A slow cooker chicken recipe made to capture the heart and satisfy the appetite! If you need a simply decadent meal, look no further than this gourmet-style dish. Try Easy Marry Me Chicken Recipe in the Slow Cooker for your next creamy delicious entreé that will be sure to gain repeat requests!

marry me chicken and mashed potatoes garnished on blue plate

In recent years, this recipe has gained quite a bit of traction across social media due to its simplicity and absolutely mouthwatering taste. However, this simple mix of ingredients has been a luxurious combination for quite some time. The catchy name has grown in popularity as it leaves recipe-seekers wondering: does this chicken dish hold up to the hype?

Proposal or not… yes, it does!

Why Is It Called Marry Me Chicken?

What IS the intrigue behind the name “Marry Me Chicken?”

It could be that “sun-dried tomato chicken” didn’t sound quite as exciting. Or, perhaps a better theory is explained by the editors of Delish (who are attributed with the name) when they claimed this dish was certain to bring a marriage proposal when served to a significant other.

It’s just THAT tasty!

Marry Me Chicken Ingredients

Easy Marry Me Chicken might make you think it’s full of magical ingredients, but really, it’s just the combination of Italian-inspired flavors that wins over dinner guests or loved ones.

Boneless skinless chicken breasts work well, but you can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs for darker meat. Use breasts or thighs that are relatively the same size or cut into similarly-sized pieces.
Butter seals the flavor in the chickens and enhances the rich taste.
Minced garlic will bring a savory and aromatic flavor.
Italian dressing mix or an Italian seasoning blend is a simple way to season the chicken and seal the flavor during browning.
Crushed red pepper brings a little spice.
Chicken stock adds flavor to the creamy sauce.
Sun-dried tomatoes are the “wow factor” in this recipe!
Tapioca flour or cornstarch will thicken the sauce for an extra delicious serving over pasta, rice, or potatoes.
Heavy cream is key to achieving decadence!
Parmesan is the perfect cheese to bring a rich complexity to the overall dish.

free ranch organic chicken breast, minced garlic, chicken bone broth, grass-fed butter, spices, red pepper flakes, sun dried tomatoes julienne-cut

Anthony's Organic Tapioca Flour, Ben Gioioso parmesan, and 32 oz heavy whipping cream

How To Make The Best Marry Me Chicken Recipe In The Slow Cooker

To begin, make sure the chicken breasts are roughly the same size. If they are large, cut into 4-6 equal-sized pieces. Then, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the Italian seasoning evenly on both sides of the breast.

Next, melt butter in the skillet or in the multi-cooker over medium-high heat. Place the chicken breasts in the skillet or multi-cooker and cook chicken on each side until lightly browned.

browned chicken with minced garlic on top inside of frying pan

Transfer the chicken to the slow cooker and add the following ingredients: minced garlic, the rest of the seasoning blend, red pepper, chicken stock, and sun-dried tomatoes.

browned chicken with minced garlic on top inside of slow cooker

Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6 hours.

Toward the end of the cooking time, mix tapioca flour with just enough water to make a slurry (thin paste) and add it to the slow cooker.

Finally, stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese and let the sauce continue to heat through for approximately 30 minutes.

marry me chicken in sauce and inside of slow cooker

What To Serve With Marry Me Chicken

Easy Marry Me Chicken is the perfect entreé to serve over pasta because of the simply luscious sauce. Penne, fusilli, or fettuccine are great pasta varieties that allow the sauce to cover every piece.

marry me chicken in sauce and garnished inside of crock pot slow cooker

Also, try serving Marry Me Chicken over a bed of fluffy rice with butter or a variety of potatoes like Slow Cooker Gratin Potatoes or Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes. A slice of toasty garlic bread would be a perfect side for the creamy sauce.

For other low-carb options, vegetables that pair well with the creamy sun-dried tomato sauce are roasted asparagus or green beans, or sauteed mushrooms.

Best Ways to Store Marry Me Chicken Leftovers

Store chicken and sauce leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. You may wish to portion out individual servings of chicken and sauce to store to ensure an equal distribution of ingredients.

if you are adamant about not wasting the yummy goodness, you technically can store this in the freezer. However, sauces with dairy ingredients may change consistency when defrosted. If you freeze, store for up to 3 months and allow to defrost in the fridge prior to reheating.

When reheating, portion out servings to microwave in short intervals, or place in a skillet on low heat until both the meat and the sauce are thoroughly warmed.

Alternative Ways To Make Marry Me Chicken

Easy Marry Me Chicken is a simple meal in almost any way that you make it! You can also make an impressive dish on an even shorter timeline on the stove or in the Instant Pot.

To make it on the stove, simply start by melting the butter and browning the seasoned chicken in a skillet along with the minced garlic. Add the rest of the seasoning blend, red pepper, chicken stock, and sun-dried tomatoes to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Once the tomatoes have softened, add the tapioca flour slurry, cream, and parmesan cheese and heat through until the sauce has thickened.

To make it in the Instant Pot, brown the chicken on sauté mode, then turn off the pot. Add minced garlic, the rest of the seasoning blend, red pepper, chicken stock, and sun-dried tomatoes to the pot and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. After cooking, release the pressure and return to sauté mode.

Finally, stir in the slurry, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese and heat until thickened.

Marry Me Chicken Tips

This recipe is known for its ingredient combination, but there are a few simple swaps you could make to adjust it to your liking!

First, you could easily swap out chicken breasts for boneless skinless chicken thighs. If you prefer, you could also slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise for a more thin cut of meat.
If you would like more veggies, add some fresh baby spinach in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.
Bacon. Need I say more? Some variations of this recipe suggest adding chopped pre-cooked bacon near the end of cooking for heartiness and extra flavor.
A sprinkle of capers would be another delightful addition!
If you really don’t care for sun-dried tomatoes, you could leave them out and the sauce would still be delicious. However, the tomatoes add so much flavor and richness to the overall recipe – I encourage you to try them! You could also substitute a few roasted red peppers for tomatoes to change the taste a bit.

A few other tips for an effortless and amazing dish:

Use a meat thermometer to monitor the temperature of your chicken so that it is not over or undercooked.
If the sauce needs to be a bit thicker, continue to add small portions of tapioca flour or cornstarch slurry until you reach your desired consistency.
When serving, garnish with a few sprigs of fresh basil or a bit of chopped fresh parsley.
You just might want to make enough for seconds!