Description
High-Protein Marry Me Chicken is a luscious and creamy skillet chicken dish featuring tender boneless, skinless chicken cutlets smothered in a rich sauce made from chicken bone broth, cottage cheese, sundried tomatoes, and Parmesan. This recipe delivers a satisfying high-protein dinner that’s bursting with Italian flavors, enhanced by garlic, fresh basil, and a touch of red pepper flakes for gentle warmth.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Sauce
- 3/4 cup chicken bone broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup whole milk cottage cheese
- 2 Tbsp chopped sundried tomatoes (about 4 tomato halves)
- 2 Tbsp finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- 1 tsp tomato paste
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Chicken
- 4 (6-oz.) boneless, skinless chicken cutlets
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For Cooking
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: In a blender, puree the chicken bone broth, heavy cream, cottage cheese, chopped sundried tomatoes, grated Parmesan, and tomato paste until the mixture is smooth. Season the sauce with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, then set aside.
- Season the chicken: Pat the chicken cutlets dry with paper towels. Season all over with kosher salt and black pepper. Sprinkle the cutlets evenly with the all-purpose flour and Italian seasoning, pressing gently with your fingers to help the seasoning adhere to the chicken.
- Cook the chicken: Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, cook the chicken cutlets until they are browned on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a plate and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Sauté the aromatics: Lower the heat to medium-low, then melt the unsalted butter in the same skillet. Add the finely chopped garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook while stirring and scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add sauce and basil, simmer: Return the rested chicken and any accumulated juices back to the skillet. Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken, add the torn fresh basil leaves, and cook while spooning the sauce over the chicken until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 5 to 7 minutes. Adjust seasoning with kosher salt and black pepper as needed.
- Serve: Divide the chicken among plates. Top each serving with additional grated Parmesan and fresh basil leaves for garnish. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use chicken bone broth to enhance the flavor and protein content of the sauce.
- Patting the chicken dry before seasoning helps achieve a better crust when cooking.
- Resting the chicken after cooking allows juices to redistribute, keeping the meat moist.
- Adjust crushed red pepper flakes to your desired spice level or omit for less heat.
- This dish pairs well with crusty bread or a light vegetable side to soak up the creamy sauce.
