With a name like marry me chicken, you expect something special, and this dairy free marry me chicken holds up its end of the deal. It's creamy, easy, and made with low FODMAP and gluten free swaps.
If you need more dinner ideas, try dairy free Swedish meatballs, oven baked pork chop casserole, or gluten free goulash with chickpea noodles. All the flavor without the tummy troubles.
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But How Do You Make Marry Me Chicken Without Heavy Cream?
Okay, hear me out. This recipe for marry me chicken swaps out the heavy cream for unsweetened coconut milk, yes really. But does it taste like coconut… nope.
Once the nutritional yeast is added along with the other spices, all the coconut flavor is gone, and all that is left is a creamy sauce with pieces of sun dried tomatoes and tender chicken breasts. XOXO - Venessa
What You'll Need
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts - The base of the dish. They cook up tender and soak up all that creamy sauce.
- Kosher Salt + Black Pepper - Simple seasoning that brings out the natural flavor of the chicken.
- Garlic Infused Olive Oil + Garlic Salt - Layers in that classic garlic flavor without the FODMAPs.
- Chicken Broth - Builds a rich, savory base without needing heavy cream.
- Unsweetened Full Fat Canned Coconut Milk - The key to a creamy, dairy free sauce with plenty of richness.
- Nutritional Yeast - Adds a subtle cheesy, savory flavor without any dairy.
- Italian Seasoning + Red Pepper Flakes - Brings herby flavor with just a little kick to balance the sauce.
- Sun Dried Tomatoes - A tangy, slightly sweet pop of flavor that makes this dish stand out.
- Cornstarch - Thickens the sauce so it coats the chicken perfectly.
- Fresh Basil Leaves - A fresh finish that brightens everything up before serving.
See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions.
Selected ingredients are based on guidance on current serving sizes measured by the Monash University Food App and FODMAP Friendly App at the time of publishing. As always, follow your gut and modify as needed.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Sear the chicken
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Heat the oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat.
Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook until both sides are golden brown, about 8 minutes per side. It won't be fully cooked yet. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
Step 2: Build the sauce
Using the same skillet (don't clean it), add the chicken broth and scrape up the brown bits.
Next, add the coconut milk, nutritional yeast, garlic salt, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir until the coconut milk is mixed with the spices.
Step 3: Thicken and bring it together
Scoop out about ¼ cup of the sauce and whisk it with the cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth, then pour it back into the skillet. Stir and let it thicken slightly, then return the chicken along with any juices.
Step 4: Finish in the oven
Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165 degrees F. Spoon the sauce over the top and finish with fresh basil before serving.
Tips and Tricks
Scrape the pan! Add the chicken broth and gently scrape the pan. All those little brown bits are FLAVOR baby!
Choose wisely. Not all coconut milks are the same. Some are used for drinks and are super sweet, some are from the dairy section, and the one this recipe uses is canned, unsweetened, and found in the middle aisles of the grocery store.
Shake, Shake, Shake! Before opening the coconut milk can, shake it. This will blend the coconut cream that has risen to the top and the coconut milk on the bottom.
No oven safe skillet? Transfer the sauce to a 9x13-inch baking pan and add the chicken breasts to bake in the oven. This works too if you aren't sure if your skillet is oven proof. Better safe than sorry and a huge mess!
How To Serve Marry Me Chicken
- Over Noodles. This was our favorite because we love pasta recipes in our house.
- Make Almond Milk Mashed Potatoes for a dairy free, comforting option.
- White Rice made with chicken broth. The flavorful rice will be a great texture for the creamy sauce.
Storing and Reheating
Storing: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Keep the chicken with the sauce.
Reheating: Warm in a skillet over medium-low heat or in the microwave. Add a splash of chicken broth or coconut milk if needed to loosen the sauce.
Freezing (optional): Freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and stir while reheating if the sauce separates.
Low FODMAP Notes
Low FODMAP ingredient information is based on the Monash University Food App and FODMAP Friendly App testing results as of the day posted. As always, modify based on your gut and what works for you on a low FODMAP diet.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts - Plain, unseasoned chicken breasts do not have any detectable FODMAPs.
- Garlic infused olive oil - All the garlic flavor but without using actual garlic! My favorite brand I buy on Amazon.
- Chicken broth - Use a brand that you can tolerate or purchase an option from Amazon.
- Unsweetened full fat coconut milk (canned) - Safe at ¼ cup (60 ml) per meal.
- Nutritional yeast - Safe at 3 tablespoons (16 grams) per meal.
- Garlic salt - Use Smoke and Sanity's certified garlic salt. I buy it from Amazon.
- Italian seasoning - Use a blend that does not have garlic or onion in it.
- Red pepper flakes - If sensitive to spice, omit this.
- Sun dried tomatoes (not in oil) - Safe at 3 ¼ pieces (13 grams) I used the zip-top bagged option, not packed in oil because I couldn't find an option without garlic in the ingredients.
- Cornstarch - Safe at 5 tablespoons (100 grams) per meal. It is used to thicken the sauce.
For additional information on a low FODMAP diet, please visit Monash University or FODMAP Friendly. Both have websites and apps for additional guidance and testing results.
FAQs
Yes. You can use lactose free heavy cream if dairy isn't an issue for you.
Yes. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work great and stay extra tender. You may need to add a few extra minutes to the bake time.
Before baking, the sauce can be thin. Once it comes out of the oven the sauce will thicken as it cools.
Yes, if you can handle dairy and want to use a low lactose cheese. However, if you do this, it will no longer be dairy free.
It all comes down to the size and thickness. The smaller and thinner the chicken breasts, the faster they will cook and require less oven time than bigger, thicker chicken breasts. The key to getting tender, juicy chicken breasts is to use an internal thermometer to reach 165 degrees F.
What To Serve With Marry Me Chicken
First, decide if you want to serve it over gluten free noodles, dairy free mashed potatoes, or Instant Pot rice pilaf. Then add a side of oven roasted vegetables or a Caesar salad made with homemade Caesar dressing.
More Loveable Pasta Recipes
Love This Recipe?
Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating + comment. It helps so much, and we love hearing from everyone! Thank You -Venessa
Recipe
Dairy Free Marry Me Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4-5 medium chicken breasts boneless and skinless (Note 1)
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons garlic infused olive oil or avocado oil
Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 cup chicken broth (Note 2)
- 13 ounces unsweetened full fat coconut milk canned and shaken (Note 3)
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt (Note 4)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup sun dried tomatoes diced, not in oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves Optional
- Serving Options: over spaghetti noodles, rice, or mashed potatoes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a large oven safe skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper. Cook until seared and golden brown, about 8 minutes per side. The chicken will NOT be fully cooked at this stage.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate (use one with raised edges to catch any juices).
- In the same skillet, add the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits. Next, add the coconut milk, nutritional yeast, garlic salt, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir until smooth.
- In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup of the sauce with the cornstarch until no lumps remain. Pour the mixture back into the skillet and stir to thicken.
- Return the chicken (and any juices) to the skillet.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 15-25 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Check the temperature of the chicken with a digital thermometer.
- Serve over spaghetti noodles and top with fresh basil.
JK says
This was okayyyy. I was hoping the sauce (although dairy free) would be a bit thicker.
And the extra 20 minutes in the oven really overcooked the chicken I believe.
It was still decently tasty and since we had a lot of liquid leftover, we will toss it over some rice.
Venessa Mandelkow says
Hi JK - Thank you for taking the time to leave a review for dairy free marry me chicken. Did you have smaller-ish sized chicken breasts? I am thinking that may be why they overcooked in the oven. I will go in clarify to check the oven time based on the size of the chicken.
Did the sauce thicken as it cooled? Dairy free sauces can be harder to achieve the same consitency that heavy cream can provide, but we try to get as close as we can. - Venessa
JK says
OK Venessa, that makes complete sense to me. My chicken was probably smaller than yours and that’s the reason it overcooked quickly. The sauce, after sitting out did not thicken. Even after a night in the fridge, it did not thicken. But, we threw it in our instapot with a cup of rice, and it made us an entire second meal, so that was great.
Thank you!
Venessa Mandelkow says
Hi JK - Interesting that the sauce did not thicken for you at all. However, the idea of using the leftover sauce to make rice in the Instapot sounds like a whole new delicious recipe idea! 🙂 I did update my recipe post based on your feedback. Nobody ever wants dried out chicken! Thanks for your feedback and helping me make sure this recipe works for others. - Venessa
Barb says
Can't wait to try this! We love sun-dried tomatoes! I'll probably use "light" coconut milk rather than full fat (personal preference), so I know I might have to use more cornstarch to make it thicken.
Venessa Mandelkow says
Hi Barb! Hold the phone, so you are telling me there is a "light" coconut milk? Does it have less "cream" on the top? I love that I am always learning something!!! Can you tell me how it worked for you so I can update the recipe and share other options with everyone else - I would appreciate it so much! I am now going shopping for light coconut milk. Thanks Barb - Venessa
Barb says
Yes!! I think a lot of brands have both. There’s basically more water added to the coconut so it reduces the fat content. The ingredients list in “light” shows water first then coconut, vs the coconut first then water in the regular full fat coconut milk. There’s not as much “cream” on the top but enough that it still needs to shaken or at least stirred.
I’m planning to make this this week and will be glad to report back!
Venessa Mandelkow says
Hi Barb - I am going to try "light" coconut on my next dairy free recipe. I am also excited to hear your feedback on this recipe! - Venessa
Barb Epstien says
Finally remembering to report back on the lite coconut milk version! As anticipated, it definitely needed extra cornstarch to thicken it, and I ended up using about 1-1/2 tablespoons (added in small increments to not overdo it).
Unrelated, I think I added some extra dried thyme with the Italian seasoning I have, just 'cuz it seemed like a nice flavor to add 🙂
Very tasty! I'll be making this again!
I do want to learn more about the saturated fat in coconut milk/cream, from a nutrition, heart health, etc perspective. I'll let ya know what I learn!
Venessa Mandelkow says
Hi Barb! Thanks for reporting back on using the lite coconut milk. I love the idea of adding some dried thyme too. Thanks for the feedback 🙂 - Venessa