Marry Me Chicken
Juicy marry me chicken is so delicious it could induce a proposal.
Plump chicken breasts sautéed until golden then roasted in a mouthwatering cream sauce flavoured with aromatics, herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, and bacon. So good someone might just pop "the question".
This recipe was borne out of Ina Garten's "Engagement Roast Chicken" and over the years has morphed into this savoury, drool-inducing dish. Marry Me chicken takes flattened chicken breasts, already richly flavoured from sautéing and then roasts them in a wonderful garlic cream sauce that soaks right into the meat.
Marry Me chicken is best served with mashed potatoes, rice, your favourite pasta, couscous, or quinoa.
Ingredients
(Makes 4 servings)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, flattened
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 slices bacon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
fresh basil leaves to garnish (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F / 190°C.
Place the chicken breasts between sheets of clingwrap and, using the flat side of a kitchen mallet, strike each several times until the breasts are flattened to an equal thickness of about 1/2-inch. Place the flattened chicken breasts on a plate, pat dry, then season both sides with sea salt, and ground black pepper.
In a large, oven-safe sauté pan, skillet, or 3-quart Dutch oven (pictured) over medium-high heat, add the bacon strips and fry until the bacon becomes crispy and the fat has rendered out. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the bacon to a paper-lined plate.
Place the chicken breasts carefully into the hot oil and sear until golden brown (about 5 minutes per side). Reduce heat to medium. Transfer the chicken breasts onto a clean plate and set aside.
Carefully remove excess oil from the pan leaving about 1 tablespoon of oil. Easiest way to do so is by using wadded paper towel held in tongs. Set the oil-filled paper on a heat-safe plate to cool before discarding.
To the pan, add the garlic, dried thyme, red pepper flakes, and dried basil. Mix well and sauté until the mixture becomes fragrant (1 to 2 minutes). Stir in the chicken broth, heavy cream, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and Parmigiano Reggiano. Once it comes to a simmer, reintroduce the chicken breasts to the pan along with any drippings. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the juices from the chicken are running clear.
Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving plate. Roughly chop the bacon and add to the chicken. (Optional) Garnish with fresh basil leaves.
Nutritional Information Per Serving:
total calories = 400 | total fat = 26.58g | saturated fat = 11.35g | cholesterol = 153.5mg | sodium = 933.13mg | net carbohydrates = 8.87g | dietary fibre = 1.75g | sugars = 5.1g | protein = 44.06g
