My family went crazy for this dairy free Marry Me Chicken served over rice. So this easy weeknight dinner will be on regular rotation at my house. It's a naturally gluten free recipe that gets it's name from a funny anecdote about someone getting a marriage proposal after making it for their date.
Some people know this dish as Tuscan chicken. Tender chicken breasts are pan friend and covered with a creamy Parmesan sauce filled with sundried tomatoes and spinach. It's very much like my Marry Me chicken pasta recipe, minus the pasta, and it's delicious served with white rice or my gluten free mashed potatoes, you could even use cauliflower rice for a low carb alternative.
If you're looking for more delicious dairy free chicken recipes, I recommend my baked spicy honey chicken or this crispy panko chicken - both are ready in just 30 minutes making them perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredient Notes
You should be able to find the ingredients for this creamy Tuscan chicken recipe at most grocery stores. The only item that is sometimes difficult to find is vegan Parmesan cheese. At my stores, vegan cheese products are usually found in the produce section rather than the dairy aisle.
- Chicken - I have used boneless skinless chicken breasts in this recipe, although it would be equally delicious with boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Olive Oil - I use olive oil for most of my cooking and baking recipes. You can use another light flavored cooking oil in place of olive oil if you prefer. Both vegetable oil and avocado oil would be suitable replacements.
- Salt, Black Pepper & Paprika - These three ingredients are used to season the chicken before its pan fried. They not only add color and flavor to the chicken, but the cooking process adds flavor to the pan which will be absorbed into the sauce as it simmer.
- Vegan Butter - A little butter is used to saute the vegetables. If you're not dairy free, you can use unsalted dairy butter. If you prefer, additional olive oil could be used in place of butter.
- Yellow Onion & Garlic - Onion and garlic provide the base flavors for this creamy sauce. I recommend using fresh garlic for the best flavor.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes - Tangy sun-dried tomatoes add a great flavor to this dish. They usually come packed in oil, so make sure to drain the oil away before adding them into the pan.
- Baby Spinach - A little fresh spinach adds some green to this dish and helps to break up the richness of the cream Parmesan sauce.
- Non-Dairy Cream - I like to use either Silk brand or Country Crock brand of heavy cream. I would not recommend using coconut milk here, as it will add too much coconut flavor to the dish.
- Italian Seasoning, Salt & Red Pepper Flakes - The combination of Italian herbs gives tons of flavor to this chicken recipe and red pepper flakes add a little bit of spice. If you don't want it spicy, you can omit the red pepper flakes.
- Vegan Parmesan - I used the Violife block of vegan Parmesan and shredded it myself. Freshly shredded cheese melts a little easier than the pre-shredded type. If you can't find Violife, Follow Your Heart is my other favorite brand of vegan Parmesan.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Not Dairy Free - use dairy butter, cream and Parmesan cheese in the same measure.
- Swap the chicken - Replace chicken with shrimp or salmon. The creamy sauce is a perfect compliment to either!
- Make it Vegan - Replace chicken with firm tofu and saute until golden.
- No Spinach - Replace the spinach with kale or collard greens in the same measure. If you use kale, you will need to cook it a bit longer to soften the leaves.
- Add mushrooms - Mushrooms would be a delightful addition to this Tuscan chicken. Add them along with the onions and saute until golden brown.
- Add fresh tomatoes -For more tomato flavor, you could add some cherry tomatoes to this dish.
How to Make Dairy Free Marry Me Chicken
This easy Tuscan chicken recipe is cooked all in one pot, making for quick clean up!
STEP 1: Combine the salt, black pepper and paprika together in a small dish. Pat the chicken breasts dry and sprinkle with the seasoning mixture on both sides.
STEP 2: Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown on both sides and the internal temperature reads 165F. Remove the chicken and set aside on a tented plate.
STEP 3: Reduce the pan to medium heat. Add the butter to the pan with the browned bits.
STEP 4: Add the diced onions to the pan and saute until barely softened, about 3 minutes.
STEP 5: Add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and red pepper flakes to the cooked onion. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for another minute.
STEP 6: Add the baby spinach and sun-dried tomatoes to the skillet. Stir together and cook until the spinach has wilted.
STEP 7: Add the vegan Parmesan cheese and non-dairy cream to the pan. Stir it together until the cheese has melted.
STEP 8: Add the cooked chicken breasts back into the pan, nestle it in the cream sauce. Allow the sauce to simmer for 2-3 minutes until everything is warmed through.
Expert Tip
I had no trouble scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan while sauteeing the onions. If you still have stuck on pieces, you can add ½ cup of white wine or chicken broth to de-glaze the pan.
viral recipe!
Marry Me Chicken Pasta
If you like this recipe, try my Marry Me Chicken pasta next!
Storage
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat to 165 degrees before serving.
More gluten free chicken recipes to consider:
If you try this recipe, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the comments below.
Recipe
Dairy Free Marry Me Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Paprika
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Vegan Butter
- ½ Cup Yellow Onion diced
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- ½ Cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes drained and chopped
- 3 Cups Baby Spinach
- 1 ½ Cups Plant Based Cream
- ¾ Cup Vegan Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels.1 ¼ pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- Combine the salt, black pepper and paprika in a small dish. Sprinkle over both sides of the chicken breasts.½ teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoon Black Pepper, ½ teaspoon Paprika
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat.2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- Once the oil is hot, add the chicken breasts. Cook until the chicken is cooked through and golden on both sides, about 7 minutes per side (maybe more if your breasts are very thick).
- Remove the chicken from the pan and tent it on a plate. Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the butter to the pan.2 Tablespoons Vegan Butter
- Once the butter has melted, add the diced onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is barely softened, about 3 minutes.½ Cup Yellow Onion
- Add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and red pepper flakes. Cook while stirring constantly for another minute.4 cloves Garlic, 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning, ½ teaspoon Salt, ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- Add the baby spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir together and cook until the spinach has wilted, about 3 minutes.½ Cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes, 3 Cups Baby Spinach
- Add the Parmesan cheese and cream and stir together until the cheese has melted.1 ½ Cups Plant Based Cream, ¾ Cup Vegan Parmesan Cheese
- Return the cooked chicken to the pot and nestle it into the creamy sauce. Cook for about 2 minutes more until everything is heated through.
- Serve over mashed potatoes or rice. Enjoy!
Notes
Tiffany is the recipe developer, stylist and food photographer behind Well Fed Baker. As a lifelong baker who had to go gluten free and dairy free in 2016, Tiffany strives to share allergen friendly recipes that never feel like they are free from anything.
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