Marry Me Chicken (Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce)
Sun-dried tomato cream sauce with parmesan coats seared chicken breasts in this baked Marry Me Chicken recipe.
Ingredients
To Prepare and Sear the Chicken
- 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- salt to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or other neutral oil
To Make the Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream at room temperature
- ½ cup grated fresh parmesan cheese at room temperature
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes preferably packed in oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano more or less to taste
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes more or less to taste
To Finish the Chicken
To Serve
- chiffonaded fresh basil for garnish
- grated fresh parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
To Prepare and Sear the Chicken
Pound Chicken Breasts:
Prepare the chicken: Put 3 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts on a board. Cut off any excess fat, then pound to uniform thickness.Season Chicken Generously:
Season the chicken: Using paper towels, dry the chicken. Coat both sides generously with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.Heat Olive Oil:
Heat the pan: Set a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and heat until it shimmers, swirling to cover the bottom.Sear Chicken Breasts:
Sear the chicken: Lay the seasoned chicken in the hot skillet. Cook 3-4 minutes per side until lightly browned in places. Move to a plate; the chicken will not be cooked through. Keep the pan juices.
To Make the Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
Preheat Oven to 375°F:
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Position the rack so the skillet fits in the center.Sauté Minced Garlic:
Sauté garlic: Put the skillet back on the stove over medium-low heat. Add 2 tbsp minced garlic and cook 30-60 seconds until aromatic.Deglaze with Chicken Broth:
Add chicken broth: Pour in ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth, stirring to release any browned bits stuck to the pan.Whisk in Heavy Cream:
Add heavy cream: Move the skillet to a cool burner and let it cool 2-3 minutes. Add ½ cup heavy cream (room temperature) and whisk until smooth.Melt Parmesan Cheese:
Add parmesan: Sprinkle ½ cup grated fresh parmesan (room temperature) into the mixture. Whisk gently until fully melted.Reheat Sauce Gently:
Simmer sauce: Put the skillet back over medium-low heat and stir 1-2 minutes until the sauce is hot again.Add Sun-Dried Tomatoes:
Add aromatics: Mix in 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, 1 tsp dried oregano, and ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, oregano, or red pepper flakes as desired.Simmer Sauce Briefly:
Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat, stirring now and then to avoid scorching.
To Finish the Chicken
Coat Chicken with Sauce:
Return chicken to skillet: Once the sauce is simmering, put the seared chicken breasts back into the skillet, turning them 3-4 times to coat all sides with sauce.Bake Until 160°F:
Bake: Slide the skillet into the preheated oven. If you have a leave-in meat thermometer, insert the probe into the chicken. Bake for about 13 minutes, then check the internal temperature. Continue baking until the thickest part hits 160°F (70°C).Spoon Sauce Over Chicken:
Spoon sauce over chicken: Take the skillet out of the oven. Spoon the sauce from the pan over the chicken pieces.Rest Chicken in Skillet:
Rest: Allow the chicken to rest in the skillet for 5 minutes; the residual heat will raise the internal temperature to 165°F (75°C).
To Serve
Serve with Basil:
Serve: Move the chicken to serving plates. Spoon any leftover sauce on top and garnish with chiffonaded fresh basil and extra grated parmesan if you like. Serve right away with potatoes, asparagus, or other sides.