Marry Me Chicken For Two

Marry Me Chicken in white bowl with angel hair pasta and fork garnished with fresh basil leaves.

4.80 from 5 votes

The classic Marry Me Chicken recipe scaled perfectly for two--the way it should be. This famous creamy chicken dish with sun-dried tomatoes is super easy to make and perfect for any date night.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Chicken and Turkey

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free

Servings:

Author: Carol | From A Chef's Kitchen

Equipment

Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil or as needed
1 medium shallot finely chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup dry white wine plus more to balance sweetness IF needed
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup drained and finely chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes *see note
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or to tolerance
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
1 small sprig fresh basil (5-6 leaves) thinly sliced
Angel hair pasta (optional)

Instructions

Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and black pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat.
When the oil is hot and shimmering, place the chicken breasts in the hot oil and cook until nicely browned on the first side, approximately 4-5 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook another 4-5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through to 165 degrees in the thickest part. Transfer to a plate and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.
Add the shallot, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 2-3 minutes or until softened. (If necessary, add a little water or chicken broth to keep the shallot from burning. The shallot will take on the color of the fond, but you don't want it to brown or burn.)
Add the garlic and cook briefly until fragrant, approximately 10 seconds.
Add the white wine and bring to a boil, stirring and scraping up all the browned bits. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the wine is slightly reduced.
Add the chicken broth, heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano and crushed red pepper flakes.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes or until slightly reduced and thickened.
Stir in the Parmesan cheese until it's melted and blended into the sauce. (The sauce should now be thickened enough to the point where you can run a spatula or spoon through it and the path will not immediately fill in.)
Stir in the fresh basil.
Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Adjust the flavor balance with 1 to 2 tablespoons of additional dry white wine if the sauce tastes too sweet to you.
Slice the chicken and carefully return the chicken to the skillet and simmer briefly on low to bring it back up to the safe temperature of 165 degrees.
Serve over angel hair pasta if desired. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.

Notes

SUBSTITUTIONS:

ALCOHOL-FREE SUBSTITUTION: Use an alcohol-free wine or use extra chicken broth with a tablespoon of white wine vinegar added.

TIPS:

I highly recommend using sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil. If using bagged sun-dried tomatoes, you'll need to rehydrate them in hot tap water for 20 to 30 minutes. Whichever kind you use, the sun-dried tomatoes should be chopped to yield 1/4 cup.
To effectively judge the thickness/viscosity of a sauce, run a spatula or spoon through it. If the path fills in immediately (right behind the spatula/spoon), it’s pretty thin. If there’s a delay as shown in the above photo, it’s the correct consistency. If there is a significant delay, the sauce is very thick.
Slicing the chicken and then adding it back to the sauce will enable it to heat back to the safe temperature of 165 degrees faster. It’s also a little easier for your dining partner to enjoy–no need for a knife which can be awkward if served over pasta.

Nutrition