Irresistible Keto "Marry Me" Chicken Recipe That Will Melt Your Heart!

Have you ever heard of "Marry Me" Chicken? This dish gets its name from its ability to win over even the pickiest eaters with its delicious and hearty flavors. The combination of tender chicken, creamy sauce, and savory spices is simply irresistible. Whether you’re cooking for a special occasion or just looking for a new go-to chicken dinner recipe, this Marry Me Chicken is sure to become a favorite in your household, especially with this keto-friendly twist!

This recipe sounds like it belongs on a Valentine's Day themed menu but it gets its name from how the ingredients all "marry" together. Whether or not there have been instant marriage proposals on the serving of this dish is still to be proven!

What is "Marry Me" Chicken?

"Marry Me" Chicken, or sometimes "Marry Me" Pasta, is a creamy chicken dish made with simple ingredients that combine to create an unforgettable flavor. You get juicy chicken breasts in a delicious sauce, full of great tastes. It’s so good, it can make anyone fall in love with its flavors. Serve it with pasta, rice, or potatoes. The dish is believed to have originated in the United States, although it has gained popularity in other parts of the world as well.

The ingredients to Marry Me Chicken are very similar to Tuscan chicken and they are both easy, creamy chicken dishes in a sundried tomato cream sauce. Both are ideal for special occasions as well as family-friendly dishes.

Why This Recipe Works

This is a relatively simple recipe that doesn’t require any complex techniques or hard-to-find ingredients. Prep takes 10 minutes; the dish cooks in 20 minutes. So it’s not a huge time commitment and you end up with a restaurant-quality meal. For those following a low-carb diet, it’s a dream come true.

Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers

Keto "Marry Me" Chicken: The Twist

This version puts a little twist on it…boursin cheese! Boursin is a soft, creamy cheese infused with a variety of flavors, like herbs and garlic. Its texture is somewhat similar to cream cheese. The luxurious dip makes this recipe extremely rich and creamy, yet still low-carb and keto-friendly. The sun-dried tomatoes truly give a burst of sweetness that captures your tastebuds. And what I love most about this dish is you don't have to cut a thing! Super easy, restaurant quality comfort food in a quick, one-pot meal…what more could you ask for?!

This creamy chicken dish in a sun-dried tomato and Parmesan cheese sauce is an easy recipe that is full of flavor. Marry Me Chicken is an easy keto creamy chicken dish that can be ready in 30 minutes. Chicken breasts are cooked in a creamy sun-dried tomato and parmesan sauce, lightly seasoned with herbs. This went straight into the list of easy and delicious chicken recipes.

Ingredients You'll Need

Here’s what you need to make this chicken dinner recipe. The ingredients for this easy chicken dish are simple but you can change them to your own version.

Chicken breasts: Chicken breasts are a great source of lean protein. We use boneless and skinless breasts. Slicing chicken breasts into cutlets is very helpful for reducing the cooking time and keeping the chicken tender. There are some excellent online video tutorials to help you master the technique. The basic idea is to lay a breast flat on a cutting board. Use the hand you do not hold your knife with to hold the chicken breast flat. Take a sharp knife and starting at the thickest end of the chicken breast, slice the chicken in half horizontally, halving the thickness. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of your cutlets.
Salt, pepper, basil, thyme, and crushed red pepper: You can adjust the amounts of these spices to your liking, or you can use a different combination of spices such as oregano, paprika, or Italian seasoning. Use some fresh basil as a topping if you want, too.
Olive oil: We need this to sear the chicken.
Garlic: While garlic powder is totally acceptable in an emergency, fresh garlic tastes miles better.
Dry white wine: I like to use a sauvignon blanc, pino gris, or even a chardonnay. The white wine in this creamy keto tuscan chicken recipe adds a subtle acidity and brightness.
Chicken broth: Stock - Chicken broth or even vegetable stock can be used, but you could add some of the water from rehydrating the sun-dried tomatoes for a deeper sauce colour and flavor.
Heavy cream: You can use half-and-half or whole milk instead of heavy cream if you prefer a lighter sauce. The cream for the sauce should be made with heavy cream.
Parmesan cheese: The parmesan cheese adds a subtle nutty, umami flavor to the sauce. You can use any type of hard, grated cheese such as Asiago, Pecorino Romano, or Gouda. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese or Parmigiano-Reggiano should be used for maximum flavor.
Sun-dried tomatoes: The sun-dried tomatoes add a subtle sweetness and a hint of tang to the dish. I prefer to use sun-dried tomatoes that are dry packed, as opposed to oil packed. You can leave out the sun-dried tomatoes if you don’t have any on hand, or you can use diced fresh tomatoes instead. My top tip is to buy sundried tomatoes in olive oil and use the oil from the jar! Use rehydrated sun-dried tomatoes rather than those in a jar of oil. You need plump and juicy tomatoes for this recipe.
Large skillet or sauté pan: You will need a large skillet or sauté pan to cook the chicken and create the sauce. I like to use a cast iron skillet.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here is an easy recipe for Marry Me Chicken. This dish only dirties one pan and can be made in just 30 minutes.

Season the chicken: In a small bowl, mix together salt, pepper, basil, thyme, and crushed red pepper. Place the seasoned chicken cutlets in the hot skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. Season the chicken generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
Sear the chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken on both sides until golden brown, about 4 minutes each side. Cook the seasoned chicken breasts in the preheated cast iron skillet for 3-4 minutes each side. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
Sauté Aromatics: To the same pan, add the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the onions and sauté until tender. Add minced garlic to the hot skillet and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.
Create the Sauce: Pour in chicken stock to deglaze the pan, and use a wood spoon to scrape off any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Add the heavy cream to the pan, bring to a slow boil, and then reduce the heat to low and simmer. Stir in the grated parmesan cheese until it is melted into the sauce. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and add the chopped sundried tomatoes, stirring to combine. Allow sauce to come to a low simmer.
Simmer: Place the skillet in the preheated oven and cook for 15-18 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Add chicken breasts back into the skillet and spoon a little sauce over the chicken. Place skillet in preheated oven for 15-18 minutes or until chicken is cooked to 165 degrees F.
Serve: Serve the chicken and sauce warm over pasta, or with a side of rice or mashed potatoes. Enjoy!

Tips and Variations

Change up the protein: This recipe is also delicious make with chicken, pork, salmon, or even shrimp.
Make it dairy free: For a dairy free tuscan chicken recipe, substitute the heavy cream for full fat coconut milk and the parmesan cheese for a dairy free cheese alternative.
Add-ins: This creamy low carb tuscan chicken is also delicious with Kalamata olive, capers, and fresh herbs like thyme, oregano, or rosemary.
Serving suggestions: Serve this creamy keto tuscan chicken with a green veggie like green beans, broccoli, asparagus, etc. It is also delicious over top of cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, or Shirataki noodles.
Sauce: If the sauce is too thick, you can add a little extra chicken stock to thin it out. If the sauce is too thin, you can add a little extra heavy cream and parmesan cheese to thicken it.
If you’re not a big fan of sun-dried tomatoes, you can substitute other ingredients. For instance, you can use fresh, grape tomatoes that you’ve halved. Just sautee them in the pan with the garlic in the same step as you would the sun dried tomatoes. Don’t have fresh grape tomatoes? You can use a can of diced tomatoes. Here’s another reason to consider making this dish using fresh tomatoes: you’ll save yourself some carbs. A half cup of sundried tomatoes has about 31 total carbs. A half cup of fresh or diced tomatoes has about 4 carbs.
Vegetables: We liked the addition of spinach leaves or mushrooms. 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.
White wine: Replace half of the chicke stock with dry white wine.

Serving Suggestions

What goes with creamy tuscan chicken? Serve this creamy keto tuscan chicken with a green veggie like green beans, broccoli, asparagus, etc. It is also delicious over top of cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, or Shirataki noodles. This is delicious served over top of roasted vegetables, Shirataki noodles, or even rice, mashed potatoes or pasta if you aren't concerned with carb count. Roasted or steamed vegetables, such as broccoli, asparagus, or green beans, would be a healthy and flavorful side dish. Consider unicorn stuffed mushrooms for the kiddos! Try this chicken recipe with our garlic roasted broccoli, Baked Keto Asparagus Fries, celeriac mash and chaffle garlic breadsticks.

Storage and Reheating

Store leftover keto marry me chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I recommend reheating this in a pan on the stovetop. Adding a splash of chicken stock will help bring it back to life. Any leftovers can be enjoyed the next day but the chicken should be kept in the fridge in an airtight container. To reheat, you can reheat in the oven or in a microwave. This dish does not freeze well because of the heavy cream sauce which may split when defrosted and reheated. Personally, I do not like freezing cream based recipes. But if you do freeze it, I recommend adding a little extra cream and chicken stock to help bring the sauce back to life.

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