Mains · American
Marry Me Chicken
Golden chicken simmered in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce, with a name that promises a lot.
- Hands-on
- 30 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Makes
- 4 servings
- Serves
- 4
About 30 minutes start to finish, nearly all of it hands-on at the stove. No oven needed.
Pan large skillet, about 30 cm (US: large skillet, about 12 in)
- easy
- date-night
- weeknight
- one-pan
- viral
Verified against at least two trusted test kitchens or food-safety guides · Last checked · What this means
Scaling? Written for 4 breasts in one large skillet. For more, sear in batches or use a second pan rather than crowding one, and check every piece with a thermometer. Some items (like eggs) don’t halve neatly: beat them, then measure out half.
Ingredients
You need: large pot · colander · large skillet · tongs · plate · wooden spoon · instant-read thermometer
Contains: milk · wheat
Method
Cook the pasta
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat and salt it generously. Cook the 227 g (8 oz) spaghetti until al dente, following the packet timing. Drain it and keep it warm.
Ready when: Tender but still with a little bite when you taste a strand.
Sear the chicken
Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season both sides of the 4 chicken breasts generously with salt and pepper. Lay them in the pan and leave them alone for about 5 minutes, then flip with tongs and cook about 5 minutes more. Move them to a plate.
Ready when: Golden brown on both sides. The middle isn't cooked yet; it finishes in the sauce.
Otto tried this firstOtto keeps nudging and flipping the chicken to check on it, and it stays pale. Left still for the full 5 minutes per side, it turns golden.Soften the shallot and garlic
Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil and the sliced shallot to the same skillet. Cook, stirring now and then, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the 2 minced garlic cloves and stir constantly for about 1 minute.
Ready when: The shallot is just tender and the garlic smells fragrant.
Build the sauce
Pour in the 240 ml (1 cup) broth and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the 180 g (6.3 oz) chopped sun-dried tomatoes, the bouillon cube, 240 ml (1 cup) cream, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1/4 tsp pepper flakes and 1/4 tsp salt. Stir until the cube dissolves.
Ready when: The bouillon cube has fully dissolved and the browned bits have lifted off the pan.
Simmer the chicken in the sauce
Bring the sauce to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium-low so it simmers. Nestle the chicken into the sauce and cook for 5 to 10 minutes.
Ready when: The sauce has thickened slightly and a thermometer in the thickest part of each breast reads 74°C / 165°F.
Finish and serve
Stir the 57 g (1/2 cup) Parmesan and the 1/4 cup sliced basil into the sauce. Divide the chicken and sauce among 4 plates and serve with the spaghetti.
Swaps
- Instead of chicken breasts: 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs Sear them 3 to 4 minutes per side, then simmer in the sauce until they reach 74°C / 165°F.
- Instead of dried oregano: dried thyme, same amount, or half oregano and half thyme
- Instead of spaghetti: any pasta, or rice or quinoa Cook it according to the packet.
Make ahead, store & reheat
- Storage
- Cool leftovers and refrigerate them within 2 hours (1 hour on a very hot day above 32°C / 90°F). Eat them within 48 hours, or freeze them as soon as possible.
- Reheat
- Reheat until steaming hot all the way through (74°C / 165°F). Only reheat once.
If something goes wrong
- Golden outside but you're not sure about the middle
Check the thickest part with a thermometer: chicken is safe at 74°C / 165°F. If you have no thermometer, cut into the thickest part: there should be no pink, the juices should run clear, and it should be steaming hot. If not, simmer a few minutes more. - Chicken won't brown
Make sure the oil is hot before the chicken goes in, and don't move it for the first 5 minutes.
Good to know
- Leave the chicken still while it sears; moving it too soon stops the golden crust forming.
- Like more heat? Some versions use up to 1 tsp of pepper flakes; start with 1/4 tsp and add to taste.
Safety
- Raw chicken can carry harmful bacteria. Use a separate board for it, and wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds after handling it.
- The seared chicken is still raw inside. Don't put the cooked chicken back on that plate unless it has been washed in hot, soapy water.
- Hot oil can spit when the chicken goes in. Lay each piece away from you, and keep children back from the stove.
- Bouillon cubes can contain wheat, celery or other allergens. Check the label.