What Exactly Is Marry Me Chicken?

We’ve all heard the saying: the way to someone’s heart is through their stomach. Whether or not that’s true is up for debate, but there are plenty of recipes claiming to be so irresistible that they’ll have your dinner guest proposing before the meal’s even over.

It all began with Glamour's famous Engagement Chicken, but the latest dish to steal the spotlight and win hearts is Marry Me Chicken. So, what’s the story behind these irresistible meals?

What Exactly Is Engagement Chicken?

It all started when a few women at Glamour magazine cooked up the dish and their boyfriends popped the question. Soon after, three more women made it, and the same thing happened: proposals followed. By the time of Glamour's 2011 cookbook, 100 Recipes Every Woman Should Know: Engagement Chicken and 99 Other Fabulous Dishes to Get You Everything You Want in Life, over 60 women had reportedly gotten engaged after preparing the dish.

Engagement Chicken is incredibly simple to prepare (because sometimes, it’s the easiest things that make the biggest impact). Just a whole chicken seasoned with lemon juice, salt, and pepper, then stuffed with whole lemons. The magic comes from the pan drippings, which you drizzle over the roasted bird before topping it with fresh herbs. User Sential created a Lemon-Roasted Chicken recipe inspired by Engagement Chicken, and she claims, "Yes — I did get proposed to within 3 months of making it!".

Ina Garten also offers an effortless Engagement Roast Chicken recipe that she swears by. Her version is stuffed with both lemons and garlic, and roasted alongside even more lemons and onions. However, there’s no indication that this dish led to her husband Jeffrey proposing over 50 years ago.

What Is Marry Me Chicken?

Marry Me Chicken takes a bit more effort but is still an easy chicken recipe that you make right in your skillet. It’s your choice of chicken drenched in a creamy Parmesan and sun-dried tomato sauce, served with bacon and angel hair pasta.

The credit for Marry Me Chicken goes to the team at Delish, who created this Italian-inspired recipe. However, you’ll find tasty twists on it all over the internet (including right here on our site).

Allstar thedailygourmet's top-rated Marry-Me Chicken recipe takes just 35 minutes to prepare. Start by cooking the chicken in a skillet with butter, garlic, oregano, and thyme. Once it’s nearly done, transfer the chicken to a baking dish with chicken broth. Then, top it off with a rich sauce made of Parmesan, cream, sun-dried tomatoes, chicken broth, and red pepper flakes. Serve the chicken smothered in this flavorful sauce, with crispy bacon, over a bed of pasta.

Who needs a marriage proposal when you can make this irresistible dish every night? We’d happily enjoy it on a regular basis!

Does Marry Me Chicken Live Up to the Hype?

Unfortunately, while these dishes are named to sound like they’ll win you a proposal, one meal won't instantly make your crush fall head over heels. But, it will earn you plenty of compliments from anyone who’s lucky enough to taste it—whether it’s your partner, friend, family member, or anyone else at the table.

Honestly, this chicken might even be better than a diamond ring.