The Original Marry Me Chicken

Name: The Original Marry Me Chicken Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided; 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts; Kosher salt; Freshly ground black pepper; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves; 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes; 3/4 c. low-sodium chicken broth; 1/2 c. finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes; 1/2 c. heavy cream; 1/4 c. finely grated Parmesan; Torn fresh basil, for serving

The Original Marry Me Chicken is a pan-seared chicken breast in a rich sun-dried tomato and cream sauce with garlic and thyme. It's an elegant, restaurant-quality dinner that comes together in under 30 minutes.

🌍Italian

Total

40 min

Servings

4

Difficulty

Medium

Est. Cost

$23–$38

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Delish · by Lindsay Funston

Ingredients

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

3/4 c. low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 c. finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 c. heavy cream

1/4 c. finely grated Parmesan

Torn fresh basil, for serving

12 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Arrange a rack in center of oven; preheat to 375°. In a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 Tbsp. oil. Generously season chicken with salt and black pepper and cook, turning halfway through, until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate.
2
In same skillet over medium heat, heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil. Stir in garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, tomatoes, cream, and Parmesan; season with salt. Bring to a simmer, then return chicken and any accumulated juices to skillet.
3
Transfer skillet to oven. Bake chicken until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 165°, 10 to 12 minutes.
4
Arrange chicken on a platter. Spoon sauce over. Top with basil.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Pound chicken to ½-inch thickness for even cooking and faster cook time—this prevents dry edges and raw centers.
Let chicken rest 3–5 minutes after searing before slicing to retain juices.
Add cream slowly after removing the pan from heat to prevent curdling.
Use oil with high smoke point (extra-virgin olive oil works, but avoid butter-only searing as it burns too quickly at the required temperature).

Substitutions

Sun-dried tomatoes → fresh tomatoes (use ¾ cup diced; reduce chicken broth to ½ cup to account for extra moisture)
Heavy cream → half-and-half (sauce will be thinner; whisk in 1 tsp cornstarch slurry for body)
Fresh thyme → ½ tsp dried thyme (use half the amount)
Low-sodium chicken broth → vegetable broth (flavor will be slightly lighter)

Storage & make-ahead

Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of broth; do not microwave as the sauce may separate.