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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. Searing in a cast iron skillet then simmering the sauce creates a thick, spoonable texture topped with fresh basil.
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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: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breasts
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts Use evenly sized breasts for consistent searing.
Seasonings
  • Salt To taste; season generously on both sides.
  • pepper To taste; season generously on both sides.
  • garlic powder To taste; include with the chicken seasoning mix.
  • Italian seasoning To taste; include with the chicken seasoning mix.
  • smoked paprika To taste; include with the chicken seasoning mix.
Sauce base
  • 2 tbsp olive oil For searing in the cast iron skillet.
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced Minced before cooking.
  • 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced Slice after draining for even bites.
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth Use for deglazing and building flavor.
  • 1 cup heavy cream For the creamy sauce.
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, grated Grate fresh if possible; it melts into the sauce.
  • 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning Adds herb notes to the simmering sauce.
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes Adjust to taste for gentle heat.
  • Fresh basil for garnish Add at the end for bright color and aroma.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear chicken
  1. Season chicken breasts generously on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika, covering the surfaces evenly.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then sear chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden with an internal temperature of 165°F.
  3. Remove the chicken to a plate while you make the sauce in the same skillet.
Build the sun-dried tomato cream sauce
  1. Cook garlic and sun-dried tomatoes in the same pan for 1 minute, scraping any browned bits as they form a fragrant base.
  2. Pour in the chicken broth and deglaze, stirring to lift the fond from the pan until the liquid looks cohesive.
  3. Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan, dried Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes, then simmer 4-5 minutes until the sauce thickens to a spoon-coating consistency with visible bubbling at the edges.
Finish and serve
  1. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon the sauce over each breast, then simmer 2 minutes until the chicken is heated through and the sauce clings to it.
  2. Garnish with fresh basil and serve over pasta or mashed potatoes, letting the glossy sauce pool around the chicken.

Notes

Pro tip: Let the chicken sit 2-3 minutes after searing before saucing so the juices redistribute and the breasts stay tender. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of broth if needed. Freezing is not ideal for best texture, but you can freeze cooked chicken and sauce up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter option, swap half-and-half for heavy cream (the sauce will be thinner, but still flavorful).