Marry Me Chicken Recipe Perfect for Date Night

Marry me chicken recipe is a one-skillet chicken dish that is cooked in a creamy sauce of sun-dried tomatoes, thyme, and topped with parmesan cheese! Your dinner is ready on the table in 40 minutes or less!

Using sun-dried tomatoes in a dish is a first for me and wow, the flavor it gives to the dish is amazing. Along with thyme, it is phenomenal.

Growing up in a humble Filipino household, the only recipes I am familiar with are chicken adobo, tinola, fried, and inasal (bbq).

Living in America with unfamiliar food ingredients, I am forced to learn other ways to cook chicken.

I observe that a lot of the western recipes for chicken often use cream and Parmesan cheese. Chicken perfectly tastes awesome with cheese surprisingly. You could never go wrong with cream and cheese when it comes to cooking I realize.

We never had herbs and spices with our food except for salt and pepper and chili. But knowing how these herbs and spices can upgrade the food, I am not going back to plain salt and pepper.

Marry me chicken recipe is somewhat similar to creamy mushroom chicken. Both dishes use cream and cheese in the recipe, slightly different other ingredients but the method of cooking is the same - sear and bake.

This chicken recipe is a tweaked version from Delish. I always wanted to try it for quite some time and finally, I did and I am not disappointed.

This recipe is perfect for date night, any special day or family dinner. The family will surely love this recipe for marry me chicken.

Ingredients

For this marry me chicken recipe, you will need the following ingredients. The ingredients are listed according to the order of use.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil or any cooking oil available
• 2 pounds chicken thigh, bone-in, skin-on. 2 pounds is approximately 6 pieces of chicken. You can also use chicken breast.
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoon minced garlic or 2 cloves
• ½ tablespoon fresh thyme or dry thyme
• ¾ cup chicken broth
• ½ cup heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
• ¼ - ½ cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Steps

Making this simple baked chicken recipe is easy to do, just follow the instructions below.

• Preheat oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. I always recommend using an oven thermometer to get the exact temperature. If you don't have a thermometer, preheat the oven for at least 15 minutes.

• While the oven is preheating, heat oil in an oven-safe pan or skillet on your stovetop over medium heat. Sear (lightly fry) the chicken until golden brown each side approximately 3-5 minutes. Season the chicken with salt and pepper while searing.

• Remove chicken from the pan and set aside. Remove excess oil from the pan.

• Using the same pan/skillet, saute garlic, thyme, and red pepper for a minute.

• Pour in the liquid ingredients - broth and cream. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and ¼ cup parmesan cheese. Reserve the other ¼ cup parmesan for garnishing. Season with more salt and pepper as desired. Simmer for 2 minutes.

• Put back the chicken to the oven-safe pan/skillet with the skin side up and bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes.

• Add more Parmesan cheese as garnish.

What to serve with marry me chicken?

Marry Me Chicken is best serve with rice, pasta or egg noodles.

Helpful Notes

• If you do not have an oven-safe pan or skillet, use a regular pan and transfer it to a baking dish for the baking part.
• Sear the chicken well: For flavor and texture, brown both sides before adding liquids. Let it sit undisturbed to form a golden crust.
• Deglaze the pan: After searing, use the broth to scrape up browned bits. This adds a rich, savory depth.
• Simmer sauce gently: Don’t boil the cream, keep it on low-medium heat to avoid curdling or breaking.
• Cheese at the end: Stir in Parmesan last so it melts smoothly without clumping.

Storage:

• Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: Freeze for up to 2 months. Use freezer-safe containers and label the date.

Reheating:

• Stovetop (best): Reheat gently over low-medium heat. Add a splash of broth or cream to loosen the sauce.
• Microwave: Heat in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between. Cover to prevent splatter.
• Oven (for larger portions): Cover with foil and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15–20 minutes until heated through.

Let me know what you think in the comments below.

📝Recipe Card

While you are here, feel free to browse my other chicken and low carb recipes.

• Baked Chicken Wings Recipe in BBQ sauce and Honey!

• Creamy Chicken Mushroom with Garlic, Parmesan, and Spinach!

• Easy Chicken Adobo Recipe Filipino Style