Marry Me Crispy Chicken
This Marry Me Crispy Chicken is a golden, juicy chicken breast coated in a crispy parmesan crust and drizzled with a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce that’s full of flavor. It’s one of those recipes that makes anyone fall in love with your cooking—literally. I like to serve it with buttery mashed potatoes for a cozy, restaurant-style meal that’s still simple enough for a weeknight. The sauce is the star here—rich, tangy, and balanced with just enough heat from paprika and cayenne. Once you try it, you’ll see why it’s called Marry Me Chicken—it’s that good.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 chicken breasts
- Olive oil
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Salt
- Black pepper
For the Batter
- eggs whisked with a pinch of salt
- White pepper
- ½ cup flour
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
For the Marry Me Sauce
- 2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 small shallot
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp olive oil or oil from the sun-dried tomatoes
- ¼ cup stock
- 2 tbsp water
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- A handful of basil
- A handful of grated parmesan
- Oregano paprika, cayenne
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For the Mashed Potatoes
- Yellow potatoes
- Warm milk as needed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Butter
Instructions
Pound and Season the Chicken
- Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap.
- Poke small holes with a fork—this helps the marinade soak in.
- Pound them evenly with a meat mallet until uniform in thickness.
- Season both sides with oil, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper.
- Let them marinate for about 15 minutes.
Prepare the Breading Station
- In one bowl, add flour.
- In a second bowl, whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt.
- In a third bowl, mix breadcrumbs and grated parmesan, season with salt and white pepper.
- Coat each chicken breast in flour, dip in the egg, then coat with the breadcrumb-parmesan mix.
- Lightly press the coating so it sticks well.
Fry the Chicken
- Heat frying oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add the chicken breasts and cook for 4–5 minutes per side, until golden and crispy.
- Set them on a wire rack to rest while you make the sauce. This helps the juices redistribute and keeps the coating crisp.
Make the Marry Me Sauce
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, shallot, tomato paste, lemon juice, lemon zest, basil, olive oil, and 2 tablespoons of water to a blender.
- Blend until the mixture turns into a smooth paste.
- In a sauce pan, sauté the paste over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes until boiling.
- Pour in the stock and heavy cream to thin it into a sauce.
- Stir in paprika, oregano, cayenne (if using), and salt.
- Add grated parmesan and stir until it melts and the sauce becomes creamy.
- Turn off the heat.
Make the Mashed Potatoes
- Boil yellow potatoes in salted water until soft.
- Drain and pass them through a ricer or mesh sieve for a silky texture.
- Mix in cold butter, then gradually add warm milk until smooth and creamy.
- Taste and season with salt.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!