The true story behind the famous “Marry Me Chicken” recipe first published by Delish magazine in 2016 begins with the flavors of Italy.
Valentine's Day is less than a week away and that reminded me of a recipe for a date night special known as Marry Me Chicken. This dish has sparked a few romances, second dates and wedding proposals giving it the name Matrimonio Chicken. The dish became an item when a group of magazine food editors were testing a recipe for Delish magazine. After the foto shoot the videographer took a bite of the dish and exclaimed “I'd marry you for that chicken". It was THAT good. The dish became a viral success on Tik Tok with countless internet accounts labeling it the "ultimate romantic meal" with the potential to tie the knot.
The creative editor who started this food phenomenon wanted to expand on a Tuscan chicken pasta recipe she developed using similar ingredients with one exception. In the revised recipe fresh tomatoes were replaced with sun-dried tomatoes and that made for a very appealing sweet tangy favor profile that was irresistible.
Neither the Tuscan chicken pasta nor the revised version of Sicilian Chicken Skillet, the original name for “Marry Me Chicken” is authentic to Italy. Both dishes do have some elements of several traditional Italian dishes namely Chicken Cacciatore or Hunter’s Chicken from central Italy, a Sicilian chicken dish made with black olives, Pantelleria capers, wild fennel and sweet tomatoes and a Neapolitan chicken recipe from Sorrento called Chicken alla Sorrentina or Chicken alla pizzaiola that uses pizzaiola sauce a a main ingredient. Whether any of these inspired a marriage proposal in Italy is uncertain but Italians are known to loose their heart over a good meal.
There are several versions of the dish as would be expected now that it has gained such popularity. The author of the recipe attributes the sun-dried tomatoes as the magic ingredient. romance. Glamour Magazine reported a number of marriage proposals attributed to a similar dish called “Engagement Chicken” at 70. I’m sure “Marry Me Chicken” is not far behind.
Matrimonio Chicken
Ingredients
3 T extra virgin olive oil divided
4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts
fine gray sea salt and coarse ground pepper
2 cloves of minced garlic
a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes
1 T fresh thyme leaves or a sprinkle of dried
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, freshly grated
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
¼ cup basil leaves, thinly sliced
Method
Preheat oven to 375°F. Season chicken with salt and black pepper. In a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, heat1 tablespoon oil. Sear chicken breasts for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown. Don't overcrowd the pan and work in batches, adding more oil, if needed. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
In the same skillet over heat remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Stir in garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute being careful not to let garlic burn. Deglaze pan with a splash of white wine scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in broth, tomatoes, cream, and Parmigiano cheese. Bring to a simmer then reduce heat to medium low and return chicken and any accumulated juices to skillet.
Transfer skillet to oven. Bake chicken until cooked through (165°F when tested with a digital meat thermometer) and juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a knife, 10 to 12 minutes. Arrange chicken on a platter. Spoon sauce over. Top with basil.
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