Marry Me Chicken Parmesan (Printable)

Tender chicken breasts in creamy sun-dried tomato sauce with a Parmesan dusting, ideal for an impressive meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (approximately 1.3 to 1.5 lbs)
02 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Sauce

05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
07 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
08 - 4 ounces sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
09 - 1 cup gluten-free chicken stock
10 - ¾ cup heavy cream
11 - 2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese
12 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

→ Garnish (Parmesan Snow)

13 - 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, extra finely grated or microplaned
14 - Fresh basil leaves (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry; season evenly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper on both sides.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken breasts 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden and almost cooked through. Remove to a plate.
03 - Lower heat to medium. Add minced garlic, dried oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes to skillet; sauté 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Incorporate sun-dried tomatoes; cook an additional minute to release flavors.
05 - Pour in gluten-free chicken stock, scraping browned bits from skillet bottom. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes.
06 - Stir in heavy cream and freshly grated Parmesan cheese; bring to a gentle simmer.
07 - Return chicken breasts to skillet, nestling into sauce. Simmer uncovered 5 to 8 minutes, spooning sauce over chicken until fully cooked and sauce thickens.
08 - Swirl in unsalted butter for a glossy finish and added richness.
09 - Transfer chicken to serving plates, spoon sauce over. Generously dust with extra finely grated Parmesan for 'Parmesan Snow'. Garnish with fresh basil if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent all day cooking, but youll be sitting down in under 45 minutes.
  • The creamy sauce with sun-dried tomatoes tastes indulgent without feeling heavy.
  • That Parmesan snow moment when you serve it makes everyone pause before they eat.
02 -
  • Do not skip drying the chicken. Wet chicken steams instead of searing, and you lose that golden crust.
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan only. Pre-grated cheese will ruin the sauce texture and the snow effect wont work.
  • Keep the heat at medium after searing. High heat will break the cream and make the sauce grainy.
03 -
  • Hold the microplane high when adding Parmesan snow so it falls gently and doesnt clump in the warm sauce.
  • Let the chicken rest on the plate for a minute before spooning over the sauce so the juices redistribute and stay in the meat.
  • Save a little pasta water if youre serving this over noodles. It helps marry the sauce to the pasta beautifully.
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