After hearing so much about “Marry Me Chicken” both from friends and on the internet, I decided to join the crowd of its admirers and take a stab at it.  After reviewing several recipes on line, I opted for the New York Times version, which had been the first one I encountered. Like Ina Garten’s famed “Engagement Chicken,” the dish has garnered a reputation for ensuring a marriage proposal for those who share it. So, if you’re one of those thinking of preparing it to ensure a walk up the aisle, go ahead and give it a whirl. Even if your dinner companion doesn’t pop the question, you’ll nonetheless wind up enjoying a delicious dinner.

The relatively simple dish consists of golden chicken cutlets coated with a velvety cream sauce richly flavored with sun dried tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and a hit of crushed red-pepper flakes. It can be served on its own accompanied by crispy bread to get that last bit of sauce or even over rice or pasta.

For the most part, I followed the recipe but upped the amounts of sun-dried tomatoes and red-pepper flakes. I also used large garlic cloves for added piquancy and a heaping tablespoon of concentrated tomato paste for more acidity. Finally, rather than adding the cream in two stages, I added it all at once and slowly reduced the sauce to the desired consistency. The dish turned out even better than expected. The chicken was juicy and absorbed the flavors of the silky sauce’s tangy dried tomatoes, spicy red pepper, and savory garlic. I served it accompanied by roasted asparagus and steamed rice.

Marry Me Chicken (adapted from a recipe by Naz Deravian on the New York Times “Cooking” website.)

Ingredients:

3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or 6 chicken cutlets (about 2¼ pounds total), patted dry (I only had five.)
Kosher salt and  freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 generous tablespoon tomato paste
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ crushed red-pepper flakes, or to taste
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
¾ cup heavy cream
½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
½ cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
Fresh basil, cut into ribbons (chiffonade), for serving

Directions:

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.

2. Dry the chicken well with paper towels. Season both sides of the chicken cutlets liberally with salt and pepper.

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

4. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high. When the oil begins to ripple, reduce the heat to medium and add the butter.

5. As soon as the butter 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 the platter or sheet pan.

6. Reduce the heat to low, add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

7. Add the tomato paste and crushed red-pepper flakes, stirring until the color deepens, about 2 minutes.

8. Add the oregano.

9. 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.

10. Add 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.

11. Stir in the Parmesan and the sun-dried tomatoes. Place the chicken back in the pan, flipping to coat with the sauce, and warm through, about 4 minutes.

12. Remove from the heat, scatter basil on top, and serve on warmed plates.

Wine Pairing: Chardonnay, Dry Riesling, Prosecco