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Marry Me Chicken

Marry Me Chicken is a creamy sun-dried tomato chicken dinner with golden seared breasts and a glossy Parmesan cream sauce. The method—sear, deglaze, simmer, then spoon sauce over—gives restaurant-quality richness in about 35 minutes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breasts
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts Pat dry so the surface browns well.
Seasonings
  • salt To taste; season both sides generously.
  • pepper To taste; season both sides generously.
  • garlic powder To taste; season both sides generously.
  • Italian seasoning To taste; season both sides generously.
  • smoked paprika To taste; season both sides generously.
Sauce base
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • fresh basil for garnish Freshly torn or thinly sliced for serving.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika on both sides.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, then sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F; remove to a plate.
Simmer the sun-dried tomato cream sauce
  1. In the same pan, cook the minced garlic and sliced sun-dried tomatoes for 1 minute.
  2. Pour in the chicken broth and deglaze, scraping up the browned bits from the pan.
  3. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, dried Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Finish and serve
  1. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon the sauce over each breast, then simmer 2 more minutes.
  2. Garnish with fresh basil and serve over pasta or mashed potatoes.

Notes

Pro tip: Don’t move the chicken during the first side sear—let it develop a deep golden crust before flipping. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet so the sauce stays creamy. Freezing is not recommended because cream sauces can break after thawing. For a lighter option, swap heavy cream for evaporated milk (use the same amount) for a slightly thinner but still creamy sauce.