Now that it’s October, I’m happy to start sharing out my pumpkin recipes for the season. I know many of you have been baking with pumpkin since August, but over here, we’re just getting started! What I find with every season is that pumpkin is so heavily used in baking recipes but always overlooked in the savory recipe department. Very few think to cook with pumpkin! I actually love to cook with pumpkin more than I like to bake with it. It’s similar to cooking with butternut squash or sweet potatoes, so as you can imagine, it’s delicious! When I was working on recipes for this month, Marry Me Chicken was on my list of dishes that sounded yummy and cozy for fall.
My family loves marry-me chicken, an Italian-seasoned chicken usually served in a cream-based tomato or sun-dried tomato sauce. In the past, I’ve shared Marry-Me Chicken Meatballs, but never just the classic dish. I was ready to make a classic version, knowing we’d love the recipe, but then I had the idea of creating a pumpkin cream sauce instead of something heavy on the tomatoes! Sounds great, right? It really did turn out so well. So much so that I’ve made this multiple times since first testing the recipe. I even froze the dish for upcoming months when I’m traveling! My family is certainly going to love having this in the freezer!
These are the details
Ingredients
boneless, skinless chicken breasts or small chicken thighs Italian seasoning chili flakes salted butter garlic fresh thyme and sage canned pumpkin puree tomato paste white wine or broth nutmeg heavy cream parmesan and gouda cheese
Special Tools None! You just need a skillet for this quick recipe! Step 1: the sun-dried tomatoes Start with the sun-dried tomatoes. I love using a jar of oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes. Not only are the tomatoes delicious, but I also use the oil from the jar to cook the chicken. Additionally, the oil is always seasoned, so it adds even more flavor. Just make sure the jar has extra virgin olive oil. Most people discard the oil, but you must use it! It adds a lot of flavor to recipes.
Step 2: cook the chicken Working in a skillet, toss the chicken with the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes, the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Start cooking the chicken over medium heat and get each side browned. Step 3: add the butter and herbs Next, add a little butter with some chopped garlic, fresh thyme, and fresh sage. Let the herbs cook until the garlic is fragrant and takes on a pretty golden color. Add the pumpkin puree and tomato paste to the skillet. Cook for a few minutes to thicken the pumpkin.
Step 4: finish the chicken sauce Now add the wine or broth. Additionally, add the cream, nutmeg, and sun-dried tomatoes. Simmer the sauce until thickened, about 10 minutes. The last step is to top the dish with parmesan and gouda cheese. Parmesan is traditional, but I love the sweet and creamy gouda cheese paired with the pumpkin. It’s the yummiest mix of savory and sweet flavors. This is certainly not your average Marry Me chicken, but I think it’s even better. Using pumpkin in the cream sauce is just delicious. It’s a great way to highlight the season’s best flavors in a completely different way. You can serve this to your family any night of the week, but it’s equally great for your next dinner party. Add a big fall salad and some bread on the side. Oh, and a great fall drink would be really nice too! The perfect autumn night!
Looking for other easy weeknight dinners? Here are some favorites. Creamy White Bean Noodle Soup with Rosemary Bacon. Mustard Herb Chicken and Creamy Orzo Crockpot Crispy Buffalo Chicken Tacos with Jalapeño Ranch Slow Cooker Saucy Sunday Bolognese Pasta Slow Cooker Herbed Chicken and Rice Pilaf Crockpot Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Bolognese Lastly, if you make this Marry Me Chicken in Pumpkin Cream Sauce, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
