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Marry Me Chicken is a quick skillet dinner made with tender chicken cutlets simmered in a creamy parmesan sauce flavored with sun-dried tomatoes. It is rich, comforting, and on the table in just under 30 minutes.
Looking for more Italian-American recipes that deliver big flavor? Don't miss Italian Wedding Soup, Shrimp Scampi, and Chicken Marsala.
Kristen's Keys for Marry Me Chicken (Start Here)
This recipe is straightforward, but a few small details help ensure the chicken cooks evenly, the sauce stays silky, and the flavors marry together beautifully.
- Use chicken cutlets. To keep this dish quick cooking and ensure the right chicken to sauce ratio, it is best to use thin pieces of chicken. You can purchase chicken cutlets or save money by cutting chicken breasts in half crosswise.
- Don't substitute the heavy cream. Heavy cream thickens naturally as it simmers and won't curdle like milk or half-and-half. This is what gives the sauce that smooth, restaurant-style finish.
- Choose oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes. They are softer, more flavorful, and blend seamlessly into the sauce than dried sun-dried tomatoes.
How to Make Marry Me Chicken
Let me walk you through how I prepare Marry Me Chicken in my own kitchen so that you can easily prepare this flavorful meal yourself.
Step One: Prepare Chicken
If needed, cut chicken breasts in half crosswise to form cutlets. If your cutlets (store-bought or cut yourself) are uneven or thicker than ½ inch, place them between two pieces of parchment paper or plastic wrap and gently pound using a meat mallet or heavy skillet. This will ensure even cooking.
In a shallow dish combine flour with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Lightly dredge each cutlet into the seasoned flour, which will help create a golden crust and thicken the sauce later in the cooking process.
Step Two: Sear Chicken
Heat a bit of butter and olive oil together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, add the chicken in a single layer and cook 3-4 minutes per side, or until a nice golden exterior has been formed. If needed, work in batches so the chicken sears instead of steams.
Step Three: Build the Sauce
In the same skillet, add the garlic and briefly toast. Add in the chicken stock and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Those little bits add a ton of flavor.
Once the pan is deglazed, stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, cream, and seasonings. Bring the sauce to a simmer and let simmer for a few minutes until it thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. It won't take but a couple of minutes.
Step Four: Marry Together
Whisk in the parmesan cheese until melted. Once melted, add the chicken back to the skillet and simmer until the chicken is cooked through. Be sure to spoon the sauce over the chicken to coat while simmering to ensure the chicken is coated in the rich sauce.
Step Five: Serve
This sauce deserves something that can soak it up. Pasta, mashed potatoes, or orzo rice all work beautifully. Add a simple roasted vegetable, like roasted asparagus, parmesan broccoli, to round out the meal.
Recipe Modifications
- Use the Instant Pot: Try out my recipe for Instant Pot Marry Me Chicken. It delivers the same delicious flavors without the carbs!
- Gluten-Free: Swap all-purpose flour for a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour.
- Add Greens: A handful of spinach stirred in at the end wilts beautifully and adds color.
- Spice it Up: A pinch of red pepper flakes adds gentle warmth without overpowering the sauce.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
- Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Chicken Florentine
- Baked Chicken Parmesan
- Chicken Piccata
- Honey Lemon Chicken
Marry Me Chicken
Video
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, or 4 chicken cutlets
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, + more if needed
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 (7-oz) jar oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 5-7 basil leaves , sliced into thin ribbons (optional)
Instructions
- If not using prepared cutlets, cut 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts in half lengthwise so you have 4 thin cutlets. Place the cutlets between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or heavy skillet until the cutlets are even in thickness. Pay dry.
- In a shallow dish, whisk together ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Dredge each chicken cutlet in the flour mixture to coat, shaking off excess flour.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil with 1 tablespoon unsalted butter over medium heat until the butter is melted. Once melted, add the chicken to the pan, working in batches if needed to prevent overcrowding your skillet. Cook the chicken cutlets for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown on each side and nearly cooked through. Transfer chicken to a clean plate, tent with foil, and set aside.
- If the skillet is dry, add an additional ½ tablespoon of olive oil. Add the garlic to the skillet and saute for just 30 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant. Add ½ cup low-sodium chicken stock and using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
- Pour in 1 cup heavy cream, the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves, and ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring often. Once the sauce is simmering, lower the heat to low and whisk in ½ cup grated parmesan cheese until melted. Taste to adjust seasonings if needed.
- Add the chicken and any accumulated juices back to the skillet. Turn the chicken to coat in the sauce, or spoon the sauce over the chicken, and simmer for 3-4 minutes just to warm through the chicken and to ensure it reaches 165℉.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and serve with basil if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally shared in 2023 and updated in 2026.
Absolutely delicious. Everyone here loved it. The sauce is EVERYTHING!
I agree! The sauce is amazing. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
This was amazing! The whole family couldn't get enough of it and are already asking when we can have it again!
I love hearing your family enjoyed this chicken recipe, Olivia! Thank you for sharing and I hope it becomes a regular meal at your house.
We can't get enough of this chicken recipe! It was perfectly cooked and the sauce is winner!
Thrilled to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Sharina!
Oh, my gosh! As a lifelong home cook, it was still music to my ears to hear my husband of 50 years proclaim that THIS was the best chicken I have ever served. It just melts in your mouth!
I just love hearing this, Sheri! Thank you for sharing!