Best Ever Marry Me Chicken - Flavor Quotient

The name of today’s dish must be intriguing to you, isn’t it? I bet it is! This marry me chicken is one of a kind dish which may inspire an impromptu marriage proposal without a warning! Be prepared!

I wanted to share this recipe of marry me chicken on Valentine’s Day! But as luck had it, I couldn’t due to a medical emergency in the family!

And that’s the very reason of me being missing in action!

After a gap of more than a month, you all deserve the best out of my recipe repertoire and here is this best ever marry me chicken!

If you haven’t heard of this rich, creamy & cheesy marry me chicken dish yet, you must indulge in this royal experience without any further delay!

What is Marry me chicken?

Marry me chicken, which is a comforting, restaurant-style dish with bold & indulgent flavors, is popular as much for its flavor as for its playful name!

It is a rich & creamy chicken dish which is also loaded with fresh flavors from fresh basil and spinach as well as dried herbs like oregano and/or thyme!

Why such a quirky name, you ask?

This one is not a legacy recipe and neither it has a traditional origin; so the name doesn’t come with a long history.

The name was popularized by the food media on the internet where the idea was that it’s so delicious, it could inspire a marriage proposal after the very first bite!

And there you have it! A restaurant-worthy dish which perfectly pairs with pasta, mashed potato or crusty bread!

Ingredients for Marry me chicken

Chicken: To complement the rich and creamy luxurious sauce, I preferred using boneless & skinless chicken thigh fillets.

Some recipes also use chicken breasts but if you follow me for long, you would already know that I am a chicken thigh kinda girl!

But you choose your favorite portion of chicken and get rolling!

Sun-dried tomatoes: This is one of my favorite ingredients to cook with! I feel it adds magic to any dish it is added to! Try it once and there wouldn’t be any looking back.

Tomato paste: The key flavor of this marry me chicken comes primarily from tomatoes which are added in two ways – firstly the sun-dried tomatoes that I mentioned above.

Secondly, the concentrated tomato paste which packs a punch! Don’t skip it!

Dijon mustard: This classic mustard not only adds flavors, but also emulsifies the creamy sauce giving it that beautiful rich texture!

Cream: As you already got to know that this blogger-favorite recipe is a creamy dish; hence it does need a generous amount of heavy cream. You can adjust the amount based on your liking.

Parmesan: Do not skip the best part of your marry me chicken which is nothing but a good quality of freshly grated Parmesan cheese!

Spinach: Now comes the greens! To balance the meat and the creaminess of the sauce, fresh spinach is added for lightness making it a wholesome meal!

Fresh basil: Basil is all about aroma and this is the final addition to your marry me chicken for that perfect finishing touch before serving!

Butter: Use unsalted butter for sautéing the chicken thighs; this will impart beautiful flavors to the chicken making your marry me chicken absolutely irresistible.

Flour: Coat the chicken thighs with all-purpose flour for that crispy outer texture while also retaining the tenderness of the meat.

Olive oil: A good quality extra virgin olive oil will ensure that the flavors of all the ingredients are mingled with each other bringing out the best from everything!

Garlic: This is a must-add aromatic for any chicken recipe and this flagship dish is also no exception!

Chilli flakes: A dash of chilli flakes will add a subtle heat to the somewhat mellow flavors of the marry me chicken!

Dried oregano: Add a generous amount of this flavorful herb to enhance the flavor quotient of your marry me chicken to infinity!

Seasoning: Add salt and pepper to taste to your marry me chicken and bring out the best taste of all the rich & luxurious ingredients.

How to make Marry me chicken?

Step 1: Wash and pat dry the chicken thighs. Lay them on a plate and season with salt and pepper on both sides.

Step 2: Take all-purpose flour in another shallow plate. Then take one seasoned chicken thigh at a time and place it on the flour.

Step 3: Press the chicken thigh lightly over the flour, then flip it over and press the other side so that both sides are nicely coated with the flour.

Step 4: Heat butter and two tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan with high sides over medium-high heat.

Step 5: Once the oil is moderately hot, add the coated chicken thighs to the pan in a single layer and let them cook undisturbed until golden brown for about 7 to 8 minutes on medium-low flame.

Step 6: Flip over the chicken thighs after the bottom is golden brown and let the other side cook for another 6 to 7 minutes on medium-low flame.

Step 7: Once all the chicken thighs are nicely browned, take them out of the pan on a plate and set aside for later use.

Step 8: In the same pan, add the remaining olive oil. Then add the minced garlic and sauté for a minute until fragrant.

Step 9: Then add the chilli flakes, sun-dried tomatoes and dried oregano. Cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

Step 10: Add tomato paste and Dijon mustard, cook for another 30 seconds. Then pour warm water and deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

Step 11: Once the liquid comes to a gentle boil, pour the heavy cream while stirring continuously. Add chopped spinach and stir to distribute everything evenly.

Step 12: Let the sauce come to a boil again. Then add the grated Parmesan cheese, mix well.

Step 13: Return the fried chicken thighs to the pan along with any leftover juices, mix well and spoon some of the sauce over the top of the chicken.

Step 14: Let the chicken simmer very gently in the sauce for another 8 to 10 minutes on low flame allowing the chicken to cook completely.

Step 15: Taste the sauce for seasoning and add salt & pepper to taste. Add shredded basil leaves and give a good stir.

Step 16: Your delicious marry me chicken is ready! Serve into individual serving bowls, garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve warm with your favorite wine! Enjoy!

More luxurious chicken recipes from Flavor Quotient

Best Ever Marry Me Chicken | Sinful Chicken for Special Occasion

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

55 mins

Author: Priyanka

Recipe type: Main

Cuisine: American

Serves: 4 Servings

Ingredients

Chicken thigh fillet - 500 gms, boneless and skinless
All-purpose flour - 1 tbsp
Extra-virgin olive oil - 3 tbsp
Unsalted butter - 1 tbsp
Garlic - 8 to 10 cloves, minced
Red chilli flakes - 1 tsp
Dried oregano - 1 tsp
Sun-dried tomatoes - ½ cup
Dijon mustard - 1 tbsp
Tomato paste - 1 tbsp
Heavy cream - ½ cup
Fresh Spinach - 1 & ½ cups, chopped
Parmesan cheese - ½ cup grated
Fresh basil - 1 cup

Instructions

Wash and pat dry the chicken thighs. Lay them on a plate and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
Take all-purpose flour in another shallow plate. Then take one seasoned chicken thigh at a time and place it on the flour.
Press the chicken thigh lightly over the flour, then flip it over and press the other side so that both sides are nicely coated with the flour.
Heat butter and two tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan with high sides over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is moderately hot, add the coated chicken thighs to the pan in a single layer and let them cook undisturbed until golden brown for about 7 to 8 minutes on medium-low flame.
Flip over the chicken thighs after the bottom is golden brown and let the other side cook for another 6 to 7 minutes on medium-low flame.
Once all the chicken thighs are nicely browned, take them out of the pan on a plate and set aside for later use.
In the same pan, add the remaining olive oil. Then add the minced garlic and sauté for a minute until fragrant.
Then add the chilli flakes, sun-dried tomatoes and dried oregano. Cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add tomato paste and Dijon mustard, cook for another 30 seconds. Then pour warm water and deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Once the liquid comes to a gentle boil, pour the heavy cream while stirring continuously. Add chopped spinach and stir to distribute everything evenly.
Let the sauce come to a boil again. Then add the grated Parmesan cheese, mix well.
Return the fried chicken thighs to the pan along with any leftover juices, mix well and spoon some of the sauce over the top of the chicken.
Let the chicken simmer very gently in the sauce for another 8 to 10 minutes on low flame allowing the chicken to cook completely.
Taste the sauce for seasoning and add salt & pepper to taste. Add shredded basil leaves and give a good stir.
Your delicious marry me chicken is ready! Serve into individual serving bowls, garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve warm with your favorite wine! Enjoy!