Marry Me Chicken

Crisp-skinned chicken thighs finished in a creamy Parmesan and sun-dried tomato pan sauce, with basil to brighten the rich sauce.

1Season the chicken — Pat the thighs bone-dry. Salt both sides and let them sit uncovered while the pan heats.
2Sear the thighs — Heat the oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Lay the thighs skin-side down and sear without moving until the skin is deep golden and releases on its own, 10-12 minutes. Flip, sear for 2 minutes, and remove.
3Build the base — Pour off all but a thin film of fat. Add the garlic to the fond and cook for 30 seconds. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, reserved oil, and red pepper flakes; stir for 1 minute.
4Deglaze the pan — Add the chicken stock and scrape up the fond. Reduce briefly.
5Finish the sauce — Lower the heat. Add the cream, then remove the pan from high heat and stir in the Parmesan. Simmer until the sauce coats a spoon.
6Finish the chicken — Nestle the thighs back into the pan skin-side up, keeping the crisp skin above the sauce. Finish in a 375°F oven, or covered on the grill, until the thighs reach 175°F internally, 18-20 minutes.
7Add the basil — Tear the basil over the chicken off the heat and serve.

Working draft — not yet cooked. Refine times and quantities after first cook.
Keep skin above the sauce line on the return to pan; submerging it kills the crisp.
Don't add Parmesan while the sauce is at a rolling boil — it films grainy and breaks.
Popular internet dish, no single canonical origin; source slug is a placeholder, not an attribution.
gluten-free holds only if the chicken stock is GF — verify the brand.
Serve over crusty bread or buttered orzo to catch the sauce.
Freezing omitted intentionally: the cream/Parmesan sauce breaks on thaw.
polished: 2026-09-09