This Crockpot Marry Me Chicken recipe was inspired by a recent date night with my husband at a local Italian restaurant where it was on the menu. I’ve always known that food is the way to his heart, and he likes to say that my culinary skills are just one of the many reasons he married me. In fact, I even catered our own wedding, which took place in our backyard. In hindsight, it was a little too much to take on that day, but the wedding still happened anyway (and the food was a hit)!
Marry Me Chicken has long been one of my favorite recipes, but I don’t often have the time to stand over a stove making it at home. Luckily, with a few simple adaptations, it was easy for me to turn this popular dish into a hands-off crockpot recipe. With tender, juicy chicken, a rich, creamy sundried tomato sauce, and a savory, herbaceous flavor, this dish is still one of my favorite comforting weeknight dinner recipes, and now I have a new favorite way to make it.
Recipe Highlights
- Fuss-free: The only hands-on step I really need to do is sear the chicken in a skillet. From there, I just combine the ingredients in the slow cooker, and let the delicious flavors “marry” throughout the day
- Pairs well with veggies: I love that I can pair this chicken dinner with so many different veggie sides, from roasted asparagus to a simple green salad, to help round out the dish. It’s equally appropriate for both simple weeknight dinners to fancy holiday gatherings
- Low-carb, high protein: This dish is naturally low-carb and gluten-free, plus it provides 34 grams of protein per serving. The creamy chicken tastes delicious on its own, but can also be paired with mashed potatoes, cooked rice, or cooked noodles. Or, I sometimes serve it over cooked spaghetti squash for an option that keeps it low carb
Ingredient Notes
A few notes about some of the ingredients I use:
- Low-sodium chicken broth – It only takes 1 ½ cups chicken broth to form the base of the creamy sauce. I sometimes use homemade bone broth when I have it on hand
- Chicken – most Marry Me chicken recipes use boneless skinless chicken breasts because the mild flavor pairs well with the sauce, but you can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs if preferred
- Sun-dried tomatoes – a staple ingredient in any Marry Me chicken recipe. Sweet and savory sun-dried tomatoes are important for creating the tangy, acidic, tomato taste. For the best results, I recommend using jarred sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil
- Olive oil – when learning how to make the perfect chicken breast, I discovered that searing chicken is the best way to lock in flavor and keep it tender, and using olive oil is my favorite way to do just that
Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
Equipment Needed
- Large skillet
- Slow cooker
- Whisk or spoon
Why Is It Called Marry Me Chicken?
There are several theories as to how this popular chicken dish got its name, which is also known as creamy Tuscan Marry Me Chicken and Engagement Chicken. The prevailing thought is that this recipe is considered to be so delicious that whomever you cook it for will propose on the spot after just one bite – it’s that good! Another theory is that the flavors of the sun-dried tomatoes marry into the sauce, creating a well-rounded sweet and savory taste. No matter how the recipe got its name, there’s no denying that Marry Me chicken is delicious!
Great Pairings For Marry Me Chicken
My Slow Cooker Marry Me chicken is a filling main course on its own, but I love to serve it over mashed potatoes, cooked rice, or cooked pasta. Also, serving it over spaghetti squash is a low-carb option that I love to use for getting more veggies and soaking up all the sauce at the same time. I garnish it with a simple sprinkle of fresh basil, dash of red pepper flakes, and some Parmesan cheese.
If cooking for my hungry teens, I might serve it with a sautéed asparagus, air fryer Brussels sprouts, green beans, green goddess salad, or gluten-free olive bread to make our meal more filling. I also served this new recipe recently when I hosted a dinner party for some of my adult friends. I paired it with bottles of Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc to create an elevated, restaurant-worthy meal.
For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of my recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), total fat, saturated fat, protein, carbohydrates, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.
How Long It Will Keep
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To warm it up, reheat the chicken and sauce in a skillet over medium heat on the stovetop. Add a splash of chicken stock as needed to loosen the sauce back up.
I don’t recommend freezing slow cooker Marry Me chicken, because the sauce tends to separate once thawed.
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Crockpot Marry Me Chicken Recipe
This fuss-free Marry Me chicken recipe is a simple take on the classic Italian-American dish, combining tender chicken and a creamy, sun-dried tomato-infused sauce.
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 ¼ lbs)
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 garlic cloves, minced (1 ½ tablespoons minced garlic)
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Optional for serving: Hot, cooked angel hair pasta or cooked and shredded spaghetti squash + fresh basil leaves and more Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, mist the pan with cooking spray then add the olive oil. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the chicken breasts and cook for 2-3 minutes or just until browned (don’t cook them all the way through, just sear the outside).
- While the chicken is browning, add the broth and cornstarch to the bottom of the slow cooker. Whisk well so there are no lumps in the cornstarch slurry.
- Add the minced cloves garlic, Italian seasoning, paprika, onion powder, salt and pepper, then whisk again.
- Add the seared chicken breasts to the slow cooker, turning once to coat with the broth mixture.
- Sprinkle the chopped sun-dried tomatoes over the chicken breasts.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on the low setting for 3-4 hours or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Place the chicken breasts on a plate. To the liquid in the slow cooker, add the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese; stir to incorporate. Then return the chicken pieces to the slow cooker and turn them over a few times to coat them in the sauce.
- Serve chicken with some of the sauce ladled over top. Garnish with fresh basil and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired, and serve over pasta or spaghetti squash.
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Notes
Possible substitutions:
- May use 6-8 boneless skinless chicken thighs in place of the chicken breasts.
- May use half-and-half in place of the heavy cream. For a dairy-free option, you could use plant-based vegan whipping cream, such as Califia Farms, Silk, or Country Crock brands.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the chicken and sauce
- Calories: 346
- Fat: 20 g
- (Sat Fat: 8 g)
- Sodium: 745 mg
- Carbohydrate: 10 g
- (Fiber: 0 g
- Sugar: 1 g)
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 135 mg
Dietary
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, as long as the chicken cooks completely through, it is safe to put raw chicken in a slow cooker. Cook it to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Overcooking chicken is the most common reason for it to turn out rubbery. To prevent this, I don’t recommend cooking it for more than 4 hours on low.
The photos in this blog post were taken by Rachel Cook of Half Acre House.
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Can this be cooked in the Instant Pot? If so, for how long would you seal and cook it?
We haven’t specifically experimented with that method so we can’t say for certain at this time.