Marry Me Chicken

By Naz Deravian

Updated Feb. 3, 2025

Marry Me Chicken
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
1 hour
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
50 minutes
Rating
5(18,264)
Comments
Read comments

This cozy dish, which went viral on TikTok with claims that if you prepare it for someone, you will end up getting married, features boneless chicken breasts nestled in a creamy, tomato-y sauce. With wedding bells in mind or not, this dish comes together fairly quickly and is just as great for entertaining as it is for a family meal. In this version, the addition of tomato paste adds a bright acidity to the rich cream sauce and complements the sun-dried tomatoes. Serve with crusty bread to sop up all the juices as well as tangy green salad to balance out the sauce’s richness. Or, try it over pasta, rice or polenta.

Featured in: The Chicken That Might Put a Ring on It

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 3large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or 6 chicken cutlets (about 2¼ pounds total), patted dry
  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
  • ¼cup all-purpose flour
  • 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
  • 3tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1tablespoon tomato paste
  • ½teaspoon dried oregano 
  • Red-pepper flakes, to taste  
  • 1cup low-sodium chicken stock
  • ½ to ¾cup heavy cream
  • ½cup (1½ ounces) grated Parmesan
  • ⅓cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
  • Fresh basil, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    If using chicken breasts, start from the thickest end and slice each chicken breast in half horizontally so you end up with a total of 6 cutlets (see Tip). Season both sides of the chicken cutlets well with salt and pepper.

  2. Step 2

    Scatter the flour on a large plate and coat the cutlets, shaking off the excess. Transfer the cutlets to a sheet pan or large plate in a single layer.

  3. Step 3

    Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high. Once hot, reduce the heat to medium and add the butter. As soon as it melts, add the cutlets and cook until golden on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook the other side until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Do this in batches, if needed, adding more oil, if needed. Transfer the cutlets to a plate or sheet pan.

  4. Step 4

    Reduce the heat to low, add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stirring until the color deepens, about 2 minutes. Add the oregano and red-pepper flakes, to taste.

  5. Step 5

    Increase the heat to medium, add the stock and bring to a simmer, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan, until the liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

  6. Step 6

    Add ½ cup of the cream and warm through, stirring, until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Watch the cream closely, reducing the heat if necessary, to maintain a gentle simmer. Stir in the Parmesan and the sun-dried tomatoes. Add more cream, if you like, and season the sauce.

  7. Step 7

    Place the chicken back in the pan to warm through, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and scatter basil on top.

Tip
  • To make it easier to slice into cutlets, place the chicken breasts in the freezer for 20 minutes.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
18,264 user ratings
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Comments

cd1600

I have been making this for years. I pound my chicken cutlets and by the time it’s done they’re are falling apart tender. I add a lot more broth and thicken it with the flour from the chicken. I also add a half pound of cooked pasta and a lot of raw baby spinach at the end - it melts from the heat and makes this a true one pot meal. I always have enough for at least 2 nights!!

Souad Sharabani

You don't need to use that much oil & butter to make this dish, 1/2 the amount is sufficient . You can also use milk, or coconut milk instead of cream

Katie

This recipe nearly caused a divorce in my household as my boyfriend got so mad at the amount of oil I had splattered everywhere. Also I used chicken thighs as it was the only thing I had in the fridge. Frankly the outcome was a little gross, between the fattiness of the thighs and the creaminess of the sauce. I know, none of this is the fault of the recipe, but I guess my advice is don't use thighs and get a boyfriend who doesn't hover over you while you cook.

Alice Murphey

Served this over polenta seasoned with rosemary, which was a perfect with the sauce.

Kacey

I used the sundried tomatoes packed in olive oil, per the instructions. But I think it was overall too much oil, so I suggest draining or otherwise wiping the oil off the tomatoes. The recipe might just be better without the sundried tomatoes though. It's not such an elegant flavor, in my opinion. Has anyone tried it without or found a good substitute? I agree that it is "Murder Me" Chicken for the oily mess ;)

Kristina

New cook here. I made this for the first time tonight and I think the sauce broke. It separated so you could see the oil. Why did this happen and how can I prevent it in the future? Thanks for any advice!

CotaV

@Kristina The cream may have been too cold for the sauce. Try warming the cream a little before adding to the sauce.

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Credits

Recipe by Naz Deravian

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