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A beautiful skillet of Marry Me Chicken showing four golden pan-seared chicken breasts nestled in a creamy garlic Parmesan sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, wilted spinach, and fresh basil leaves, the...
Sarah Mitchell

Marry Me Chicken (Creamy Garlic Tuscan)

There's a reason this recipe went viral — it's the kind of dish that makes someone look across the dinner table and start rethinking their life plans. Marry Me Chicken is golden, pan-seared chicken breasts swimming in a ridiculously creamy garlic Parmesan sauce loaded with sun-dried tomatoes, fresh spinach, and Italian herbs.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 545
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 6-8 oz each)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Creamy Tuscan Sauce
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed), drained and roughly chopped
  • 3/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Equipment

  • Large oven-safe skillet (12-inch)
  • Meat mallet or heavy-bottomed pan (for pounding chicken)
  • Wooden spoon
  • Instant-read thermometer
  • Cheese grater

Method
 

  1. Pat the chicken breasts completely dry with paper towels. If any are thicker than 3/4 inch, pound them gently with a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy pan to even thickness. Season both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until the oil just starts to shimmer. Add the seasoned chicken breasts and cook without moving for 5-6 minutes until the bottoms are deeply golden brown.
  3. Flip the chicken and cook for another 5-6 minutes until cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F). Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent loosely with foil to rest. Don't wipe out the skillet — those browned bits are flavor.
  4. Reduce heat to medium. Add the minced garlic to the same skillet and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn.
  5. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Stir and cook for 1 minute to toast the herbs and release the tomato flavor.
  6. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Let it simmer for 2 minutes until reduced by about half.
  7. Reduce heat to low and stir in the heavy cream and red pepper flakes. Let the sauce simmer gently for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  8. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until fully melted and smooth. Add the fresh spinach and stir until it wilts into the sauce, about 1-2 minutes.
  9. Nestle the seared chicken breasts back into the creamy sauce, spooning sauce over the top. Simmer together for 2-3 minutes to warm everything through and let the chicken absorb some of the incredible sauce.
  10. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if needed. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve immediately with crusty bread, pasta, or rice to soak up every drop of that sauce.

Notes

The absolute most important thing for this recipe is getting a gorgeous golden sear on the chicken. This means your chicken must be patted completely dry, your pan must be hot, and you must resist the urge to move the chicken for a full 5-6 minutes. That golden crust isn't just pretty — it builds a fond (browned bits) on the bottom of the pan that becomes the flavor foundation for the entire sauce. If your sauce seems too thick, add a splash more broth. Too thin? Let it simmer another minute or two.