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Marry Me Chicken in a black skillet
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5 from 4 votes

Marry Me Chicken

Whip up a batch of Marry Me Chicken tonight! It is an irresistible dish with tender, flavorful chicken, and a creamy sauce served over pasta.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Brining Time (optional)30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: marry me chicken
Servings: 4
Calories: 585kcal
Author: Kelsey Crist

Ingredients

For the Chicken

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts butterfly cut
  • salt for brining (optional)
  • 3 slices bacon
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt omit if you brined the chicken
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon butter

For the Sauce

  • 1 shallot diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated, plus more for serving
  • 6-7 basil leaves sliced
  • angel hair pasta for serving

Instructions

  • Optional Brining Step: Place the chicken breasts on a plate and sprinkle generously with salt. Let sit uncovered in the fridge for 30 minutes. Pat dry.
    While chicken is brining, cook bacon in a large skillet. Remove bacon from pan, but save the bacon grease. Chop the bacon and set aside for later.
    three pieces of bacon cooking in a pan
  • To a wide shallow bowl, add flour, paprika, oregano, thyme, salt (skip salt if you brined the chicken), and pepper. Stir to combine. Dredge both sides of each chicken breast in the flour mixture.
    Four floured pieces of chicken
  • Add butter to bacon grease in the pan and heat over medium heat until butter is bubbling. Place each chicken breast in the pan. Let cook for 4 minutes on each side until a golden brown crust forms. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
    Four pieces of lightly breaded chicken cooking in a skillet
  • Add shallots to the pan and cook until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add sun-dried tomatoes and chicken stock. Scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
    Shallots, garlic, chicken stock, and sun dried tomatoes in a skillet
  • Once the chicken stock is bubbling, add heavy cream and spices and whisk to combine. When the cream is bubbling, add parmesan cheese and whisk to combine. Add chicken back into the pan.
    Marry Me Chicken in a skillet
  • Let the sauce simmer and reduce until it thickens. Check to make sure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Stir in basil and chopped bacon. Serve over pasta and top with extra parmesan cheese.
    A bowl of pasta topped with cream sauce

Video

Notes

  • For extra juicy chicken, use the optional dry brine and let the chicken sit with salt in the fridge for 30 minutes before cooking.
  • Keep the skillet at medium heat and maintain a gentle simmer once the chicken is in the sauce so the cream does not split.
  • Pound the chicken to an even thickness instead of butterflying if that is easier for you.
  • Add vegetables like spinach, kale, mushrooms, or artichoke hearts to the sauce to stretch the meal and add more flavor.
  • This recipe is delicious over pasta, but it also works very well over rice or mashed potatoes.
  • Nutrition information does not include pasta.

Nutrition

Calories: 585kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 132mg | Sodium: 1102mg | Potassium: 808mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1903IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 241mg | Iron: 4mg