Healthy 'Marry Me' Chicken (with Cottage Cheese)
This healthy ‘marry me’ chicken features chicken breasts cooked with a creamy, delicious sundried tomato sauce made with cottage cheese instead of heavy cream. It’s low in fat, high in protein, easy to make and ready in under 30 minutes!
Servings 4 servings
Calories 258kcal
Equipment
- Large skillet/frying pan with lid
- Hand blender
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 4 medium chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- ¼ cup half-and-half single cream
- ⅔ cup low-sodium chicken stock cooled
- 1¼ tablespoons all-purpose/plain flour or 1½ tbsp, see *Notes
- 7 sundried tomatoes drained, chopped, approx. ½ cup
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian herbs or herbes de Provence
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or sundried tomato oil
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- Small bunch basil leaves only
Instructions
- Prepare chicken: Place the chicken breasts (cut side up) on top of a large cutting board and cover with plastic wrap or parchment paper. Using a rolling pin or the bottom of a pan, lightly pound the thicker part of the chicken breasts to tenderize and flatten them a little. Remove the wrap/paper, season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper on both sides and set aside.
- Prepare thickening mixture: Puree the cottage cheese with cream until smooth. Whisk in the flour and set aside.
- Sear chicken: In a large skillet/frying pan heat 1½ tablespoons of oil, add the chicken breasts and cook over a medium heat for about 4 minutes on each side until lightly browned. Transfer to a bowl (leaving the juices and oil in the pan).
- Add sun-dried tomatoes: To the same pan add the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, dried herbs and pepper flakes and cook over a medium/low heat for about 1½-2 minutes stirring all the time (add ½ tablespoon of oil if needed).
- Make sauce: Add the chicken stock and immediately whisk in the cottage cheese mixture.
- Assemble: Add the chicken (along with the juices), stir, cover, bring to a simmer and cook for 7-8 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked (be careful not to overcook it).TIP: Cooking times will vary depending on the thickness of the chicken.
- Serve: Remove from the heat and scatter finely chopped basil leaves over the top. Serve.
Notes
- I recommend pounding the chicken lightly to tenderize it and ensure it cooks evenly. This method also reduces cooking time.
- *If your chicken breasts are quite large add about 1 and ½ tablespoons of flour. Larger chicken will release more juices so the sauce will need a bit more thickening.
- You can use either extra virgin olive oil or the sundried tomato oil (I used the latter).
- Make sure the cottage cheese mixture is very smooth before adding it into the sauce.
- Best served immediately.
- Leftover low-fat chicken in sundried tomato sauce can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Cooking times will vary depending on the thickness of the meat.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 258kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 279mg | Potassium: 640mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 287IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 1mg