Marry Me Chicken
Bone-in chicken thighs seared golden, then finished in a creamy sun-dried tomato and Parmesan pan sauce that's rich enough to make the name feel earned.
Ingredients
- 4bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs(about 2.5 lb total)
- 1 tspkosher salt
- ½ tspblack pepper(freshly ground)
- ½ tspsmoked paprika
- 2 tbspolive oil
- 4 clovesgarlic(minced)
- ½ tspred pepper flakes
- 1 tbsptomato paste
- ½ cupsun-dried tomatoes(oil-packed, drained and roughly chopped)
- ½ cupchicken broth
- 1 cupheavy cream
- ½ cupParmesan cheese(finely grated, plus more to serve)
- 1 tspfresh thyme leaves(or 0.5 tsp dried)
- 2 tbspfresh basil(torn, to finish)
Method
- 01
Pat the 4 chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels — surface moisture is the enemy of a good sear.
- 02
Mix the 1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp black pepper, and ½ tsp smoked paprika, then season the chicken all over.
- 03
Heat the 2 tbsp olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- 04
Place the chicken thighs skin-side down and sear undisturbed for 6–7 minutes until the skin is deep golden and releases cleanly from the pan.
- 05
Flip and sear the second side for 3 minutes, then transfer the chicken to a plate. It will not be cooked through yet.
- 06
Reduce heat to medium. Add the 4 cloves garlic and ½ tsp red pepper flakes to the rendered fat in the pan and cook for 60 seconds, stirring, until fragrant.
- 07
Stir in the 1 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 1 minute until it darkens slightly and coats the aromatics.
- 08
Add the ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes and stir to combine.
- 09
Pour in the ½ cup chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- 10
Pour in the 1 cup heavy cream and stir in the 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- 11
Stir in the ½ cup Parmesan cheese until fully melted and the sauce is smooth.
- 12
Nestle the seared chicken thighs skin-side up back into the sauce, making sure the skin sits above the liquid to stay crisp.
- 13
Transfer the skillet to a 375 °F (190 °C) oven and bake for 18–20 minutes, until the chicken registers 165 °F (74 °C) at the thickest part.
- 14
Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes. Scatter the 2 tbsp fresh basil over the top and finish with extra Parmesan before serving.
Adapted from public domain & community sources