Marry Me Chicken

Marry Me Chicken

from cooking.nytimes.com
60 min
4 servings

This cozy dish, which <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@gimme.delicious/video/7213007579411238190">went viral on TikTok</a> with claims that if you prepare it for someone, you will end up getting married, features boneless chicken breasts nestled in a creamy, tomato-y sauce. With wedding bells in mind or not, this dish comes together fairly quickly and is just as great for entertaining as it is for a family meal. In this version, the addition of tomato paste adds a bright acidity to the rich cream sauce and complements the sun-dried tomatoes. Serve with crusty bread to sop up all the juices as well as tangy green salad to balance out the sauce’s richness. Or, try it over pasta, <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019204-basic-stovetop-rice">rice</a> or <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014527-basic-polenta">polenta</a>.

Ingredients

  • 3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or 6 chicken cutlets (about 2 1/4 pounds total), patted dry
  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Red-pepper flakes, to taste
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated Parmesan
  • 1/3 cup (2.4 ounces/67 grams) sliced sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
  • Fresh basil, for serving

Directions

  1. 1

    If using chicken breasts, start from the thickest end and slice each chicken breast in half horizontally so you end up with a total of 6 cutlets (see Tip). Season both sides of the chicken cutlets well with salt and pepper.

  2. 2

    Scatter the flour on a large plate and coat the cutlets, shaking off the excess. Transfer the cutlets to a sheet pan or large plate in a single layer. 

  3. 3

    Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high. Once hot, reduce the heat to medium and add the butter. As soon as it melts, add the cutlets and cook until golden on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook the other side until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Do this in batches, if needed, adding more oil, if needed. Transfer the cutlets to a plate or sheet pan.

  4. 4

    Reduce the heat to low, add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stirring until the color deepens, about 2 minutes. Add the oregano and red-pepper flakes, to taste. Increase the heat to medium, add the stock and bring to a simmer, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan, until the liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

  5. 5

    Add 1/2 cup of the cream and warm through, stirring, until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Watch the cream closely, reducing the heat if necessary, to maintain a gentle simmer. Stir in the Parmesan and the sun-dried tomatoes. Add more cream, if you like, and season the sauce. Place the chicken back in the pan to warm through, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and scatter basil on top.