An easy dinner that's so tasty you may just receive a marriage proposal! My gluten free and low carb version of Marry Me Chicken is ready in 25 minutes. Think succulent chicken in a creamy sauce with fresh garlic, herbs and sweet sun-dried tomatoes.
Did you know that Kelvin proposed to me over a plate of Italian chicken? I have to admit, I did not cook it myself. Rather, we were in our favourite Italian restaurant. And you need to know that we have been married over 20 years now, which means this proposal happened long before I became a confident cook myself.
Even though it was not my cooking skills who wooed him then, he is very much enjoying them now. And we both LOVE eating chicken to this day - at home and in restaurants.
Where am I going with this? This aptly named Marry Me Chicken is so tasty that I would marry myself for it. It is an incredibly easy and quick dinner.
Think tender chicken simmered in a rich, creamy sauce with flavour punches from garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Digging into this dish is one of life's perfect moments.
Also try my Keto Italian meatballs and this succulent lemon chicken.
Jump to:
Who Invented Marry Me Chicken?
The Italians, of course! Marry Me Chicken was *probably* invented by a wonderful Mamma in Tuscany. I am saying this because originally, this creamy chicken skillet recipe was called Tuscan chicken and had been a staple in Italian cuisine for yonks.
The original authentic Tuscan chicken recipe contains spinach leaves, and at some point sun-dried tomatoes were added to the sauce, which made the dish taste sweeter and more complex.
It was Delish who came up with the name Marry Me Chicken, which turned this recipe into a TikTok sensation.
The story goes like this: Delish had called the dish "Sicilian Chicken Skillet". But after they had filmed the recipe video, the videographer tried a forkful and called out: "I'd marry you for that chicken!" The rest is history - they changed the name and the recipe went viral worldwide.
How Does This Recipe Differ From The Original?
My recipe has a few Katrin-style tweaks. I like my dishes saucy and garlicy, so you'll find that I have played with the amounts of cream and seasonings to make this the best chicken dinner you'll ever enjoy.
I also slightly reduced the amount of sun-dried tomatoes. These are high in carbs and I wanted to ensure my Marry Me Chicken Recipe would fit both into a low carb as well as into a keto diet.
And last but not least, I changed the cooking method, so the entire recipe is made on the stovetop instead of having to use both the stovetop and the oven. Quicker and easier!
Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients:
- Chicken breast - I used 2 very large chicken breasts, boneless and skinless. Because of their size, they were enough for 4 portions and I sliced them lengthwise into cutlets. The benefit of cutlets over whole chicken breasts is that the meat cooks through quicker and dinner is ready sooner. Aim for 5oz of chicken per portion.
- Olive oil - We need this to sear the chicken. My top tip is to buy sundried tomatoes in olive oil and use the oil from the jar! It adds SO MUCH FLAVOR.
- Garlic - While garlic powder is totally acceptable in an emergency, fresh garlic tastes miles better. Mince it finely.
- Sauce: We are using chicken broth (stock cube is fine) and heavy cream (also called double cream).
- Parmesan cheese: Thickens the sauce and adds flavor. Make sure it is finely grated. As with the garlic, grating it fresh, from a block of parmesan cheese, makes all the difference.
- Seasonings - You will need paprika, oregano and thyme. Option to use regular paprika or smoked paprika.
- Sundried tomatoes - The secret to this recipe. Sundried tomatoes have an intense flavor - smokey, sweet and slightly tangy. Look out for sundried tomatoes in olive oil, so you can use the oil from the jar to fry the chicken.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Instructions
Let's make Keto Tuscan Chicken, now better known as Marry Me Chicken! Here are the basic steps.
Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed method with timings, ingredient amounts and nutrition information.
STEP 1
Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
STEP 2
Heat the sundried tomato-oil in a large skillet on a medium heat. Sear the chicken breasts on each side until they are golden and cooked through. Set aside.
STEP 3
Add the garlic to the pan with the leftover oil and saute it until fragrant.
STEP 4
Pour in the chicken stock to deglaze the pan, scraping any bits off the bottom with a spatula. This adds tons of flavour.
STEP 5
Now, add the heavy cream, grated parmesan cheese, paprika, thyme and oregano. Stir and let the sauce thicken.
STEP 6
Add the chopped sundried tomatoes and the chicken into the sauce. Let the sauce simmer and thicken for a few more minutes, spooning it over the chicken to coat. Garnish with chopped fresh basil leaves and serve.
Katrin's Top Tips
To cut chicken breasts into cutlets at home, press the meat down with one hand and slice in half lengthwise with a very sharp knife.
Supermarkets and butchers also sell pre-sliced chicken cutlets. Mini chicken fillets work as an alternative.
Prefer using whole chicken breasts? No problem. Whole chicken breasts, even small ones, take longer to cook through than cutlets. Simply increase the time they simmer in the sauce accordingly. I recommend to cover the pan with a lid and cook the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 75C or 165F. Test this with a meat thermometer by probing the thickest part of the meat. If you don't have a meat thermometer, cut into one fillet to ensure the meat is no longer pink.
Variations
This is a quick, tasty and easy recipe and I love making it exactly as written. But, here are a few ideas for yummy tweaks:
- Bacon - Bacon lardons, fried until golden brown and crispy, add a nice crunch to the dish.
- Vegetables: We liked the addition of spinach leaves or mushrooms. Here is when to add both: Pan-fry sliced mushrooms with the garlic for a few minutes. Spinach leaves should be added during the last minute of cooking until they wilt. Another idea is to upgrade the sauce with 1 finely chopped onion. Saute it for 5 minutes until translucent, then add the garlic.
- White wine - Replace half of the chicke stock with dry white wine.
- Make it spicy: Add chili flakes to up the heat.
- Lemon: Grate lemon zest into the sauce or add a squeeze of lemon juice just before serving.
Recipe FAQs
I don't recommend it. Even if you used sweet cherry tomatoes and fried these until soft prior to adding them to the sauce, the dish won't taste as rich as with sundried tomatoes.
Creme fraiche is a lower fat alternative to the heavy cream. It works well with the recipe, but you must know that it does give the dish a slighly sour tang.
Yes. Replace both the cream and the parmesan cheese with dairy-free alternatives. My son is dairy-free and we often use the Violife brand for dairy-free parmesan.
Yes. The sauce works with chicken thighs as well as with pork chops. You can even use it for fish - we have enjoyed it with salmon and with prawns. Cooking times will vary.
Serving Suggestion
We like to serve Merry Me Chicken with a side of cauliflower rice or creamy mashed cauliflower. It also works well with green beans or broccoli.
If carbs are not a concern, feel free to serve it with pasta, rice, quinoa or even potatoes. My daughter tells me Marry Me Chicken Pasta is a match made in heaven.
Storage And Meal Planning
Meal Prep: There is actually plenty of sauce, so you could add more chicken and stretch it to 6 servings. Just take care not not overcrowd the pan when you sear the chicken. Brown the cutlets in batches so there is plenty of space between the pieces.
Storage: I'll be honest - Marry Me Chicken has its name for a reason and therefore, I have never had leftovers.
Should you be so lucky to have a spare portion, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
You can also freeze the dish for up to 3 months.
More Easy Chicken Dinners
- Chicken Cauliflower Curry1 Hours 30 Minutes
- Clear Chicken Soup1 Hours 35 Minutes
- Keto Chicken Nuggets35 Minutes
- Avocado Chicken Salad5 Minutes
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below!
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Recipe
Marry Me Chicken
from Sugar Free LondonerNote: The servings slider only changes the first amount in each line and not any subsequent amounts. Please make your own calculations where necessary.
Equipment
- large skillet
Ingredients
- 2 very large chicken breasts boneless and skinless, sliced lengthwise into 4 cutlets (570g / 20 oz). ***see notes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoon olive oil use the oil from the sundried tomatoes!
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¾ cup chicken broth 180ml
- ⅔ cup heavy cream 160ml
- ½ cup parmesan cheese finely grated, 50g
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ⅓ cup sundried tomatoes chopped, 60g. Look out for sundried tomatoes in olive oil, so you can use the oil for frying the chicken
TO SERVE
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil chopped
Instructions
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Heat the oil from the sundried tomato jar in a large frying pan on a medium heat.
- Add the chicken cutlets and sear each side for 5 minutes until golden. Remove from the pan to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Add the garlic to the pan with the leftover oil and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken stock to deglaze the pan, scraping any bits off the bottom with a spatula for 1 minute.
- Add the heavy cream, parmesan cheese, paprika, thyme and oregano. Stir and allow the sauce to simmer for 3-4 minutes until it thickens.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes and the chicken back to the sauce. Let the sauce simmer and thicken for 5 more minutes, spooning the sauce over the chicken to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish with chopped fresh basil leaves and serve.
Narelle
Cooked it tonight and it was a BIG hit. My 26 year old son, who barely eats anything other than hamburgers, finished his first then claimed that he could "drink the sauce".
I added spinach to the sauce and served it with rice for the non-keto family members.
I will definitely be making this again
Drista
I make this often without any sun dried tomatoes or spinach and I call it - Let’s Elope Chicken!
I serve it with lightly baked zoodles. My husband loved it the very first time I made this recipe(with the sun dried tomatoes and spinach). Later that night he comes up from the basement carrying a pack of chicken from the freezer and looks at me and says “can you make that again”!
Lisa
Both of my paternal great grandparents were born & raised in the Tuscany region in the later 1800's, before coming to the US as young children. Of course they didn't meet until later. They're all buried in the Italian Cemetery in San Mateo California, apparently there was a large Italian community in the area back then. My grandmother's name was Tosca because it was one of her parents favorite Operas, but Tosca also means "someone born in Tuscany" even though she was born in San Francisco. Nana as we called her, was a fabulous cook, as were both her parents. Like many immigrants back then living in San Francisco, they opened a restaurant serving their native dishes. It was packed every day and my grandmother learned everything from them and from working in the restaurant as a young girl. This was a dish they served and she made this all the time when she had a family, it was a frequent request especially from her grandchildren. She had a garden, dried her own tomatoes and always had some in a jar of Olive oil with garlic & other seasonings, she did exactly what you recommend, she used some of that oil to brown the chicken. She also poured some in a little dish to dip French bread in, mostly for me so I'd quit asking when will dinner be done?. Her garlic bread was spectacular, she minced a few of the dried tomatoes, used chopped garlic or powdered, sprinkled them over large slices of French bread, drizzled it with that Olive oil & put it under the broiler until almost done. She'd add grated Parmesan and back under the broiler til just right. She always made enough for left overs too, otherwise a lot of hungry Italians end up fighting over the last slice, which was not acceptable! Hope you don't mind my ramble down memory lane, now I need sun dried tomatoes .
Katrin Nürnberger
I loved reading your comment, thank you for sharing! It is a wonderful thing to remember through food. Food is sharing love, just like your Grandma did ❤️
Lisa
Thank you! I love reading what you write about growing up in Germany and sharing the recipes you remember from childhood too. Along with the delicious recipes, I really love reading these types of things from the food bloggers I subscribe to.❤
Katrin Nürnberger
Thank you for your kind words and support!
Joanna
We love this recipe and I make it regularly, it's so simple and yet absolutely delicious!
Dorina
Mein Gott! Sieht lecker aus! Ich werde es machen am Sonntag! Danke schön!