Marry Me Chicken (Naz Deravian, NYT Cooking)

Ingredients:

  • 3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or 6 chicken cutlets (about 2-1/4 pounds total), patted dry
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Red-pepper flakes, to taste
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup (1-1/2 ounces) grated Parmesan
  • 1 small can of diced tomatoes

If using chicken breasts, start from the thickest end and slice each chicken breast in half horizontally so you end up with a total of 6 cutlets (see Tip). Season both sides of the chicken cutlets well with salt and pepper.

Scatter the flour on a large plate and coat the cutlets, shaking off the excess. Transfer the cutlets to a sheet pan or large plate in a single layer.

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high. Once hot, reduce the heat to medium and add the butter. As soon as it melts, add the cutlets and cook until golden on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook the other side until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Do this in batches, if needed, adding more oil, if needed. Transfer the cutlets to a plate or sheet pan.

Reduce the heat to low, add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stirring until the color deepens, about 2 minutes. Add the oregano and red-pepper flakes, to taste.

Increase the heat to medium, add the stock and bring to a simmer, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan, until the liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup of the cream and warm through, stirring, until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Watch the cream closely, reducing the heat if necessary, to maintain a gentle simmer. Stir in the Parmesan and the tomatoes. Add more cream, if you like, and season the sauce.

Place the chicken back in the pan to warm through, about 4 minutes. Serve with crusty bread to sop up all the juices as well as tangy green salad to balance out the sauce's richness. Or, try it over pasta, rice or polenta.