Marry Me Chicken – A Story Behind the Name, and the Flavor
Sometimes all I want is something tomato-based and comforting. On such days, I usually turn to a ratatouille-like stew. But this time, I remembered a recipe I had bookmarked—shared by @feedingbruno on February 23.
Nives’ savory dishes always inspire me. She mentioned:“Sundried tomatoes are the heart and soul of this dish.”
And I couldn’t agree more. I had brought home some lovely dried tomatoes from Paris (and forgotten about them), so it felt like destiny.
The history and stories about “Marry Me Chicken”
I had no idea that this dish had a name—let alone one as bold and charming as Marry Me Chicken.
I first bookmarked the recipe simply because it looked delicious, cozy, and familiar. But when I returned to it recently and started reading more carefully, I realized… this is not just any creamy tomato chicken.
So I did a little digging.
Apparently, the name “Marry Me Chicken” became popular in the early 2010s and has since taken off across blogs, Pinterest, and even Knorr’s official website. The story goes: a woman once made this dish for her partner, and it was so good that he proposed immediately after dinner. The name stuck. Soon, the internet was full of variations of “the chicken so good, it inspires proposals.”
It’s a creamy, savory, and slightly tangy skillet chicken with garlic, cream, sundried tomatoes, and parmesan. Not flashy or complicated—just warm, comforting, and irresistibly delicious.
To me, it feels similar in spirit to Japan’s Nikujaga—the simmered meat and potato dish long considered the “home-cooked love language” of Japanese kitchens.
If I had to pick a “proposal dish,” though, mine might be a gently smoky takikomi gohan or hearty tonjiru. But this chicken? It’s earned a place among those.
Once you know that story, it’s hard not to want to try making it. The recipe practically invites you to step into a little fiction. Will someone fall in love with this? Maybe. Will you fall in love with cooking it? Very likely.
And that might be the best part.
What Makes It Special – Ingredients that Matter
Traditionally, this dish uses chicken breast, but I went with boneless chicken thighs for extra tenderness. The richness of the meat paired beautifully with the acidity and sweetness of the tomato-based sauce.
Two ingredients absolutely make this dish: sundried tomatoes and tomato paste. Without them, it would be just another tomato cream chicken. With them, the dish gains depth, complexity, and a faint air of something far more luxurious. It removes any sense of “fast food familiarity” and replaces it with something soulful.
For the side, I decided to roast lotus root slices for the first time—lightly coated in oil and baked until golden. Earthy, crisp, and surprisingly good against the creaminess of the chicken. It was the kind of simple accident that makes you want to remember to do it again.
Visual Guide to the Recipe
Ingredient list & Steps in Text
Ingredients
- Chicken thighs (or breast) – 2–3 pieces
- Butter – 1 tbsp
- Garlic – 4 cloves, minced
- Sundried tomatoes – 10 pieces, chopped
- Tomato paste – 2 tbsp
- Dried oregano – 1 tsp
- White wine – 100 ml
- Sugar – 2 tsp (optional, depending on wine sweetness)
- Chicken stock – 300 ml
- Cream – 150 ml
- Parmesan – 1 tbsp
- Fresh basil (if available)
Instructions
- Bring chicken to room temperature, season with salt and pepper.
- Sear chicken in butter + oil from sundried tomatoes until nearly cooked. Sprinkle with oregano, remove from pan.
- Sauté garlic and sundried tomatoes in the same pan. Add tomato paste and sugar.
- Deglaze with white wine, reduce alcohol. Add stock and bring to simmer.
- Add cream. Return chicken and simmer covered for 20 min.
- Finish with parmesan and greens (like baby spinach).
What Lingers – A Dish That Leaves Behind a Story
What struck me along with the flavor, was how a name can shape how we experience a dish. “Marry Me Chicken.” It invites a story. You imagine the setting, the occasion. Was there candlelight? A nervous smile? Did someone actually propose after taking a bite?
It reminded me that food is not just about sustenance. It’s about memory. The dishes we remember are often tied to emotion—meals that make us feel safe, or excited, or simply seen.
I once watched The Stepford Wives, where women in gleaming kitchens serve picture-perfect meals in suburban homes. That kind of polished perfection never appealed to me. But this dish—it has a human warmth to it. The kind of thing you could cook even when you’re a little tired, but still want to bring something genuine to the table.
Maybe you cook it for your partner. Maybe for your family. Maybe just for yourself. Either way, it feels like a gift.
And I think that’s the kind of recipe that stays with you—not because it’s complicated, but because it means something.
“マリーミーチキン”｜プロポーズされちゃうかも？トマトと鶏の恋する煮込み
鶏もも肉をトマト味で煮込みたい、そんな時、ふと以前保存したレシピを思い出しました。
チキンのトマトクリーム煮、みたいなもので、ほんと最高！においしかったです、みんな大好きな味では。
実際、”Marry me Chicken”と呼ばれるお料理で、美味しすぎて結婚を申し込まれちゃうそうです。
日本だと、”胃袋を掴む”お料理として、肉じゃがでしょうか？私がプロポーズする側なら、カレーや、豚汁・炊き込みご飯です😋
忘備録（後日ブログにレシピをアップ予定です)
・今回は鶏もも（本来鶏むね）
・絶対に！トマトピューレ＆ドライトマトを使用すること。コクがぐんとアップして、ファストフード感が抜けます
・レンコンのオーブン焼きがかなりヒット！でした
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