Have you ever wondered which version of a popular dish reigns supreme? Especially when you need to make a dietary swap, like going dairy-free? Today, we’re diving deep into the world of Marry Me Chicken, a dish so famously delicious, it’s said to elicit marriage proposals! Originating from Tuscan-inspired creamy chicken dishes often featuring sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan, this recipe gained viral fame for its indulgent, flavorful sauce.
For those who need or prefer to avoid dairy, finding a suitable alternative that doesn’t sacrifice that signature richness can be a quest. That’s why we’re putting two popular recipes to the test – comparing their ingredients, methods, and what makes each version unique. Our goal is to help you find the perfect Dairy Free Marry Me Chicken recipe to add to your weeknight rotation, ensuring your kitchen creations are both delicious and compliant with your needs.
Let’s break down these two approaches to creating this delightful, creamy chicken dish without a drop of dairy.
Olivia Adriance’s Dairy-Free Marry Me Chicken with Coconut Milk
Olivia Adriance offers her take on this trending dish, specifically designed to be dairy-free by making a key ingredient swap. Her recipe focuses on achieving that creamy, dreamy sauce using full-fat coconut milk.
Here’s a summary of her approach:
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Key Ingredients: This version utilizes chicken breasts, avocado oil, garlic, full-fat coconut milk, chicken broth, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, sun-dried tomatoes, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and arrowroot starch for thickening. Fresh basil is added at the end for brightness.
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Process: The method is straightforward and designed for a single pan, which is fantastic for busy professionals looking for minimal cleanup. First, the seasoned chicken breasts are pan-seared in avocado oil until beautifully golden brown on both sides. It’s emphasized here not to move the chicken during searing to ensure a good crust develops. The chicken is then removed from the pan and set aside.
Next, the sauce-making begins in the same skillet. A little more oil is added, followed by minced garlic, which is cooked briefly until fragrant. The crucial step of deglazing happens with the addition of coconut milk, scraping up any tasty browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Chicken broth, sun-dried tomatoes, nutritional yeast, oregano, and red pepper flakes are stirred in. The sauce is brought to a simmer, and the seared chicken is returned to the pan.
The dish then simmers, covered, for about 15 minutes, allowing the chicken to cook through and the flavors to meld. Finally, to achieve the desired creamy consistency, a slurry of arrowroot starch and chicken broth is whisked in after moving the chicken to the side. The pan is removed from the heat, and fresh basil is stirred in just before serving.
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Unique Aspects & Variations: This recipe distinguishes itself primarily through the use of coconut milk as the creamy base and nutritional yeast as a stand-in for parmesan cheese. The nutritional yeast provides a cheesy, umami flavor without any dairy. Olivia recommends full-fat canned coconut milk for the best creamy texture, advising against reduced-fat or coconut cream. She notes that chicken thighs can be used instead of breasts and even mentions a Marry Me Chicken Meatball variation if you have ground chicken on hand. Serving suggestions include pairing with rice, pasta, or dairy-free mashed potatoes.
Well Fed Baker’s Dairy-Free Marry Me Chicken
The Well Fed Baker also presents a delicious dairy-free version of Marry Me Chicken, taking a slightly different path to achieve that creamy texture and classic flavor profile. This recipe also aims for one-pot convenience.
Here’s how this version comes together:
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Key Ingredients: This recipe calls for boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs), olive oil (or other light oil), salt, black pepper, paprika (for seasoning the chicken), vegan butter, yellow onion, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, baby spinach, non-dairy cream (specifically recommending brands like Silk or Country Crock heavy cream alternatives), Italian seasoning, salt, red pepper flakes, and vegan Parmesan cheese.
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Process: Like the first recipe, this one starts by seasoning the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and paprika and pan-frying them in olive oil until golden brown and cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. The cooked chicken is then removed and tented to rest.
The sauce is built in the same pan, utilizing the flavorful browned bits left behind. The heat is reduced, and vegan butter is added (or more olive oil if preferred). Diced yellow onion is sautéed until softened, followed by minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and red pepper flakes, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
Baby spinach and sun-dried tomatoes are then added to the skillet and stirred until the spinach wilts. The creamy base is created by adding vegan Parmesan cheese and non-dairy cream. This mixture is stirred until the cheese melts and everything is well combined.
Finally, the cooked chicken breasts are returned to the pan and nestled into the sauce. The dish simmers for just 2-3 minutes to warm everything through before serving.
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Unique Aspects & Variations: This recipe differentiates itself by explicitly avoiding coconut milk for the sauce base, opting instead for specific brands of non-dairy heavy cream alternatives. It also incorporates yellow onion for added depth of flavor and includes fresh baby spinach, which not only adds color and nutrients but also helps balance the richness of the creamy sauce. Vegan Parmesan cheese is used directly to replicate the traditional cheesy flavor, with recommendations for finding and using block-style vegan cheese for better melting. The chicken is cooked through (to 165F) before the sauce is finished, and it simmers only briefly in the sauce afterwards. The article also mentions using cauliflower rice for a low-carb alternative and suggests other dairy-free chicken recipes from the same site.
Comparing the Two Dairy-Free Marry Me Chicken Approaches
Now that we’ve looked at each recipe individually, let’s break down the key differences to help you decide which one might be the perfect fit for your next dinner.
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Creamy Base: This is arguably the most significant difference. Olivia Adriance uses coconut milk, which provides creaminess but might impart a subtle coconut flavor, though she states it’s not detectable. The Well Fed Baker specifically uses a non-dairy heavy cream alternative, designed to mimic dairy cream more closely without adding other distinct flavors like coconut. If you are sensitive to the taste of coconut or want a flavor profile as close to traditional Marry Me Chicken as possible, the non-dairy cream approach might be preferable.
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“Parmesan” Alternative: Both recipes tackle the classic parmesan element differently. Olivia uses nutritional yeast, which gives a savory, cheesy flavor often used in vegan cooking. The Well Fed Baker uses vegan Parmesan cheese, a product specifically formulated to replicate the taste and texture of real parmesan, sometimes melting into the sauce. The choice here might come down to availability and preference – nutritional yeast is a pantry staple for many dairy-free cooks, while vegan parmesan requires finding a specific product.
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Aromatics and Vegetables: The Well Fed Baker’s recipe includes yellow onion and baby spinach, adding layers of flavor and texture that aren’t present in Olivia Adriance’s core ingredient list (which features garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil). The addition of onion provides a more complex aromatic base, and spinach wilts into the sauce, adding visual appeal and nutrition.
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Thickening Method: Olivia’s recipe explicitly uses an arrowroot starch slurry to thicken the sauce after the chicken has cooked. The Well Fed Baker’s recipe relies on the sauce naturally thickening slightly from the non-dairy cream and melting vegan Parmesan during a brief simmer. Both methods result in a creamy sauce, but the arrowroot slurry offers more control over the final thickness.
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Cooking Time and Technique Nuances: Both are one-pan/pot recipes and qualify as weeknight-friendly. However, Olivia simmers the chicken in the sauce for a longer period (15 minutes) to finish cooking and infuse flavors before thickening. The Well Fed Baker cooks the chicken fully outside the pan (to 165F) and then simmers it in the finished sauce for just a few minutes (2-3 minutes) to warm through. This might affect how deeply the chicken absorbs the sauce flavors versus how quickly the dish comes together after the sauce is made.
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Serving Suggestions: Both suggest serving over rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes. This commonality means either sauce pairs well with typical creamy dish accompaniments.
Which Dairy Free Marry Me Chicken is Right for You?
Choosing between these two excellent Dairy Free Marry Me Chicken recipes really comes down to personal preference and what ingredients you have on hand or prefer to use.
If you are looking for a simple recipe that uses pantry staples like coconut milk and nutritional yeast, and you appreciate the controlled thickening provided by a slurry, Olivia Adriance’s version is likely a fantastic choice. It’s clean, direct, and gets the job done with a creamy, flavorful sauce, potentially with a subtle hint of coconut depending on your ingredients and palate.
If you prefer a sauce that aims to replicate the classic Tuscan chicken flavor profile as closely as possible, potentially with less risk of a coconut undertone, and you enjoy the added depth that sautéed onion and wilted spinach bring to a dish, the Well Fed Baker’s recipe using non-dairy cream and vegan Parmesan might be your winner. The inclusion of spinach also adds a touch of visual appeal and extra goodness.
Both recipes offer a delicious, dairy-free alternative to the popular Marry Me Chicken, proving you don’t need dairy to enjoy this incredibly satisfying dish. They are both great candidates for a quick and impressive weeknight dinner, perfect for serving to family, partners, or anyone you want to impress.
Have you tried making Dairy Free Marry Me Chicken using coconut milk or non-dairy cream? We’d love to hear about your experience and which version you prefer!
You may also be interested in comparing the original Marry Me Chicken recipes
