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This super tender Marry Me Chicken with rosemary and sun-dried tomatoes is so delicious that it just might seal the deal on a proposal! It will definitely garner brownie points for you! No one has to know how easy it is!
I'm pretty sure that Scott would propose all over again just to have the promise of this delicious Marry Me Chicken in his life. Every time I make it I know there's going to be little contented sighs, "Mmmm's" and statements like "Wow, this is so good!" and "Amazing!" and "You can make this anytime!"
History of Marry Me Chicken
The original Marry Me Chicken recipe was posted by Delish back in 2018. Since then, many versions of this creamy, garlicky Sicilian-inspired chicken with sundried-tomatoes have been floating around the internet and through our social media feeds. In fact, if you google "Marry Me Chicken", 367,000,000 hits come up!
How did this dish get its name? According to Delish, "Marry Me Chicken" earned its title from a taste test by the publication's editors. When they were sampling this recipe, someone said, after taking the first bite, "I'd marry you for that chicken!". And the rest is delicious history!
My version of this renowned chicken dish is my own rendition, but does include the creamy sauce and sun-dried tomatoes. I used my Juicy Tender Chicken Breasts recipe as a base and then went with a super simple sauce made in the same pan. I love that this recipe is easy enough to make for a quick weeknight dinner, yet it also makes a very gourmet meal for entertaining.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
How to serve this Marry Me Chicken? We really enjoy this chicken served in a bowl with fresh pasta. Fresh pasta is readily available these days in most larger grocery stores. It's often stocked in the dairy case, near the butter, cheese and yogurt. It's not only super tender and delicious, but fresh pasta is also a great option because it cooks in 2-4 minutes vs dry pasta which takes around 10-12 minutes. As we all know, sometimes those few extra minutes, especially on work nights can be the deal-breaker!
Rice, mashed potatoes, quinoa, farro and polenta are also wonderful with this chicken. And if the sauce isn't enough of a splurge, just pair this dish with a side of roasted veggies. Broccoli, broccolini or these roasted carrots are all delicious too!
Put this Marry Me Chicken on your "must make" list. I'm quite certain you'll be thanking yourself over and over. And when you serve this dish to family, friends, guests... expect sighs of delight, "Mmm's" and statements like "Wow, this is so good!" and "Amazing!" and "You can make this anytime!" I'm not promising anything else... but who knows what this delicious chicken dinner might elicit....... maybe??
Café Tips for making this Marry Me Chicken
- A non-stick or regular heavy sauté pan will work well for this recipe. Just make sure that it has a cover as you will need that once you get to step 5 in the recipe.
- Most of the time, you'll find that chicken breasts are packaged with the pieces being different sizes. Don't wait for all of the chicken to reach 160˚F. Just keep an eye on it after 5 minutes of being covered and removed the pieces as they reach 160˚F. The ideal temperature for chicken that's moist and tender is 160-165˚F. The chicken will rise a few more degrees after you remove it from the pan.
- It's difficult to get perfectly cooked chicken without an instant thermometer. Instant thermometers aren't expensive and they last for years. I also use mine for baked goods to get perfectly done cakes and breads. This instant thermometer is waterproof and has over 7,000 5-star reviews.
- I like to make prepare a triple or quadruple batch of the rub and store it in a small mason jar. It makes preparing this recipe easy and quick. We also enjoy this chicken on its own (without the sauce) when we're watching our calories so it's super convenient to have this rub on hand.
- Want to make this dish ahead? Cook the chicken and sauce as directed but keep them separate. If you're preparing the recipe more than 30 minutes in advance, refrigerate both the sauce and chicken separately. Before serving, re-warm the sauce over low heat for 10 minutes, then add the chicken, cover and continue to heat (on low) until the chicken is warmed through.
- I like to use sun-dried tomatoes in oil for this recipe. I scoop out the amount I need with a slotted spoon then chop them up with a sharp knife. If you can't find sun-dried tomatoes in oil, dried will also work but you'll need to re-hydrate them before chopping.
- Either full or low-fat (Neufchâtel) cream cheese will work for this recipe but not fat-free.
- This recipe calls for white wine. A dry, crisp white wine will work well. Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and dry sparkling wines are all good choices. If you don't drink wine and don't want to buy it just for this recipe, you can sub extra chicken broth for the wine.
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Marry Me Chicken
Ingredients
For the rub:
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the cream cheese mixture:
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- ¼ cup milk
For the chicken
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1½-2 pounds
- 1 small lemon, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- For the sauce:
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup white wine
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth, maybe more
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes, in oil, drained, plus more for garnish, if desired
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
- fresh rosemary sprigs, for garnish
Instructions
- Combine the garlic salt, Italian seasoning, paprika and pepper in a small bowl. Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board or large plate and sprinkle both sides with the rub. Place lemon slices on a separate plate and sprinkle with a little bit of the rub. Use all of the rub.
- Place cream cheese in a small microwave-safe bowl or cup. Cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave on high power for 20-40 seconds or until cream cheese is very soft. Stir until nice and smooth then, slowly add the milk. Stir again until all of the milk is incorporated and the mixture is smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- Heat a medium-large sauté pan or skillet (a pan that has a cover) over medium heat. Add the butter and oil and heat until butter is melted and beginning to bubble. Add the lemons and sauté for 30 seconds then remove them back to the plate.
- Add the chicken breasts to the pan (smooth side down) and cook, uncovered for 3 minutes or until underneath side is a pretty golden brown. You want the chicken to be sizzling while it cooks but if the butter/oil is splattering (making a mess on the stovetop), reduce the heat a bit to maintain a gentle sizzle.
- Flip chicken to the opposite side and cover the pan. Lower the heat slightly and cook for 5-12 minutes (depending on the thickness of the chicken) until underside is golden brown and an instant thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 160˚F. (Don’t go by just color. It’s important to check the temperature.)
- Remove the chicken to a clean plate and tent with foil.
- Add the finely minced or grated garlic to the pan and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the wine and chicken stock and increase the heat to high. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any brown bits from the chicken. Boil for 5 minutes or until liquid is reduced by about one half.
- Reduce heat to low and add the cream cheese mixture, the sun-dried tomatoes and the chopped rosemary. Stir and cook over low heat until cream cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. If the sauce seems too thick, thin it out with a little more chicken broth. It should have the consistency of heavy cream.
- Return the chicken to the pan and cover. With the heat on low, cook for about 3 minutes or until chicken is warmed through. Top with the lemon slices and sprinkle with extra chopped rosemary (and sprigs, if desired) and sun-dried tomatoes, for garnish.
Notes
Nutrition
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I'm making this for company tomorrow night. You suggested serving it with fresh pasta. Is there enough sauce in the chicken dish to use on each serving of pasta? Do you recommend having grated parmesan on the table as an option for guests to add to dish?
Hi Linda, I'm so sorry to be late to answer this. We had an event at our house plus a birthday this weekend so I'm just getting to comments now. You probably did fine on your own but my answer is that the sauce is enough to lightly dress the pasta. It's enough for us but you could double it if you prefer more. And yes, I love to serve it with Parmesan because... well, almost everything is better with Parmesan, right?
I have been cooking for my husband for 20 years and he says this is the best meal he has ever eaten!!!!
That's awesome, Mary Kate! Thanks for letting us know!
I love this recipe and have made it multiple times. It is always enjoyed by everyone! I was just wondering what you would think about using chicken tenders instead of the breasts for a quicker dinner prep. I know they would need to come to the same temp but I think they would do that faster. Your opinion matters!
Hi Jackie, chicken tenders would be great!
This chicken is absolutely delicious. The first time I made it my husband asked me to put it in the regular rotation. I almost fell off my chair. He doesn't usually make requests.
That's great, Marna! Thank you for the review.
I made the Marry Me Chicken, and we just loved it! As we were eating it ,I was already thinking which guests I would serve this to.I made it according to your directions, except i reduced the Rosemary, add it still turned out wonderful.Your recipes have made me look like a master chef. Thank you!
Wonderful! Thank you for letting us know, Terry!
Love love love this recipe. I used all chicken broth as suggested (dont drink wine) and cut down the amount of sun dried tomatoes. We are trying to limit carbs and this is an excellent recipe!
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know, Carol!
How would this work with skin on bone in chicken thighs?
Hi Karen, the timing would be quite different, with bone-in chicken breasts taking much longer. I'm sure it would be delicious but I can't give you exact times since I haven't tested the recipe with this cut of chicken. Let us know if you try it!
YEAH, the chicken came out fine...its just that, the sauce came out ruuuuuunnnnnnyyyyyy...it would have been nice to know that the cream cheese/milk is essential a roux to the overall sauce and no amount of cornstarch or butter, after the fact would help this...i havent had a microwave in decades, and i dont know how much this had todo with it...
all the fun fluff talk of recipies are just over done when you dont speak of the key elements that make or break the time and money...
Hi Me, so sorry you had trouble with this recipe, I hate wasting good ingredients. It's difficult to say what went wrong without having been right there in the kitchen with you. I haven't had this issue and, if you read the other reviews, others haven't either. Again, sorry you had problems.
I made this for a family gathering for my daughter-in-law's birthday. I am not an experienced cook but this turned out incredible. I made an extra tray so I could send leftovers home with our children but there was not an ounce left. In particular, the men seemed to love it.
Unfortunately, it did not inspire my youngest son to propose to his girlfriend so I will have to keep serving it until it works.
Hahahahahaha! I love it! So happy you enjoyed it, Joy! And thanks for making me laugh.
I just finished making the Marry Me Chicken! I doubled the sauce, and I am serving it with mashed potatoes and asparagus…it looks picture perfect! Between this and the pink cloud cookies, I am batting 1000 this week! Thankyou Chris!!
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know, Gayann!
Thank you for this fabulous five-star recipe. The chicken was golden brown, juicy and full of flavor, and the sauce just made me want to throw manners out the window and lick the plate clean. I used lower-cal Neufchatel cheese in the sauce, skipped the pasta and served with fresh asparagus.
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know, MJ!
Can this be prepared ahead, at least part of it? I would be afraid of losing the flavour if I had to reheat
Thank you Sandy
Hi Sandy, you could prepare this completely in advance and very gently rewarm it on low heat. You don't want the chicken to cook any more, just warm through.
I absolutely loved this dish, followed as written, and served over some angel hair pasta. May add a bit more of the sundried tomatoes next time. That sauce is so yummy!
Thanks for sharing your results, Beth!
Hello
Cream cheese? would philadelphia cheese be appropriate in this recipe?
This recipe looks wonderful, can't wait to try it.
thanks for your help!
Hi Lou, yes Philadelphia cheese is perfect for this recipe. Enjoy!
Just made this tonight. Truly amazing!!! My husband and I loved it. Did not change a thing. Served over purple rice. Delicious!!!! Thank you for a wonderful recipe! Can’t wait to make this for the next dinner party. 😘
Thanks so much, Tiffani, for taking the time to share your results. This is definitely a fun and delicious dinner party recipe!
Wow, just wow. This chicken recipe is absolutely mouth watering delicious. I served it over wide egg noodles. It is easy to put together and the sauce is so good. This is the best chicken recipe I have made in in a long time. I will be making it again and again. and again. Thank you for this recipe and all the other fantastic recipes on your blog.
Yay! So happy you enjoyed it, Linda!💕
I've made this three times and it's always a hit. I try to double the sauce and serve it over pasta with a side of sauteed green beans. Seriously, it's so good! Thanks Chris!
Thanks, Jill, for sharing your review. I'm so happy you've enjoyed this chicken. Green beans would be a perfect side!
I made this yesterday for Christmas dinner. I also sent the prepped ingredients over to my daughter and son-in-law who are quarantining so they could make it for their Christmas dinner as well. It was a hit and looked lovely as I plated it with fettuccini and your green beans wrapped in bacon.The only problem I had was that I tripled the recipe and had a lot of trouble getting the sauce to reduce down and thicken up. Finally added some flour mixed with butter to thicken it up a bit.
Turned out great - and my husband said it was one of the best chicken recipes I had made - which after 48 years together is saying something. 🙂
God bless you in the New Year!.
Thanks so much for sharing your results. It sounds like a lovely dinner! I'm so happy you enjoyed it!
Regarding the sauce, it does take longer for a triple recipe. That was a good solution to add a little beurre manié to thicken!
Hi! I have been a huge fan of your recipes for a while and we are amateurs at cooking chicken. Can we make this recipe in a Dutch Oven?
You could, although if you have a medium to large saute pan, that would be better. Hope you enjoy it!
I made this recipe today and I was astounded at how delicious the sauce was. I kept scooping it up out of the pan and just eating it as is. I served it over rice and the flavour absorbed into it. SO delish! I really appreciated the tip to check the internal temp of the chicken to ensure it was cooked but not dried out. Each breast needed a different amt of time so that was very helpful. I didn't have oil packed tomatoes so I used regular dried and they were fine once I rehydrated them with hot water. Thank you Chris, for this delicious recipe!
This is a fabulous chicken dinner. My three daughters, who are so picky and never like anything, loved this and keep asking me to make Marry Me Chicken again! It will be on again soon!!
That's so awesome, Aimee! I love it! Thanks so much for sharing your results!
I made this chicken dish and the men in my house love, love, loved it.
It has such a wonderful blend of flavors.
I flattened my chicken breasts and then I also baked them in the oven in the sauce after browning them in the pan.
This is definitely a dish you want to serve your company.
Thank you for sharing your amazing recipes and tips.
You're welcome, ReNee! Thanks for sharing your review. I'm so happy you enjoyed this chicken as much as we do!
This recipe is INCREDIBLE. My mother has been making so many of your recipes, and now that I've moved out I'm following suit! My in-laws said it was some of the best chicken they've ever had (and they make some good chicken). I tend to follow this recipe up with your fantastic rosemary shortbread since I always end up with extra rosemary!
Thank you for sharing these wonderful meals!
You're welcome, Mirais! I'm so happy that you and your mom have enjoyed our recipes. And I love your in-laws' comment, that makes my day! 💕
I read your review and had to research the Rosemary shortbread you refer to. They are the best shortbread I have ever tasted. Cannot wait to try this chicken dish this evening!. Thank you to both of you! 🍽
So happy you enjoyed the shortbread, Cathy! Hope the chicken worked out well for you too!
Chris!
I want to marry you! Fabulous recipe. My husband and I loved every morsel .. served with egg noodles and fresh peas. Yum!
Haha! We had this for dinner last night too! Thanks so much for sharing your results, Toni! I'm so happy you enjoyed this chicken!
Another FABULOUS recipe from Cafe Sucre Farine!!! This is so yummy...I would give it more than 5 stars if possible!
Thanks for my new favorite chicken recipe!!!!
Thanks so much, Barbara! I really appreciate you taking the time to leave such a kind comment 💕💕
The sauce is divine. I tasted to see if it needed salt etc. Nope! Perfection. Then the chicken was so tender and moist. And some of the techniques were new to me. Can’t say I’ve ever sautéed lemon slices before. Neither have I warmed cream cheese in the microwave. I used Neufchâtel and skim milk. Subbed Vermouth for the white wine. Will have to serve company; thanks for your instructions on how to make in advance and reheat.
Thanks so much, Jeanne! I'm so happy you enjoyed it!
Thank you so much for all your wonderful recipes and, above all, for your beautiful thought for the day and uplifting music. I live in England and I am so happy to see that you not only share my passion for good food but also for our Father in heaven.
Stay safe during this pandemic and may God bless you and your family.
Every blessing
Christine.
Aww... I love this, Christine! God's people are all over the world! It makes it a much smaller planet! Thanks for taking the time to leave such a sweet comment. 💕
This was excellent! Only changes I made were minor additions. I added some chopped onion and sliced cremini mushrooms (cooked them after the chicken, before adding the broth), otherwise exactly as written. Served it with pasta and it was really good. Thanks again for a wonderful recipe.
Thanks, Brenda! So happy you enjoyed it! I love the addition of mushrooms! 😋
We loved this one Chris! I added a teaspoon of capers since I have a jar that always asks for an invitation to the party but rarely gets one! It was a lovely compliment to the lemon and sun dried tomato flavors. A new favorite for sure!
Yay! Thanks for sharing your results, Susanne! Capers sounds like a delicious addition!
Very nice meal. Cut the recipe n half for hubby and I and served with fresh fettuccine and salad. Will make again for sure.
Sounds like a wonderful dinner, Kim. Thanks so much for sharing your results!
I have never tried this chicken in any form, but I trust that your version will be just perfect! Will be putting it on the menu soon 🙂
Your recipes are always the best.....and this is the best of the
best. Will definitely make this again....in fact, many times.
Yay! I always love it when the first person tries a recipe and reports back. Thanks, Kay! 💕
I would like your opinion. So many recipes call for Rosemary and/or Thyme. I really do not like Rosemary and Thyme isn't really a favorite herb either. What would you use as a substitute? Often I just leave the Rosemary out and cut the Thyme in 1/2, but feel the dish is loosing something. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
PS-we made your Naan this past weekend and loved it!
Do you like basil? Fresh basil would be absolutely delicious in this recipe and it would make a beautiful garnish with the lemons!
So happy you enjoyed the Naan!
Bill will love this, too! And it seems fitting to make your marry me cookies for dessert, right??? xo
This recipe sounds absolutely delicious and I can't wait to make it. How do you think it would work on fish? (A white fish such as cod.)
I think this would be fantastic with cod. You'd just have to be careful to not overcook it. The sauce would be a wonderful compliment to white fish!
Chris: I did not get a reply from you in my email 5-13-20 on the chicken skewers! Can shrimp be used successfully with this sauce? Thank you...Sandra
Hi Sandra, sorry I 've gotten a bit behind on my emails. That's on the schedule for later this afternoon!
I think the skewers would be wonderful with shrimp. You'd just have to be careful not to overcook the shrimp. What I might do with shrimp, is to thread the veggies and shrimp on separate skewers and then combine them after grilling. That way you could take the shrimp skewers off a little sooner but make sure that the veggies were cooked.
That makes so much sense---separate skewers! I'm actually making the chicken version tonight. Finished the sauce, breast is marinating as I type!---Thanks so much for your response and deliciousness sent in each communique'! Sandra
You're welcome, Sandra! 💕
Yes, this recipe would be fantastic with thighs and you wouldn't have to be as concerned about them overcooking. That being said, I wonder if he would actually like this recipe with the breasts because they stay so tender.??
I agree I thought I would maybe try a combo. Also I make your raspberry freezer jam on a regular basis -- that's Steve's favourite and IT IS FANTASTIC! It's like I am a 2020 version of my grandmother! Thanks Chris for all your great ideas. BTW do you have a printable version of your Bon Apetite poster?
Awesome! I love that description - a 2020 version of grandmother's jam! So happy you've enjoyed it.
I made the poster. I will send you the jpeg.
Hi Chris -- LOVE the name of this chicken, can hardly wait to try it! My husband is not a big fan of breasts, (well except mine LOL) -- do you think it would work equally well with thighs??? It's our long weekend here in Canada and we are expecting a couple of rainy days so this would be perfect for one of those when it's too wet to BBQ. Look forward to your input and THANKS for all the great recipes!