Marry Me Chicken Zoodles (Printable)

Tender chicken in a creamy tomato sauce atop sautéed zucchini noodles, delivering a flavorful low-carb meal.

# What you need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5.3 oz each)
02 - 1 tsp salt
03 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
04 - 1 tsp Italian seasoning
05 - 2 tbsp olive oil

→ Sauce

06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 4.2 oz sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
08 - 3/4 cup chicken broth (gluten-free if needed)
09 - 1 cup heavy cream
10 - 1.4 oz grated Parmesan cheese
11 - 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
12 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil, plus extra for garnish

→ Zoodles

13 - 4 medium zucchini (24.7 oz), spiralized into noodles
14 - 1 tbsp olive oil
15 - 1/2 tsp salt

# Directions:

01 - Pat chicken dry and season both sides evenly with salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken breasts for 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
03 - Reduce heat to medium in the same skillet. Add minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes; sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour in chicken broth, scraping any browned bits from the pan. Let simmer for 2 minutes.
05 - Stir in heavy cream and grated Parmesan. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until sauce thickens slightly. Add crushed red pepper flakes and chopped basil; stir to combine.
06 - Return chicken breasts to skillet, spoon sauce over them, and simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through.
07 - In a separate pan over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Add zucchini noodles and salt; sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until tender but firm.
08 - Serve chicken topped with sauce over a bed of zucchini noodles. Garnish with extra basil and Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Rich and indulgent without the carb crash that usually follows creamy chicken dishes.
  • The zucchini noodles soak up the sauce like a dream but stay light and fresh.
  • It comes together in under an hour, even if youre moving slowly.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, and the flavors deepen overnight.
02 -
  • Dont skip patting the chicken dry, wet meat steams instead of searing and you lose that golden crust.
  • If your sauce looks broken or grainy, your heat was too high when you added the cream, keep it at a gentle simmer.
  • Zucchini releases water as it cooks, so sauté quickly over higher heat to evaporate moisture instead of steaming it into a soggy pile.
  • Resting the chicken under foil while you make the sauce lets the juices redistribute, keeping every bite tender.
03 -
  • Use a spiralizer with a medium blade setting, the thin angel-hair zoodles break apart too easily and the thick ones stay crunchy.
  • If your skillet isnt big enough to hold all four chicken breasts without crowding, sear them in two batches so they brown instead of steam.
  • Taste the sauce before adding salt, the Parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes are already salty and its easy to overdo it.
  • Let the zoodles drain in a colander for a few minutes after spiralizing if theyre especially watery, it prevents a puddle on the plate.
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