Marry Me Chicken
Updated February 2, 2025
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 50 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or 6 chicken cutlets (about 2 ¼ pounds total), patted dry
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
¼ cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ teaspoon dried oregano
Red-pepper flakes, to taste
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
½ to ¾ cup heavy cream
½ cup (1 ½ ounces) grated Parmesan
⅓ cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
Fresh basil, for serving
Preparation
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Step 7
Place the chicken back in the pan to warm through, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and scatter basil on top.
To make it easier to slice into cutlets, place the chicken breasts in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Private Notes
Comments
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!!
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.
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
I loved it but not enough sauce for me so next time I’ll double the sauce.
Question: would we be missing flavor if the chicken was not sautéed but sous-vided instead? I like the texture and juiciness that the sous-vide provides. And it would be easier and less messy. Wdyt?
I absolutely love this dish. I made it two weeks ago and plan to make it for dinner tonight -- for myself. Yes, I shall marry myself, again. I am going full tilt boogey and using full cream and the top part (coconut fat from a can of coconut milk), the butter, and some oil from the sun-dried tomatoes. Yes, and going to modify it by adding shallots, yellow onion, and lots of garlic, as I love everything in the garlic/onion family. I am thrilled! What a recipe!