Do I hear wedding bells?! ❤️ Marry Me Chicken is one of the most delicious chicken recipes out there. It’s juicy, tender, creamy, cheesy and flavourful and you would be hard pressed not to fall in love with this dish. Love is in the air! Make this dish for your partner and watch the sparks fly!
My Marry Me Chicken recipe starts off with lightly seasoned chicken breasts, which are pan-seared until caramelized, juicy and tender. Onions, cherry and sun-dried tomatoes and spinach add freshness, depth of flavour and a variety of textures to this playful dish. Wait, it gets better! The ingredients combine and are braised in a luxurious and rich cream sauce - comprised of salty and nutty Parmigiano Reggiano, dry, light and fruity white wine and a good dose of heavy cream. Doesn’t that sound sinful and absolutely swoon worthy?
If you are looking for a chicken recipe that is sure to impress, then look no further than my Marry Me Chicken recipe. Share it with someone you love or treat yourself to something indulgent and downright delicious! For a memorable and loving meal, pair this dish with some rice or pasta and my Super Simple Arugula Salad! So, let me show you how it’s done. Grab a spoon and come and cook with me!
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 38 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (approx. 1.06 kg) (See Notes below)
1 tsp kosher salt, divided
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground pepper
3 Tbsp sun-dried tomato oil (See Notes below)
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 cups cherry tomatoes
210 mL jar sun-dried tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped (See Notes below)
4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
2/3 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio (See Notes below)
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
6 cups fresh spinach
Instructions:
Prepping the Chicken Breasts: Remove the chicken breasts from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature for at least 25 minutes. Pat them dry with a paper towel and season with 1/2 tsp salt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and pepper.
Set a large stainless steel skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the sun-dried tomato oil and chicken breasts and cook for a total of 15 minutes, flipping them over halfway through the cook time. Transfer the chicken breasts to a plate and set aside.
Sautéing the Vegetables: To the same skillet, add the onions and remaining 1/2 tsp of salt and cook for 3 minutes or until translucent and softened. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Then, toss in the sun-dried tomatoes and garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Creating the Cream Sauce: Deglaze the pan with white wine and cook for 4 minutes or until the sauce has reduced by half. Then, add the cream and Parmigiano Reggiano and bring it to a boil.
Bringing Everything Together: Nestle the chicken breasts into the sauce and cook for 5 minutes. Toss in the spinach and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the chicken breasts have cooked through. You know your chicken breasts are done when the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 165F (74C).
Remove the skillet from the heat and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Transfer the Marry me Chicken to a serving plate alongside some rice or pasta. Serve and enjoy!
Notes:
Chicken Breasts and Room Temperature: You want to give your chicken breasts ample time to come to room temperature prior to cooking. This will promote even cooking and yield the juiciest chicken breasts.
A Jar of Sun-Dried Tomatoes Goes a Long Way: For this recipe, I love using jarred sun-dried tomatoes, which are submerged in oil. The oil, typically a neutral oil (such as sunflower oil), is perfumed with tangy and sweet sun-dried tomatoes and fragrant Italian spices. It’s chalk full of flavour and discarding it would be a shame. This sun-dried tomato oil adds so much umami flavour to this dish. Using a small fine meshed sieve, drain the sun-dried tomatoes over a small bowl. Spoon 3 Tbsp of the oil into the skillet and let the magic happen!
Pinot Grigio Reigns Supreme: For this recipe, I recommend using your favourite Pinot Grigio wine. It’s light bodied, crisp, dry and fruity and has a pronounced acidity, which enhances the brightness of this dish and pairs beautifully with all the ingredients.
Everyone Needs A Little Rest: As soon as the chicken breasts have cooked through, remove them from the heat and rest for 5 minutes before slicing. This will allow the juices to be reabsorbed by the chicken and distributed throughout, producing tender and juicy chicken breasts.