Marry Me Chicken
Indonesian-Inspired Marry Me Chicken
Marry Me Chicken is one of those recipes that is already hard to improve on: creamy sauce, Parmesan, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes wrapped around golden chicken.
So for this version, I didn’t want to reinvent it completely.
I wanted to see what would happen if I kept everything people love about the original and added just a little more depth underneath it.
The answer was a simple sambal-inspired paste of chilli, shallot, garlic and palm sugar.
Cooked into the pan before the cream goes in, it gives the sauce a gentle warmth and savoury sweetness without turning the dish into something completely different.
You still get that rich, creamy Marry Me Chicken flavour — just with a subtle Indonesian twist.
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Why You’ll Love It
This is an easy one-pan chicken dinner that feels much more impressive than the effort involved.
The sauce is creamy and garlicky, the sun-dried tomatoes add sweetness and acidity, and the sambal-style base gives everything a little warmth without overpowering the dish.
Serve it with rice, pasta, mashed potato or plenty of crusty bread for soaking up the sauce.
The Twist
The Indonesian influence here comes from the chilli, shallot, garlic and palm sugar base.
It’s inspired by the flavour-building technique behind Indonesian sambals, where aromatics are cooked until fragrant and slightly caramelised before becoming part of the finished dish.
That extra step gives the creamy sauce much more depth.
What to Serve With It
Because the sauce is the star, choose something that will catch plenty of it.
Steamed rice is particularly good with this version, but pasta, mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes or crusty bread all work beautifully.
A simple salad or green vegetables on the side will balance out the richness.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Reheat gently and add a small splash of stock, water or cream if the sauce has thickened in the fridge.
Avoid boiling it aggressively when reheating, as cream sauces can split.
One More Spoonful
This is the kind of twist I love most: nothing complicated and nothing added just for the sake of being different.
It’s still comforting, creamy Marry Me Chicken.
It just has a little more going on.
Marry Me Chicken
Difficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes25
minutes600
kcalIngredients
For the chicken
* 4 chicken breasts
* Salt and black pepper
* 2 tablespoons plain flour
* 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
For the sambal-style paste
* 2 mild red chillies, roughly chopped
* 2 shallots, chopped
* 2 garlic cloves
* 1 teaspoon palm sugar or brown sugar
* 1 teaspoon lime juice or tamarind
* 1 teaspoon tomato paste
* Pinch of salt
* Small amount of terasi/shrimp paste, optional
For the creamy sauce
* 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
* ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced
* 1 tablespoon tomato paste
* 1 cup chicken stock
* 1 cup thickened/heavy cream
* ½ cup finely grated Parmesan
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano
* ½ teaspoon paprika
* Fresh basil
* Small squeeze of lime, to finish
Directions
- To Prepare the Chicken
- Pat the chicken dry and season well with salt and pepper. Lightly dust each breast with flour, shaking off the excess.
- To Sear the Chicken
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for around 4–5 minutes on each side until golden. It doesn’t need to be completely cooked through yet. Remove and set aside.
- To Make the Indonesian-style paste
- Blend or finely pound the chillies, shallots, garlic, palm sugar, lime or tamarind, tomato paste, salt and optional terasi into a rough paste. (You can omit chillies or use less or more to your preferred taste).
- Add the paste to the same pan and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and slightly caramelised.
- For the Sauce
- Add the extra garlic and cook briefly, then stir through the sun-dried tomatoes and tomato paste.
- Pour in the chicken stock and scrape up all the flavour from the bottom of the pan.
- Reduce the heat and stir in the cream, Parmesan, oregano and paprika. Simmer gently until the sauce begins to thicken.
- Return the chicken and any resting juices to the pan. Simmer gently for around 8–10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is rich and creamy.
- Finish and Serve
- Stir through plenty of fresh basil and finish with just a small squeeze of lime to brighten the sauce.
- Taste before adding any additional salt, as the Parmesan, stock, sun-dried tomatoes and optional terasi all bring saltiness.
Notes
- Can I Make It Mild?
Yes. Use one mild chilli, remove the seeds and leave out any extra sambal.
You’ll still get the flavour of the aromatic base without much heat. - Can I Use Coconut Cream?
You can, but the result becomes a very different dish.
For this recipe, I prefer cream because it keeps the flavour recognisably Marry Me Chicken. The Indonesian influence comes from the aromatics rather than replacing the creamy base completely. But to make it dairy free, Coconut Cream is a fantastic choice. - Ingredient Notes
Chicken breast
Use evenly sized pieces so they cook at the same rate. Large chicken breasts can be sliced horizontally into thinner cutlets.
Sun-dried tomatoes
These give the sauce its characteristic sweet-tangy flavour. Drain off most of the oil before using.
Parmesan
Freshly grated Parmesan melts more smoothly and gives the sauce better flavour than pre-shredded cheese.
Red chilli
Use a mild chilli for gentle warmth, or increase it if you prefer more heat.
Palm sugar
This adds a subtle caramel sweetness. Brown sugar is an easy substitute.
Terasi
Optional, but a tiny amount of Indonesian fermented shrimp paste adds incredible savoury depth.
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