Marry Me Chicken (Lightened Up)

This lightened up marry me chicken has all the creamy, sun-dried tomato goodness of the original but uses light cream cheese instead of heavy cream so it’s a little easier on you. ♡

The sauce still comes together in the same pan you seared the chicken in, which means all those golden brown bits get scraped up and stirred into something ridiculously good. Light cream cheese melts smooth into the broth and you honestly cannot tell the difference. This is the kind of dinner that makes people ask if you went to culinary school.

Sear, sauce, and bake. Let’s make it together.

Ingredients

Marry Me Chicken (Lightened Up)

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 oz light cream cheese (1/3 less fat)
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Fresh basil for topping
• Salt and pepper to taste

How to Make Marry Me Chicken (Lightened Up)

1. Sear. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden. Remove and set aside.
2. Build. In the same skillet, add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
3. Melt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the light cream cheese until it melts completely into the broth, about 2 minutes. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan, and red pepper flakes. Stir until smooth.
4. Bake. Place the seared chicken back into the sauce. Transfer the skillet to a 400°F oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F internally.
5. Finish. Top with fresh basil and serve straight from the skillet. Spoon extra sauce over each piece.

Tips

• Sear the chicken until properly golden before moving on. The brown crust is where the flavor lives, and it’s what gives the sauce all its depth.
• Scrape up the brown bits when you add the broth. They dissolve right into the sauce and that’s the secret flavor.
• Use an oven-safe skillet so you can go straight from stovetop to oven without extra dishes.

Variations

• Add spinach: Stir baby spinach into the sauce before adding the chicken back in.
• Chicken thighs: Use boneless thighs instead for even juicier results.
• Serve with: This is incredible over pasta, rice, or with crusty bread to mop up the sauce.

FAQ

Marry Me Chicken (Lightened Up)

Creamy, garlicky skillet chicken with sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan made lighter with light cream cheese.

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Servings: 4

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• - 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• - 4 oz light cream cheese 1/3 less fat
• - 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• - 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
• - 3 cloves garlic minced
• - 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• - 1 tablespoon olive oil
• - Fresh basil for topping
• - Salt and pepper to taste

Method

 

1. **Sear.** Season chicken with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Sear in olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden. Remove and set aside.
2. **Build.** Cook garlic for 30 seconds in the same skillet. Add broth and scrape up the brown bits.
3. **Melt.** Stir in light cream cheese until smooth. Add sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan, and red pepper flakes.
4. **Bake.** Return chicken to the skillet and bake at 400°F for 15 to 18 minutes until cooked through.
5. **Finish.** Top with fresh basil and spoon extra sauce over each piece.

Notes

- Sear the chicken until properly golden for the best sauce flavor.
- Use an oven-safe skillet to go from stovetop to oven without extra dishes.
- Scrape up the brown bits from the pan when adding broth for maximum flavor.

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