Lighter ‘Marry Me’ Chicken

Lighter ‘Marry Me’ Chicken

This is comfort food that behaves itself.

The viral “marry me” chicken became popular for a reason. Creamy, rich, savoury, and unapologetically indulgent, it’s the kind of dish that wins people over fast. But it’s also heavy, and not always something you want to eat midweek or on repeat.

This lighter version keeps everything that makes the original so good, the creamy sauce, the sun-dried tomato depth, the herby finish, the juicy chicken, but strips it back just enough to make it practical. It’s still comforting. It’s still satisfying. It just doesn’t leave you feeling like you need a nap afterwards.

At 523 calories per portion with over 41 grams of protein, reminder, this is not “diet food”. This is proper dinner that fits into real life.

What makes this a “lighter” version, without losing the point

Light recipes often fail because they remove the very thing that made the dish appealing in the first place. This one doesn’t do that.

Instead of double cream, half-fat crème fraîche gives you creaminess with a bit of natural acidity, which actually works better with sun-dried tomatoes. Wholemeal flour adds a light coating to the chicken that helps thicken the sauce later, so you don’t need loads of cheese or cream to get body.

Parmesan is still here, just used properly. Enough to add savoury depth and richness without tipping the sauce into heavy territory. Chicken stock replaces excess fat, stretching the sauce while keeping it full-bodied.

The result is a dish that tastes indulgent but eats cleanly.

Why this chicken stays juicy

Slicing the chicken breasts in half lengthways is one of the most important steps in this recipe.

Thinner fillets cook more evenly, which means you get golden colour on the outside without drying out the middle. It also means the chicken finishes cooking gently in the sauce rather than sitting there overcooking while the sauce reduces.

The light flour coating does three jobs:

• It helps the chicken brown properly

• It protects the meat from drying out

• It thickens the sauce naturally once the stock is added

Small step, big payoff.

Sun-dried tomato paste is the flavour anchor

Sun-dried tomato paste is doing a lot of work here.

It brings concentrated sweetness, acidity, and umami without needing chunks of tomatoes or long simmering. Because it’s added directly to the sauce base, it melts in and spreads evenly, giving that signature “marry me” flavour in every bite rather than in pockets.

Paired with oregano and garlic, it gives the sauce warmth and depth without feeling aggressively Italian or overly rich. It’s confident flavour, not shouty flavour.

Why this sauce works with less fat

This sauce works because it’s built in layers, not dumped in all at once.

Cooking the onion first builds sweetness. Garlic adds aroma. Stock loosens the pan and lifts all the flavour left behind from the chicken. Crème fraîche brings creaminess, but also sharpness, which stops the sauce feeling flat.

Once the parmesan goes in, the sauce thickens and rounds out naturally. It coats the chicken rather than drowning it, which is exactly what you want here.

This is a sauce that supports the chicken, not one that overwhelms it.

A proper midweek main, not just a “healthy swap”

This is the kind of recipe that earns its place in rotation.

It’s quick enough for a weeknight, impressive enough to serve to someone else, and balanced enough that you don’t feel like you’re compromising. Paired with hasselback potatoes and some green veg, it feels like a full, satisfying plate of food.

It also reheats well, which is rare for creamy chicken dishes.

Lighter ‘Marry Me’ Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts
40 g wholemeal flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper

1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
200 ml chicken stock
100 ml half-fat crème fraîche
25 g parmesan, grated
2 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste
2 tsp dried oregano
15 g fresh basil, roughly chopped

Cooking oil

Method

Slice each chicken breast in half lengthways to create two thinner fillets. This helps them cook evenly and stay juicy.

In a shallow bowl, mix the wholemeal flour with the salt and black pepper. Coat each chicken fillet lightly in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large frying pan over medium to high heat. Add the chicken and cook for a few minutes on each side until golden. You’re looking for colour here, not fully cooked chicken at this stage. Once golden, remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan, add the diced onion. Cook for a few minutes until softened and lightly golden, stirring to pick up any flavour left behind from the chicken.

Add the minced garlic and cook for about a minute until fragrant, making sure it doesn’t burn.

Pour in the chicken stock and stir well, scraping up any sticky bits from the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat slightly, then stir through the half-fat crème fraîche until smooth.

Add the sun-dried tomato paste, dried oregano, and grated parmesan. Stir well until the sauce is fully combined.

Return the chicken to the pan along with any resting juices. Let everything simmer gently for a few minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and the chicken is cooked through.

Just before serving, stir through the fresh basil. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Serve hot.

What the finished dish should look like

The sauce should be creamy but loose, coating the chicken rather than pooling heavily in the pan. The chicken should be tender and juicy, not swimming or dry. You should be able to spoon sauce over the chicken easily without it feeling heavy.

If the sauce thickens too much, a splash of stock loosens it straight away.

What to serve it with

This chicken works best with something that can soak up the sauce.

Baby hasselback potatoes are ideal, crispy edges, fluffy middles, and plenty of surface area for that creamy sauce. Green beans, broccoli, or tenderstem broccoli balance the richness nicely.

If you want something lighter, serve it with a simple green salad and roasted new potatoes.

Make it work for your routine

This recipe is ideal for meal prep.

It keeps well in the fridge for up to two days and reheats gently without splitting. Warm it slowly on the hob or in the microwave, adding a splash of stock if needed to loosen the sauce.

It’s also easy to scale up for more people without changing the method.

Nutrition

Per serving (serves 2):

Calories: 523 kcal
Protein: 41 g

High protein, balanced fat, and still deeply satisfying.