My husband said he wanted to marry me all over again after one bite of this Marry Me Chicken—tender chicken breasts in a light, creamy sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. It’s that good.
Marry Me Chicken
This one-pan dinner is a lighter spin on the viral “Marry Me Chicken”—and it just might win over everyone at your table. Juicy boneless chicken breasts simmer in a rich tomato cream sauce made with cream cheese and half-and-half instead of heavy cream, plus a handful of spinach for extra veggies. It’s cozy, flavorful, and anything but boring… with 30 grams of protein per serving!
More chicken breast recipes you will love for dinner that are also swoon-worthy: Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts and Chicken Florentine.
Why This Works
As a recipe developer and cookbook author, I’m always looking for ways to lighten up comfort food without sacrificing flavor—and this one really delivers. I’ve tested this recipe multiple times to get the balance of creaminess and flavor just right—without the heaviness. Tommy even said he’d marry me all over again after trying it!
- Makes Chicken Breasts Exciting: I’m usually a dark meat girl—so when I make chicken breasts, they have to be good. This one delivers.
- Date-Night Worthy: It looks and tastes impressive enough to serve guests or make for an at-home date night. That creamy tomato sauce? Swoon-worthy.
- Lightened-Up Classic: I swapped the heavy cream for a lighter combo and added spinach for a veggie boost—still rich, just more balanced.
- Quick & Easy: One skillet, under 30 minutes, no fuss.
What Is Marry Me Chicken?
“Marry Me Chicken” is a popular dish featuring chicken breasts cooked in a creamy sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, parmesan, and herbs. Its rich flavor is said to be so impressive that it could inspire a marriage proposal, making it a favorite for romantic dinners and special occasions. Easy to prepare, it combines gourmet flavors with simple ingredients, contributing to its widespread popularity. Since I am already married, I think my husband fell in love with me all over again when I made this.
What You’ll Need
tried versions with Greek yogurt, more cream cheese, even no spinach, but this was the winning combo. (See Recipe Card Below for Exact Measurements and Directions):
- Sundried Tomatoes: Drain sundried tomatoes from oil and chop them.
- Chicken: You’ll need boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise.
- Salt and Black Pepper to season the chicken.
- Flour: Coat the chicken breasts in flour before searing them.
- Minced Shallot and Garlic are cooked until fragrant and added to the sauce.
- Tomato paste gives the sauce a light tomato flavor.
- Spinach provides extra fiber, vitamin C, and calcium.
- Marry Me Chicken Sauce: Combine chicken broth with half-and-half and reduced-fat cream cheese for a creamy sauce that’s lighter than the original recipe.
- Seasoning: Dried oregano, red pepper flakes
- Parmesan Cheese: Grate fresh Parmesan over the chicken before serving.
How To Make Marry Me Chicken
Here’s the step-by-step directions. See recipe card for printable recipe.
- Prep the Chicken: Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness, season with salt and pepper, and dredge the pieces in flour.
- Cook the Chicken in a large skillet on medium-high heat for about five minutes on each side. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté the Vegetables: Add the remaining olive oil with the shallots and garlic. Then, stir in the tomato paste and cook for a minute. Add the sundried tomatoes and spinach and cook until the spinach wilts.
- Make the Sauce: Reduce the heat to low, and add the cream cheese, broth, half-and-half, oregano, and red pepper. Stir until the cream cheese is fully melted.
- Serve: Return the chicken to the skillet and simmer them in the sauce for a few minutes. Sprinkle with grated parmesan and serve.
Marry Me Chicken Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
- 2 8-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved lenghtwise, 1 lb total
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour, or gluten-free flour mix
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided (I used oil from the sundried tomatoes)
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 4 cups baby spinach, packed
- 1 1/2 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, (3 tablespoons)
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons half-and-half
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- pinch red pepper flakes, adjust to your taste
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Begin by pounding the halved chicken breasts to an even thickness (about 1/2-inch thick). Season them with salt and black pepper. Dredge each chicken piece in flour, shaking off any excess.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil (or use from the sun dried tomatoes) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for about 4-5 minutes per side or until the chicken is cooked through and has a golden-brown crust. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
- In the same skillet, add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the minced shallot and garlic and sauté for about 1-2 minutes until they become fragrant and translucent.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add the chopped sundried tomatoes and baby spinach to the skillet. Cook until the spinach wilts.
- Reduce the heat to low, and then add the cream cheese, chicken broth, half-and-half, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes. Stir until the cream cheese is fully melted and the sauce is well combined.
- Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and let it simmer in the sauce for a few minutes until heated through.
- Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.
Last Step:
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Notes
- Chicken: Swap chicken breasts with chicken tenders or thighs.
- Gluten-Free: Replace all-purpose flour with a gluten-free mix.
- Broth: Substitute vegetable broth with chicken.
- Spiciness: For spicier chicken, add more red pepper flakes or omit them for a milder version.
Nutrition
Tips from the Skinnytaste Community
These reader-tested tweaks and tips help make Marry Me Chicken even more flexible and delicious:
- Double the Sauce: Many readers recommend doubling the sauce, especially when serving over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.
- Use the Oil from the Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Several commenters sautéed the chicken in the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar for extra flavor.
- Dairy-Free Success: Readers had success using plant-based cream and cream cheese, or combos like almond milk + extra cream cheese, or even Laughing Cow wedges.
- Vegetable Swaps: Don’t like spinach? Try kale, mushrooms, or even chopped broccoli. One reader added mushrooms with the shallots and loved it.
- Lower Points & Custom Protein: Some used chicken thighs, tenders, or even rotisserie chicken. One even made it with tofu!
- Time-Saving Prep: A few readers suggested prepping everything in advance to save time midweek. Others found the recipe quick if you chop while the chicken cooks.
- Serving Ideas: Popular pairings included orzo, angel hair pasta, mashed potatoes, cauliflower rice, or roasted veggies. One reader added cooked tortellini right into the skillet!
Tried it with your own twist? Drop a comment—I’d love to hear how you made it! If you share photos on social media, use the #SkinnytasteMadeIt giving me permission to share your image!
From the Skinnytaste Community…
More Variations
- Chicken: Swap chicken breasts with chicken tenders or thighs.
- Gluten-Free: Replace all-purpose flour with a gluten-free mix.
- Broth: Substitute vegetable broth with chicken.
- Spiciness: For spicier chicken, add more red pepper flakes or omit them for a milder version.
Serving Suggestions
- Pair it with a slice of hearty sourdough bread to soak up the sauce.
- Serve this with pasta, like spaghetti, cavatappi, or orzo.
- Eat this meal with mashed potatoes or your favorite grain, like quinoa or rice, and green beans or a salad.
- Keep it low-carb over cauliflower rice.
Storage
Leftover chicken will last up to 4 days in the fridge. If you want to freeze it, it will last 3 months in the freezer. Reheat it in the microwave until warm.
More Chicken Breast Recipes You’ll Love
- Chicken Parmesan
- One-Skillet Chicken with Bacon and Green Beans
- Chicken Fajitas
- Air Fryer Chicken Breast
- Baked Chicken Breast
FAQs
Marry Me Chicken is a quick chicken recipe made with boneless skinless chicken breasts, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, tomato paste, dried herbs and spices and cream.
The calories can vary, but a typical serving of “Marry Me Chicken” ranges from 300 to 500 calories, depending on the recipe.
With a fork or hands, coat the chicken with the flour, then shake off the excess.
