This plant-forward Marry Me Chicken recipe is a lighter, vegetable-packed take on the classic viral favorite. Creamy, savory, and satisfying, it combines tender chicken cutlets with mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and a touch of Parmesan for richness. This dish is a perfect example of how to eat more plants — without giving up flavor or comfort!
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Culinary Tips for the Best Marry Me Chicken
- Use chicken cutlets for even cooking. You can also slice regular chicken breasts in half lengthwise.
- Don’t skip the flour coating — it helps brown the chicken and slightly thickens the sauce.
- Deglaze properly! When adding the chicken stock, gently scrape up all the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Cook garlic just until fragrant and be careful not to burn to avoid bitterness.
- Add spinach at the end so it wilts perfectly without overcooking.
- For a plant-forward twist, this recipe includes extra vegetables — mushrooms, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes — that add fiber, color, and flavor to every bite. Be sure to add them!
Ingredient Swaps & Substitutions
- Chicken: Try using boneless, skinless thighs for more flavor, or replace half the chicken with white beans or chickpeas to make it even more plant-forward.
- Vegetables: Add extra mushrooms, spinach, or even artichokes for more plant power.
- Garlic Cloves: Sub 1 ½ teaspoons granulated garlic. Add it with the heavy cream.
- Fresh Thyme: Sub with ¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves or another fresh herb such as oregano.
- Chicken Stock: Sub with chicken or vegetable broth.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Use oil-packed ones for richer flavor, or rehydrate dried ones in warm broth or water.
- Heavy Cream: For a lighter version, use half-and-half but the sauce won’t be as thick.
- Parmesan: Swap for Pecorino Romano or another hard aged cheese if desired.
- Spinach: Sub Swiss chard or lacinato kale
Marry Me Chicken Variations
- Vegetarian Marry Me Chicken: Replace chicken with additional sautéed mushrooms, chickpeas, or white beans.
- Marry Me Salmon: Pan-sear salmon fillets and serve with the same creamy, tomato-spinach sauce.
- Marry Me Tofu: Use crispy tofu cutlets in place of chicken for a satisfying vegetarian main.
Equipment Recommendations
You just need a few simple equipment items for this recipe!
- 12” Skillet or Sauté Pan – roomy enough to brown chicken and build the sauce
- Tongs – for easy turning and mixing
- Microplane or Grater – for fresh Parmesan
Check out our essential equipment guide to stock your kitchen with ALL the tools you need to prepare anything and everything!
Health Benefits of a Plant-Forward Marry Me Chicken
This recipe is a delicious example of how to make a comfort classic more nourishing — by adding fiber, antioxidants, and nutrients from vegetables while keeping lean protein for balance.
Chicken
Chicken is a great source of high-quality protein that supports muscle and tissue repair. Choosing lean cuts like chicken breast keeps saturated fat in check.
Vegetables
Vegetables and herbs provide fiber, phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals. We always advise people to eat a variety of colors because they all provide different benefits for your body. Spinach provides vitamins A, C, and K, along with folate, fiber, and antioxidants.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
A staple of the Mediterranean diet, olive oil adds healthy monounsaturated fats and rich flavor.
Parmesan Cheese
A little goes a long way for calcium, protein, and umami depth.
A Plant-Forward Plate
This dish shows how plant-forward cooking doesn’t mean meat-free — it’s about making plants the star of your plate while balancing flavor and nutrition.
Explore our Ingredient Guide for more tips on choosing the freshest, most flavorful picks for your recipes. Because great ingredients = great food! 🌟🍴
Serving Suggestions
Serve over whole grain pasta, brown rice, or farro for a balanced meal. Garnish with fresh basil and crushed red pepper flakes for an extra pop of flavor. Pair with a simple side salad or roasted broccoli to round out the plate.
Learn how to build a healthy balanced meal with our Whole Life Plate, meal plan, and book!
Storage & Reheat Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave until warmed through. Add a splash of broth if the sauce thickens too much.
Looking for more chicken recipes?
Try out these favorites!
Chicken Burrito Bowl with Rice and Beans
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Unlike many other recipe blogs, we encourage you to tweak our recipes to suit your taste. Try it out, leave us a review, and tell us what changes you made! We love hearing how you make it your own.
Marry Me Chicken – Plant-Forward Style
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken cutlets
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ Tablespoons purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup mushrooms, sliced ¼"
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- ¾ cup chicken stock
- ½ cup diced sun-dried tomatoes
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 cups baby spinach
Optional:
- Torn fresh basil for serving
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Season chicken with salt and pepper, then toss with flour to coat evenly. Shake off any excess flour.
- Heat oil in a large skillet (12”) over medium heat. Swirl to coat. Brown chicken 4–5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Add mushrooms to the skillet and sauté 2 minutes. Add garlic and thyme; cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Pour in chicken stock and sun-dried tomatoes, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan, and spinach. Simmer 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened. Return chicken to the pan and simmer another minute.Garnish with fresh basil and crushed red pepper flakes. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
FAQ Questions:
Why is this Marry Me Chicken recipe plant-forward?
This recipe is plant-forward because it combines chicken with a generous amount of vegetables, including mushrooms, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes. The goal is to make plants a larger part of the meal without completely eliminating meat.
How long does it take to make Marry Me Chicken?
This Marry Me Chicken recipe takes about 30 minutes from start to finish, making it a convenient option for a flavorful weeknight dinner.
What vegetables are in Marry Me Chicken?
This plant-forward version includes mushrooms, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes. You can also add extra mushrooms, spinach, or artichokes to increase the vegetables.
Can I make Marry Me Chicken without heavy cream?
Yes. You can substitute half-and-half for heavy cream for a lighter sauce. Keep in mind that the sauce may not be as thick and creamy.
Can I make Marry Me Chicken vegetarian?
Yes. For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with additional sautéed mushrooms, chickpeas, or white beans. You can also use crispy tofu as a plant-based alternative.
This Post Has 8 Comments
This plant-forward version of Marry Me Chicken was incredible! The flavors were rich and satisfying, and it made a great weeknight dinner that didn’t feel heavy.
So glad to hear!
I served over the holidays and they loved everything about it… Moist, flavorful, savory with cream, herbs and mushrooms. We served with rice and put the gravy over the chicken and rice. So many other ideas you can serve with this wonderful entree. Try it and I know it will be a hit. It was easy to prepare also!
That sounds delicious!
This chicken casserole was served at a dinner party I attended – my first reaction was oh no another chicken casserole! Boy was I wrong. It was absolutely delicious! The chicken was fork tender covered in a savory cream sauce with mushrooms and spinach – it was rich without being heavy. The tanginess of sun dried tomatoes added to the well-balanced flavor. Ours was served over rice which was a perfect compliment. I highly recommend this recipe!
Ha ha to not another chicken casserole! I feel ya there 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it!
The sauce is awesome on this! Also glad they added some extra ingredients over the “standard” recipes to make it more interesting.
We think so too!