Marry Me Chicken
Marry Me Chicken is one of the best ways to cook chicken breasts! Tender and juicy chicken breasts cooked in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce – the perfect combination for an easy weeknight dinner.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp olive oil or butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme or 1 tbsp fresh
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning or dried basil
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes adjust for spice preference
- Optional: Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Season the chicken: Pat the 2 lbs chicken breasts dry and season both sides with 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (adjust for spice preference).
- Sear the chicken: Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Once hot, add the chicken breasts and sear for 5 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Cook the aromatics: Reduce heat to medium-low and add 1 tbsp olive oil to the skillet. Add 1 tbsp minced garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant, stirring to prevent burning.
- Make the sauce: Add 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, 1/2 cup chicken broth, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tsp dried thyme, and 1 tsp Italian seasoning to the skillet. Stir over medium heat until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth and combined (about 2–3 minutes).
- Combine chicken and sauce: Return the seared chicken breasts to the skillet, spooning the sauce over the chicken to coat thoroughly.
- Bake: Place the skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Cool and prep: Remove the skillet from the oven and let the chicken cool for 10 minutes. Slice or leave the chicken breasts whole, then portion into meal prep containers.
- Add rice (optional): Serve each portion with 1/2 cup cooked white rice (prepared separately) or enjoy without rice, as preferred. Garnish with fresh basil (optional) for added flavor.
- Store: Seal meal prep containers and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven before serving.
Notes
- Goat cheese option: If you prefer to keep the goat cheese, you can replace the heavy cream and Parmesan with 4 oz goat cheese, as in your original recipe. Stir until melted and smooth in step 5, but note this will give a tangier, less creamy result.
- Garlic adjustment: Reduced to 1 tbsp for balance, but you can increase to 2 tbsp if you love garlic (3 tbsp may overpower).
- Seasoning tweak: Swapped oregano for Italian seasoning to align with traditional recipes, but you can use oregano if preferred.
- Rice prep: Cook the white rice separately (e.g., 1 cup dry rice yields ~2 cups cooked, enough for 4 servings of 1/2 cup each) to include in meal prep containers.
