The Story Behind My Crockpot Marry Me Chicken

Okay, so full disclosure—there was one gloomy Tuesday evening when I stumbled onto this so-called “Marry Me Chicken” thing all over Instagram. I genuinely rolled my eyes. Like, sure, a chicken recipe that’s supposed to cause proposals? Well, joke’s on me, because after tossing together my slightly slapdash version in the crockpot while half-watching some British detective reruns, my partner did end up doing the dishes without my asking. Not quite a proposal, but trust me, in our house, that’s love. Anyway, this recipe’s become my go-to for those, ‘what’s for dinner, oh no it’s 4pm!’ days, because somehow it manages to taste like you’ve put in real effort, even when you absolutely haven’t. And yes, my dog is always convinced it’s for her.

Why You’ll Love This—For Real

I make this when the week’s gotten away from me and I want something that whisper-shouts comfort food. My family practically does cartwheels for this (not literally—my teenager does that eye roll thing with the bonus “this again?”… until she smells it). Plus, it uses heavy cream, which makes it feel fancy even though it’s honestly just me trying to use up leftovers. Also, here’s a real confession: I’ve thrown it in the crockpot with half-frozen chicken, and while that’s probably not Food Network-approved, nobody noticed. Sometimes the sun-dried tomatoes get stuck to my knife. Which is annoying. But I forgive them, because they’re what makes this chicken taste like actual magic.

Here’s What You’ll Need (Substitutions Totally Allowed)

Chicken breasts (about 2 pounds or 4 big pieces) – thighs work too and stay juicier, in my opinion. I sometimes use whatever’s on sale; nobody’s complained yet.
1/2 cup chicken broth – if I’m out, I’ve just mixed hot water and a bouillon cube or even snuck in veggie broth, and no one was the wiser.
3/4 cup heavy cream – sometimes I use half-and-half if we’re running low on cream (it’s fine, just a bit less rich but less guilt, too!)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese – my grandmother swore by the stuff in the green can. I’ll be honest, it works, though fresh is a little fancier.
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil – drained and sliced. If you forgot to buy them, cherry tomatoes (or even a handful of roasted red peppers) will do in a pinch, but it’s not quite the same.
3 cloves garlic, minced – I’ve been lazy and used the jarred garlic from time to time; nobody rioted.
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning – or just basil and oregano if that’s what’s hiding in your pantry.
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional) – for a gentle kick, but skip it if your people are spice-phobic.
Salt and pepper (just eyeball it… or a generous pinch of each)
2 tbsp olive oil – mainly for flavor, if you forget, the world will keep turning.

How I Actually Cook This Marry Me Chicken

First, plop your chicken breasts (or thighs, living on the wild side?) into the bottom of your crockpot. No need to be precious here—just get them in.
Mix up the broth, cream, parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, pepper flakes, and olive oil in a bowl. I’m usually impatient and just dump them in one by one, then sort of stir it all together over the chicken. (This is when I sneak a taste of the sauce. Creamy, salty—don’t skip this step if you’re nosy like me!)
Pour the sauce over the chicken. If it looks, well… chunky? That’s normal, it will smooth out as it cooks. Don’t panic.
Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, or high for about 2–3 hours. (Just don’t try to rush it—I’ve cranked up the heat thinking I’d save time, and the chicken turned out weirdly rubbery. Live and learn.)
Once the chicken’s fork-tender, give the sauce a stir. If it’s a bit thin, lift the lid and let it cook on high for 10–15 minutes to thicken up, or stir in a spoonful of cream cheese—I’ve tried this, and it’s surprisingly delicious.
Scatter some extra parmesan and fresh basil on top, if you’re feeling artsy or Instagram-y or just like cheese a lot.

My Not-So-Secret Notes and Discoveries

Actually, I find it works better if you don’t totally submerge the chicken at first—it lets the top get a tiny bit golden (sort of?).
One time, I forgot parmesan altogether, used cheddar, and well, it was fine, but a little odd. So… stick to parmesan if you can.
If you want, you can sear the chicken first in a pan, but I am definitely too lazy most nights and skip this. It’s maybe 7% better, but only if you’ve got that extra energy.

Stuff I’ve Tried (Good and Not-So-Good Variations)

I swapped in coconut cream once for a dairy-free friend—it’s not bad but definitely gives "tropical vacation" more than "rustic Italian comfort food."
I’ve added spinach in at the end when I want to pretend it’s healthy (wilted baby spinach works best—it cooks in about 2 mins on high).
Once, I tried dumping in a whole can of diced tomatoes. No. Don’t do this. It turned into soup.

The Gear (Or: Don’t Sweat It If You Don’t Have a Crockpot)

I use my trusty 6-quart slow cooker, but my cousin just chucks everything in a Dutch oven and bakes at 300°F (150°C) for about 2.5 hours. Turns out nearly as good—well, except the cleanup, which is it’s own beast.

How to Store Leftovers (Or Will There Be Any?)

Honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day, but if you somehow have leftovers, pop them in a container and refrigerate. Reheats like a dream in the microwave (maybe throw a splash of cream or broth in if it’s thickened up too much).

How We Serve It (AKA: Please Try It With Bread)

I nearly always serve this over fluffy mashed potatoes—here’s a link to my favorite mashed potatoes recipe if you want to do it up right. It’s also ace over pasta, egg noodles, or even rice. My mom insists on a hunk of crusty bread to mop up the sauce, so—tradition’s tradition. Honestly, I sometimes just eat it out of the container cold. Don’t judge.

Things I Wish I’d Known Earlier (Pro Tips, Kinda)

I once tried rushing the thickening step by dumping in flour straight-up: total disaster, lumps everywhere. Now I just let the sauce thicken naturally while having a cup of tea (and scrolling Serious Eats’ slow cooker tips—those people know their stuff).
Don’t get stingy with the sun-dried tomatoes. You’ll regret it.
Parmesan on top at the end? Not optional in my book.

Marry Me Chicken Questions I’ve Actually Gotten

Can I make this ahead? Yep! I actually think this tastes even better the next night, though it’s usually gone by then anyway.
Can I freeze leftovers? You can, but the cream might get a bit weird when thawed. I don’t mind, but picky eaters might.
What if I don’t have sun-dried tomatoes? You can just leave them out; add a little extra parmesan and a squeeze of lemon—different, but not half bad!
Can I turn this into a pasta bake? Oh, for sure—mix cooked pasta with the sauce and shredded chicken, top with mozzarella, and bake. It’s carby heaven.
What if my sauce splits? Yeah, it can happen. Just stir in a spoonful of cream cheese or sour cream at the end. Smooths it right out. Or, just pretend it’s rustic.

P.S. If you want more easy slow cooker comfort recipes, check out Gimme Some Oven’s slow cooker section; I’ve stolen a few tricks from there over the years.

Let me know how it goes—or if you stumble on a genius tweak, because honestly I’m always up for messing around with this one. Happy (slow) cooking!

Crockpot Marry Me Chicken: My Cozy, Irresistible Slow Cooker Favorite