High-Protein Marry Me Chicken is a rich, creamy garlic chicken dinner designed to impress without demanding hours in the kitchen. Tender seared chicken breasts are nestled in a luscious Parmesan, sun-dried tomato, and spinach sauce that feels romantic-restaurant-worthy yet fits a high-protein lifestyle. Perfect for date nights, meal prep, or any evening you want a cozy, flavor-packed skillet meal that wins hearts at first bite.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (drained if oil-packed)
- 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil, chopped or torn, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season generously on both sides with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken breasts and sear for 5–7 minutes per side, or until deep golden brown. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside (it will finish cooking in the oven).
- Reduce the heat to medium. In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, until fragrant, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
- Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan for extra flavor.
- Stir in the heavy cream, then add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and chopped spinach. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, until the spinach is wilted and the sauce begins to thicken slightly.
- Add the grated Parmesan cheese and stir until melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Return the seared chicken breasts (and any accumulated juices) to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce. Spoon some of the sauce over the top of each piece.
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 3–5 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil before serving, spooning plenty of sauce over each portion.
Variation
- Swap the chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts; sear the same way and bake until tender and juicy thighs are more forgiving and extra flavorful.
- Make it lighter: Use light cream or evaporated milk in place of some of the heavy cream, and reduce the Parmesan to 1/3 cup for a lower-calorie, still-creamy sauce.
- Add extra veggies: Stir in sliced mushrooms, zucchini ribbons, or extra spinach with the sun-dried tomatoes to bulk up the dish with more fiber and color.
Cooking Notes
- Sear in a hot pan without moving the chicken too much so you get a deep golden crust that locks in juices and adds flavor to the sauce.
- If your sauce looks thin before baking, don’t worry Parmesan plus oven time will help it thicken; you can simmer it a few extra minutes on the stovetop if you like it richer.
- If the chicken is browning too quickly in the oven, loosely tent the skillet with foil for the last 5–10 minutes to prevent over-browning while it finishes cooking through.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve over al dente pasta, mashed potatoes, or creamy polenta to soak up every drop of the garlicky Parmesan sauce.
- For a lighter, low-carb plate, spoon the chicken and sauce over cauliflower mash, zucchini noodles, or a bed of garlicky sautéed greens.
- Round out the meal with a simple side salad (mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, and balsamic vinaigrette) and some crusty bread or garlic bread for dipping.
Tips
- Pat the chicken very dry before seasoning and searing this helps it brown instead of steam and builds flavor for the sauce.
- Grate your own Parmesan from a block for the smoothest, silkiest sauce; pre-grated cheese can make the sauce grainy or clumpy.
- Always check doneness with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken; pulling it right at 165°F (74°C) keeps it juicy and tender.
Prep Time:
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
Nutritional Information (Per Serving)
- Calories: ≈480 kcal
- Protein: ≈42 g
- Sodium: ≈650 mg
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make this ahead of time?
– Yes. Cook the chicken and sauce, cool completely, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of broth or cream if the sauce thickens too much. - Can I freeze Marry Me Chicken?
– You can, but cream sauces can sometimes separate when thawed. If you freeze it (up to 2 months), thaw overnight in the fridge and rewarm gently, whisking and adding a bit of cream as needed. - What can I use instead of heavy cream?
– Half-and-half or evaporated milk can work in a pinch, but the sauce will be slightly thinner and less rich. Avoid low-fat milk alone, as it’s more likely to curdle. - Is this recipe low carb or keto-friendly?
– Yes, it’s naturally low in carbs as written. Pair it with low-carb sides like cauliflower mash, zucchini noodles, or sautéed greens to keep the entire meal keto-friendly.
Conclusion
High-Protein Marry Me Chicken delivers tender, golden-seared chicken in a dreamy garlic-Parmesan cream sauce that feels special enough for date night yet simple enough for busy weeknights. Packed with protein and rich flavor from sun-dried tomatoes and basil, it’s a skillet dinner that invites seconds and turns any meal into an occasion.
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High-Protein Marry Me Chicken
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: High-Protein
Description
High-Protein Marry Me Chicken is a rich, creamy garlic chicken dinner designed to impress without demanding hours in the kitchen. Tender seared chicken breasts are nestled in a luscious Parmesan, sun-dried tomato, and spinach sauce that feels romantic-restaurant-worthy yet fits a high-protein lifestyle. Perfect for date nights, meal prep, or any evening you want a cozy, flavor-packed skillet meal that wins hearts at first bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (drained if oil-packed)
- 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil, chopped or torn, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season generously on both sides with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken breasts and sear for 5–7 minutes per side, or until deep golden brown. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside (it will finish cooking in the oven).
- Reduce the heat to medium. In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, until fragrant, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
- Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan for extra flavor.
- Stir in the heavy cream, then add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and chopped spinach. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, until the spinach is wilted and the sauce begins to thicken slightly.
- Add the grated Parmesan cheese and stir until melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Return the seared chicken breasts (and any accumulated juices) to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce. Spoon some of the sauce over the top of each piece.
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 3–5 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil before serving, spooning plenty of sauce over each portion.
Notes
- Use chicken breasts of similar size so they cook evenly if very thick, you can butterfly them for faster, more even cooking.
- If your skillet isn’t oven-safe, transfer the sauce and chicken to a baking dish before putting it in the oven.
- The sauce will thicken more as it cools slightly; if it gets too thick, thin with a splash of broth or cream just before serving.
- For a slightly lighter version, you can replace up to half of the heavy cream with half-and-half, though the sauce will be a bit less rich and thick.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop + Oven-Baked
- Cuisine: American-Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce (1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: ≈480 kcal
- Sugar: ≈5 g
- Sodium: ≈650 mg
- Fat: ≈30 g
- Saturated Fat: ≈15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: ≈13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g (approximate, depends on ingredients used)
- Carbohydrates: ≈10 g
- Fiber: ≈2 g
- Protein: ≈42 g
- Cholesterol: ≈170 mg
Keywords: marry me chicken, high protein chicken, creamy garlic chicken, skillet chicken, date night dinner, sun-dried tomato chicken, parmesan chicken, low carb chicken