Chef notes
Of all the recipes that have gone viral on TikTok, Marry Me Chicken is one that has had real staying power. Marry Me Chicken was originally developed by Lindsay Funston, who was a food editor at Delish. The story goes that when her team took a bite of the final recipe, they declared that it was so good, they’d marry her for that chicken. While it’s unclear how many proposals this chicken has actually resulted in, it’s unanimous that this dish impresses.
This popular chicken recipe has inspired hundreds of iterations, but the essential ingredients are heavy cream, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan. To make it a true weeknight dinner, I’ve opted for chicken tenders over breasts, which cook quickly on the stovetop. The dish comes together in well under 30 minutes, making it just as much a great option on a Tuesday as it is a meal to impress your partner.
To make it, sear the chicken tenders until golden brown and cooked through. After removing the chicken, make the sauce in the same pan. Start by sautéing the garlic and herbs until aromatic, which will bring out the flavor. Then, add in heavy cream, chicken stock, sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan and reduce the sauce until thickened. It’s creamy, flavorful and impossible to not love.
Get Ingredients: If you don’t have everything you need on hand, you can easily purchase all of the ingredients (just click the orange button below that says ‘Get Ingredients’). You can pick and choose exactly what ingredients you need based on what’s in your pantry and they’ll be on your doorstep before you know it.
Technique Tip: To cut down on prep time on weeknights, cook the chicken ahead of time and store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Since the sauce comes together so quickly, all you’ll need to do is add the chicken back to the sauce until it’s warmed through.
Swap Option: Boneless skinless chicken thighs can be used in place of chicken tenders.
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds chicken tenders
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- fresh basil leaves, to garnish
Preparation
1.Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Season both sides with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
2.Add the olive oil to a large pan set over medium high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the chicken and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Flip the chicken over and continue cooking until seared and cooked through, about 4 more minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
3.Add the garlic, thyme, oregano and pepper flakes to the pan and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds.
4.Add the heavy cream, chicken stock, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir to combine. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
5.Return the chicken to the skillet with the sauce and top with basil to serve.
