashed potatoes, rice, and bread too. I highly recommend sprinkling more Parmesan cheese and some basil leaves right before serving. In the end, all the sauce will settle in between these ingredients, creating a perfect texture.
Don’t forget to serve bread near the plate because someone will probably finish off the rest of the sauce.
Tips & Tricks
Don’t Overcook the Chicken
Chicken breast cooks rather quickly. If you let it cook too long in the sauce, it will become tough and dry. Make sure that the chicken is ready before adding it to the sauce.
Don’t Burn Garlic
Garlic becomes bitter when you burn it accidentally. Try not to cook garlic on high heat and stir it constantly while it’s cooking in the pan.
Warm Up the Cheese Before Adding It to the Sauce
Adding cold cheese to the sauce affects its quality negatively. Therefore, it is recommended to shred cheese beforehand and let it get warmer.
Don’t Forget About Browned Spots
All browned spots at the bottom of the skillet are full of aromas – deglaze the pan by pouring stock into it, then stir the sauce.
Don’t Cook Sauces Fast
High heat affects the texture of the sauce significantly. In the case of creamy sauces, they usually turn greasy.
Ways to Modify a Recipe
Use Chicken Thighs Instead of Breast
Chicken thighs stay juicy much longer than breasts because of the bones and skin. I prefer them when I cook this Marry Me Chicken because it makes the dish more flavorful.
Add Fresh Spinach Into the Sauce
You can add a couple of handfuls of baby spinach and let it wilt in the sauce while it is cooking.
Prepare Spicy Meal
You can add red pepper flakes while cooking garlic to make the sauce spicy.
Leftovers and Storage
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. When reheating it, I recommend adding a bit of chicken stock or cream because the sauce becomes thicker when it is cold.
This dish can also be frozen safely for up to two months. However, you should keep in mind that sometimes the sauce gets separated from the chicken and other ingredients during freezing and thawing. To mix it up, you should stir it while reheating.
In my opinion, freshly made chicken is tastier than the leftovers, but if you save it properly, then the meal will be delicious as well.
Conclusion
I hope that you liked my tips on how you can make Marry Me Chicken. It’s a comforting, creamy, and delicious dish that can be prepared easily and quickly.
