High Protein Marry Me Chicken (Tuscan) | Easy Healthy Dinner

Featuring protein-packed cottage cheese and the sweet tang of sun-dried tomatoes, this High Protein Tuscan Chicken is a one-pot wonder for busy weeknights. After plenty of kitchen experiments, I nailed the perfect balance of this Tuscan-inspired (or “Marry Me sauce,” if you’ve seen it on social media) creamy sauce and the ideal way to cook the chicken. This quick 30-minute meal offers a whopping 61 grams of protein per portion — that’s about double what you usually get in similar dishes!

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Creamy sauces tend to be more popular in northern Italy, while this recipe borrows just a few Tuscan classics — think sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, and Parmesan cheese. Still, it’s packed with all the flavors I love and made even better by amping up the protein. Perfect for a satisfying, nutritious dinner!

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This High Protein Tuscan Chicken brings the cozy creaminess of a classic Tuscan “Marry Me” sauce to your dinner table in a way that’s simple and fast enough for weeknights. The magic comes from blending cottage cheese with sun-dried tomatoes to create a silky pink sauce that’s loaded with protein — around 61 grams per serving, which is nearly twice what you’d expect from similar chicken dishes.

Instead of cooking chicken breasts whole, I slice them up and pan-fry the pieces until golden and crispy. The sauce blends smooth so you won’t even notice the cottage cheese — just creamy goodness throughout. Everything finishes right in the skillet, keeping cleanup easy.

Keep reading for the full recipe card, a simple ingredient list, step-by-step instructions, smart tips (like avoiding overcooking and getting a perfect sear), plus ideas for substitutions, storage, meal prep, serving suggestions, and nutrition facts. If you want a filling, flavorful meal that reheats beautifully, this high protein marry me chicken is your new go-to. Let’s dive in!

What Makes It Special

• The chicken: Many Tuscan chicken recipes use cornstarch to crisp up the meat when cooking it whole. I decided to skip extra ingredients and long cook times by slicing the chicken instead. Pan-frying the slices crisps them up nicely, makes it easier to eat, and speeds up cooking!
• The sauce: This sauce is blended smooth so the cottage cheese disappears into creamy deliciousness, a technique we also use in High Protein Creamy Taco Pasta. It spreads the sun-dried tomato flavor evenly throughout and gives the sauce a gorgeous pink hue.
• Ready in 30 minutes: And all in one pot! (High Protein Creamy Taco Soup is another cozy, one-pot, high-protein option.) You’ll cook off the chicken, pour in the sauce, then finish it all together. Plus, thanks to the high protein content, it’s a filling, low-carb meal without needing pasta or rice on the side.

Ingredients for Chicken and Sauce

• 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• ½ teaspoon salt, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes (each)
• 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 (grated or shredded)
• ¼ cup basil (chopped and packed)
• 4 6oz chicken breasts (sliced 1″ thick, or 3 large breasts)

How to Make It

1. Slice chicken breasts into 1″-thick pieces.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium and melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter.
3. Add minced garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper; sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

4. Place chicken slices in the pan in batches so they don’t crowd (leave ~1–2″ between pieces); brown all sides until golden, using a meat thermometer to pull at 160°F; remove cooked pieces and set aside.

   
5. While cooking chicken, combine sun-dried tomatoes, chicken bone broth, heavy cream, and cottage cheese in a blender and blend until smooth.
6. Lower heat to low and add the blended sauce to the skillet; bring just to a simmer to heat through.
7. Stir in chopped basil and grated Parmesan, taste the sauce and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
8. Add the chicken back to the pan and cook together over low heat for 5 minutes to finish cooking (target 165°F).

Expert Tips for Success

1. Let the garlic and spices “sweat”: Give them time to bloom and release their aroma. You’ll know when the kitchen smells amazing — that’s when they’re ready.
2. Give the chicken room: Spacing out the slices helps them get a nice crust and cook evenly. Working in batches often works best.
3. Thermometer is your friend: Don’t guess on chicken doneness—aim for 165°F, pulling at 160°F since the sauce finishes cooking it.
4. Adjust seasoning to taste: Everyone’s palate differs, so taste the sauce and tweak salt and pepper as you go.

what is “sweating”?

You might have come across this term in lots of high-protein dinner recipes, like a hearty turkey chili. Sweating means cooking garlic or spices gently in fat without browning so they soften and release flavor. You’ll see them get glossy and translucent as they soak up the butter or oil.

Why blend the cottage cheese?
Blending smooth makes sure you don’t have curds sneaking into the sauce. Some folks aren’t fans of cottage cheese texture, so blending helps it melt seamlessly into creamy richness.

Add extra flavor boost:
In early tests, I found the dish a bit bland. What it really needed was more acid and salt — the sun-dried tomatoes and a pinch more salt fixed that perfectly.

Ways to Customize It

If you’re wondering how to enjoy this saucy, high protein marry me chicken, here’s how I like it best — in my favorite order.

1. Sourdough bread: This is my top pick because the crispy, tangy bread dips beautifully into the creamy sauce. Trust me, it’s next-level delicious! You can substitute other toasted breads but sourdough wins.
2. Tuscan chicken pasta: You can’t go wrong serving this saucy chicken over your favorite pasta for a classic Italian vibe—browse these 15 high-protein pasta recipes if you want ideas for shapes and pairings.
3. Tuscan chicken with orzo: Orzo is another great base, especially cooked with some Parmesan and an egg stirred in for a creamy texture.
4. Tuscan chicken with gnocchi: Traditional, gluten-free, or even cauliflower gnocchi all pair wonderfully with the rich sauce and tender chicken.

Storage and Meal-Prep Tips

This high protein marry me chicken is a dream for meal prep thanks to how well it keeps! My brother actually makes it weekly for his lunches.

• Fridge: Keep stored airtight for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: Freeze in a sealed container up to 3 months. Thaw overnight, then warm gently on the stovetop to re-melt the sauce.
• Meal Prep: Portion it out for grab-and-go lunches or dinners. Pair with protein pasta or veggies for a balanced take-along meal. For variety in your weekly rotation, add a batch of 20 Minute Meal-Prep Chicken, Rice and Broccoli or switch it up with High Protein Chicken Fajita Pasta.
• Reheating: Microwave in 30-second bursts or heat on low stove setting. Cover in the microwave with a paper towel to avoid splatters from the sauce bubbling.

Common Questions Answered

Can I use this recipe to make a Tuscan chicken pasta salad?

I wouldn’t recommend it — that Marry Me sauce is best hot and creamy, not chilled. For a cold pasta salad, try my red pesto pasta salad with chicken instead! Or, if you simply want a cold, high-protein meal-prep option, my Guilt-Free Chicken Burrito Bowl (30g protein) holds up well in the fridge.

How do I know when the chicken is done?

The best way is a meat thermometer — your chicken should hit 165°F to be safe. Because the chicken finishes cooking in the sauce, it can be taken off at 160°F after pan frying. You can also slice through the thickest part to check there’s no pink inside.