Marry Me Chicken Casserole
Marry Me Chicken Casserole has nothing to do with an actual marriage proposal and everything to do with tender chicken paired with a delicious creamy sauce, all in casserole form. The final result? A comfort food dish that is perfect for any day of the week, not just a special occasion.
More than likely, you’ve heard of this dish, just not in a casserole. But why not? The juicy chicken and sundried tomatoes, paired with the other simple ingredients, create a hearty dinner that everyone will love. Plus, it is easier (and hands-off) to add everything to a casserole dish and let the oven finish it off.
It’s one of those dishes that can feed a crowd for family dinners, but it’s also super easy to make for a simple weeknight dinner. And if you’re lucky, you’ll have leftovers to enjoy the next day, too! The recipe card below has the full list of ingredients and steps to get started.
Be sure to try my Chicken Leek Mushroom Casserole and this Balsamic Rosemary Chicken for two other delicious chicken meals.
Ingredients
- Cooked chicken – You can use diced or shredded.
- Sun-dried tomatoes – Slice into small pieces before adding.
- Mozzarella – This needs to be thinly sliced or shredded.
- Cream cheese – Adds to the creamy base.
- Sour cream – Adds creaminess and flavor to the sauce.
- Chicken broth – Helps keep the mixture thin and not too thick.
- Heavy cream or half and half – Adds richness.
- White wine – This is optional, but I do recommend using it as it adds great flavor.
- Parmesan cheese – Adds a nutty flavor.
- Fresh garlic cloves – Be sure to chop before adding. Shallots work well in this, too.
- Salt & black pepper – For flavor.
- Crushed red pepper (optional) – Just a pinch for a bit of heat.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Marry Me Chicken Casserole
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Step One: Grease a large casserole dish with olive oil cooking spray. Place the cooked chicken and sun-dried tomatoes in the bottom of the dish.
Step Two: Mix all the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl.
Step Three: Pour the sauce over the top of the chicken. Stir them in a bit so it gets down into the cracks.
Step Four: Top with the mozzarella cheese.
Step Five: Put the dish in the oven and bake until hot, bubbly, and golden brown. Garnish with fresh cracked pepper or chopped basil.
Top Tip💡
Using chicken tenderloins saves the step of using pre-cooked chicken. You just need to bake the chicken tenderloins in the casserole dish, drain out the liquid, and then follow the rest of the steps in the recipe.
Substitutions
- Chicken – You can use cooked chicken, or cook any type of chicken, like skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins.
- Chicken stock – If you don’t have broth, you can use stock. They are interchangeable.
Variations
- Seasonings – If you want to alter the flavor, you can change up the seasonings. Some options could be to use extra red pepper flakes to make it spicy, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, oregano, onion powder, or even fresh thyme or fresh basil.
- Greek yogurt – Swap out the sour cream and use plain Greek yogurt for a boost of flavor.
- Starch – I kept this low carb, but if you wanted to, you could put a layer of cooked pasta (al dente) or cooked rice in the bottom of the baking dish. If you decide to do this, you may want to double the amount of sauce. Or serve the baked casserole with mashed potatoes.
- Keto – For a low carb option, serve on top of sauteed spinach, zucchini noodles, or cauliflower rice.
- Vegetables – Add your favorite vegetable to the casserole. Steamed broccoli, sauteed mushrooms, and cooked spinach are all great choices.
See this Spinach Artichoke Chicken Casserole Recipe for another must-make meal.
Equipment
To make this hearty casserole, you’ll want to have a mixing bowl and a casserole dish. Measuring cups and a spatula are also helpful for prepping and stirring.
Storage
Once this casserole is cooked and cooled to room temperature, store the leftovers in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge. Reheat thoroughly before eating.
I don’t recommend freezing this casserole as the creamy sauce can separate and change texture.
Common Questions
It’s from a fun old story that basically says that this dish is so delicious that anyone who has it served to them will instantly want to marry the cook.
Technically, you can, although I never have. The chicken is the perfect light flavor and texture, and stands up really well against the creamy base. Using a different protein would change the overall flavor and potentially texture. Another lean meat, like pork or turkey, would be best.
Absolutely. Prep up to a day ahead and then pop it in the oven when you are ready. You will need to add 5-10 minutes to the cooking time since the ingredients will be chilled.
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Marry Me Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
- 6 cups cooked chicken shredded or cubed
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped, packed
- 4 oz mozzarella thinly sliced or shredded
Cream Sauce
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 4 oz sour cream
- 2 oz chicken broth
- 2 oz heavy cream or half and half
- 1 oz white wine optional but recommended
- 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp fresh garlic chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- pinch crushed red pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400.
- Put the chicken and sun-dried tomatoes in a large greased casserole dish.
- Combine the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken. Stir to combine.
- Top with the mozzarella.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the casserole is hot and the cheese is golden and bubbly. You can broil it for a few minutes at the end to brown the cheese if you want.
- Optional: serve over sauteed spinach, spaghetti squash, pasta, or rice.
Notes
Nutrition
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