It’s one of those evenings where the chicken is already thawed on the counter and I haven’t decided what to do with it yet. That’s usually when I end up back at this one. It comes together in a single skillet, it’s creamy without feeling heavy, and my family never questions what’s hiding in that pink sauce.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!That’s the fun part, honestly. The sauce looks like a classic Tuscan cream sauce, but it’s built around cottage cheese blended smooth with sun-dried tomatoes. Nobody notices. They just notice that dinner is good and there’s barely anything to wash up afterward.
Why You’ll Love This Dinner
This one earns its spot in the regular rotation for a few reasons. It’s a one-pan meal, so cleanup stays simple. The sauce comes together in a blender while the chicken browns, so nothing sits around waiting. And because the sauce leans on cottage cheese instead of extra cream, you get a noticeably higher protein count without the dish tasting any different than a classic creamy chicken dinner.
It also reheats well, which matters more to me than almost anything else on a weeknight. If there’s extra in the fridge, lunch the next day is basically solved.
Ingredients
Nothing here is unusual or hard to track down. A few small notes:
Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil give the sauce a slightly richer flavor, though the ones packed in water work fine too.
Freshly grated Parmesan melts into the sauce more smoothly than the pre-shredded kind.
Cottage cheese disappears completely once it’s blended, so even picky eaters won’t notice it’s there.
For the chicken and sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil or water)
1 cup chicken bone broth
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup cottage cheese
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped and packed
4 chicken breasts (6 oz each), sliced 1 inch thick (or 3 large breasts)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Start by slicing the chicken breasts into pieces about an inch thick. Slicing instead of cooking the breasts whole speeds things up quite a bit and gives you more surface area to brown.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and melt the butter. Once it’s foaming a little, add the garlic, salt, oregano, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Let that sauté for about 2 minutes, just until it smells fragrant. The garlic should look glossy, not browned.
Add the chicken slices in batches, leaving 1 to 2 inches between pieces so they don’t steam instead of brown. Cook until golden on all sides, using a meat thermometer and pulling the pieces at 160°F. Set the cooked chicken aside on a plate.
While the chicken is browning, add the sun-dried tomatoes, chicken bone broth, heavy cream, and cottage cheese to a blender and blend until completely smooth. The color should turn a soft pink, and you shouldn’t see any curds left.
Lower the heat to low and pour the blended sauce into the same skillet. Bring it just to a gentle simmer to heat through. Stir in the chopped basil and Parmesan, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
Return the chicken to the skillet and cook everything together over low heat for about 5 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F. The sauce should look thick enough to coat the back of a spoon by this point.
What to Serve With It
This dish is filling enough on its own thanks to the protein, but a side always rounds things out. My favorites here are a simple green salad or some warm dinner rolls for scooping up extra sauce. If you’d rather build it into more of a full pasta night, this sauce works beautifully over orzo — the high protein Mediterranean chicken orzo is a good example of how well that pairing works in general.
Steamed broccoli or roasted vegetables also fit nicely if you want to keep the meal a little lighter.
Variations
If you’re in the mood for a different take on the marry me flavor profile, the crockpot marry me chicken is a good slow-cooker alternative for a day when you’d rather not stand at the stove. You can also swap the heavy cream for half-and-half if you want to lighten things up slightly, or use light cream cheese in place of some of the cottage cheese for an even silkier texture.
For a bit more heat, add an extra pinch of red pepper flakes. And if cottage cheese in savory dishes is already a favorite in your house, the high protein chicken parm cottage cheese bowl is worth trying next.
Storage
Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container. The sauce thickens a bit as it chills, so a splash of broth when reheating brings it right back to a good consistency.
For longer storage, freeze in a sealed container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat gently on the stovetop so the sauce comes back together smoothly.
To reheat, microwave in short bursts, covering with a paper towel to catch any splatter, or warm it in a skillet over low heat, stirring occasionally.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?
Yes, boneless thighs work fine here. They’ll take a similar amount of time to brown, just keep an eye on the internal temperature the same way.
Is there a substitute for cottage cheese?
Ricotta is the closest swap and blends just as smoothly, though the protein count will drop a bit.
Can I make the sauce ahead of time?
You can blend the sauce a day in advance and store it in the fridge, then simmer it with the freshly cooked chicken when you’re ready to eat.
What if my sauce looks too thin?
Let it simmer a few extra minutes uncovered. It should thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon before you add the chicken back in.
Can I double this recipe?
Yes, just brown the chicken in batches so the skillet doesn’t get crowded, and blend the sauce ingredients in two rounds if your blender is on the smaller side.
Do I need a blender for the sauce?
An immersion blender works well too, right in the skillet, which cuts down on dishes.
Warm Closing
This has become one of those dinners I reach for when I want something that feels a little special without any extra effort. If you make it, I hope it becomes a regular in your kitchen too.
Creamy Tuscan Marry Me Chicken with Cottage Cheese Sauce
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Blender
- Meat thermometer
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil or water
- 1 cup chicken bone broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated or shredded
- 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped and packed
- 4 6oz chicken breasts sliced 1 inch thick (or 3 large breasts)
Instructions
- Slice chicken breasts into 1-inch thick pieces.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter.
- Add minced garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper; sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Place chicken slices in the pan in batches without crowding (leave 1–2 inches between pieces); brown all sides until golden, using a meat thermometer to pull them at 160°F; remove cooked pieces and set aside.
- While cooking chicken, combine sun-dried tomatoes, chicken bone broth, heavy cream, and cottage cheese in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Lower heat to low and add the blended sauce to the skillet; bring just to a simmer to heat through.
- Stir in chopped basil and grated Parmesan; taste the sauce and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
- Add the chicken back to the pan and cook together over low heat for 5 minutes to finish cooking, targeting internal temperature of 165°F.
