Tuscan ‘Marry Me’ Chicken with Cottage Cheese
Creamy Tuscan Marry Me Chicken combines juicy pan-seared chicken breasts with a healthier twist on a rich, parmesan cream sauce using cottage cheese and coconut milk. Sun-dried tomatoes and spinach add extra nutrition and flavor, making this Italian-inspired dish both satisfying and wholesome.
The pan-seared chicken breasts turn out juicy and tender, soaking up every bit of the savory parmesan sauce. Fresh spinach and sun-dried tomatoes add bright Italian-inspired flavor and a boost of nutrition. I’m a little obsessed with cottage cheese and love how it replaces heavy cream here. It makes me feel so much better after eating and cuts down on fat without sacrificing that luscious texture — adding cottage cheese to chicken sauces has definitely become my thing.
Why You’ll Love My Easy Tuscan Marry Me Chicken Recipe
- Healthier cream sauce: Made with cottage cheese and coconut milk for a creamy yet lighter option.
- Italian flavors: Sun-dried tomatoes and spinach add depth and vibrant taste to the dish.
- Easy to prepare: Pan-seared chicken breasts come together quickly in one skillet.
- Impressive yet simple: Looks and tastes restaurant-quality, but is easy enough for weeknight cooking.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here is everything you need to make the best-tasting creamy tuscan ‘marry me’ cottage cheese chicken recipe:
Whole Chicken Breasts: You can use boneless chicken thighs, turkey cutlets, chicken cutlets, or even tofu for a vegetarian option.
Butter: Replace butter with olive oil, ghee, or a non-dairy butter alternative for a dairy-free version.
Coconut Milk: Use almond milk, cashew milk, or any other plant-based milk for a lighter option. Regular milk or heavy cream can be used for a non-vegan version. For a less creamy alternative, you can use vegetable stock.
Cottage Cheese: Greek yogurt or a dairy-free yogurt alternative can replace cottage cheese for creaminess.
Italian Seasoning: You can make your own Italian seasoning blend using dried basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary if you don’t have pre-made Italian seasoning.
Parmesan Cheese: Nutritional yeast or a dairy-free Parmesan cheese can be used to make it vegan. For a milder flavor, try Pecorino Romano or Asiago cheese.
Tangy Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Roasted red peppers, cherry tomatoes, or fresh tomatoes can replace sun-dried tomatoes. You can also use rehydrated dried tomatoes.
Fresh Spinach: You can omit the spinach.
​Garlic Cloves: These can be replaced with garlic powder.
Fresh Basil: Use dried basil, or substitute with fresh parsley, fresh thyme, cilantro, or another fresh herb of your choice.
Salt and Pepper: You can use sea salt, kosher salt, or any other salt you prefer. Freshly ground black pepper or ground white pepper can be used in place of pepper.
Olive Oil: You can use avocado oil, canola oil, or any other cooking oil you have on hand.
How to Make My Cottage Cheese Tuscan Marry Me Chicken Recipe
Step 1: Prepare the Chicken
Place a thawed, boneless skinless chicken breast in a 1-gallon plastic bag. Pound the chicken with a meat tenderizer or rolling pin until it is an even thickness. Roughly .5″ thick.
Remove the chicken breast from the bag with a pair of tongs and place it on top of the bag. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and pepper. Use your hand to pat the seasonings into the chicken. Flip the chicken breasts over and repeat the seasoning.
Step 2: Make the Sauce
Combine the coconut milk, cottage cheese, and Italian seasoning in a food processor, blender, or chopper cup with an immersion blender. Blend until smooth.
Step 3: Prep the Rest
Dice the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic cloves and shred the parmesan cheese.
Step 4: Cook the Chicken
Heat a frying pan over high heat for several minutes. Add two tablespoons of extra light olive oil (or your favorite cooking oil) to the pan and let it heat up for about a minute.
Carefully place the seasoned chicken breasts into the hot pan. They should instantly start the sizzle. Let them cook for 3-4 minutes without moving them. This will create a golden brown crust on the underneath side of the chicken. Then flip them over and allow to cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Then remove from the pan onto a plate.
Remove your pan from the heat for about a minute to cool. Then return your pan to the burner and turn the heat to medium. Add the butter and crushed garlic and stir. Allowing the pan to cool slightly will avoid burning the butter and garlic.
Add the spinach leaves and gently stir until they cook down and are wilted.
Pour in the sauce and parmesan cheese. Stir with a spatula until the cheese is melted.
Add the sun-dried tomatoes and return the chicken breasts to the pan. If your chicken pieces are large, you can cut them in half before putting them in the pan. Spoon the sauce over the chicken.
Using a meat thermometer, check the internal temperature of the chicken. Once it reaches 165°F, the chicken is done.
Slice the chicken pieces and serve over your favorite pasta, rice, or spaghetti squash.
Juicy Tuscan Chicken with Cottage Cheese Recipe Notes
Chicken Thickness: Ensure that you pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness, approximately 0.5 inches thick. This helps in even cooking and ensures that the chicken cooks through without overcooking the exterior. Pounding the chicken will also create tender chicken.
Seasoning: Don’t forget to season the chicken breasts with coarse sea salt and pepper on both sides before cooking. This step adds flavor to the chicken.
Sauce Creaminess: Blending the coconut milk, cottage cheese, and Italian seasoning until smooth is crucial to achieving a creamy sauce. You can use a blender, food processor, or immersion blender for this step.
Cooking Spinach: When adding the spinach, it wilts quickly, so be prepared to stir and cook it only until it’s wilted. Overcooking can lead to spinach becoming mushy.
Internal Temperature: Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken. It should reach 165°F (74°C) to ensure that the chicken is cooked through and safe to eat.
Delicious Serving Suggestions
- With pasta: Serve over gluten-free or whole wheat pasta to soak up the creamy sauce.
- With zucchini noodles: For a lower-carb option, pair with spiralized zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash.
- With rice or quinoa: Serve over brown rice, wild rice, or quinoa for a heartier, nutrient-packed meal.
- With a side salad: A crisp, fresh side salad with a light vinaigrette complements the richness of the dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you love cottage cheese? Check out these savory recipes made with cottage cheese:
Tuscan Marry Me Chicken with Cottage Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 cups baby spinach leaves
- 1 cup coconut milk (from a can)
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons salt
- dash pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh basil
Instructions
- Place a thawed, boneless skinless chicken breast in a 1-gallon plastic bag. Pound the chicken with a meat tenderizer or rolling pin until it is an even thickness. Roughly .5" thick.Remove the chicken breast from the bag with a pair of tongs and place it on top of the bag. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and pepper. Use your hand to pat the seasonings into the chicken. Flip the chicken breasts over and repeat the seasoning.
- Combine the coconut milk, cottage cheese, and Italian seasoning in a food processor, blender, or chopper cup with an immersion blender. Blend until smooth.
- Dice the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic cloves and shred the parmesan cheese.
- Heat a frying pan over high heat for several minutes. Add two tablespoons of extra light olive oil (or your favorite cooking oil) to the pan and let it heat up for about a minute.Carefully place the seasoned chicken breasts into the hot pan. They should instantly start the sizzle. Let them cook for 3-4 minutes without moving them. This will create a golden brown crust on the underneath side of the chicken. Then flip them over and allow to cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Then remove from the pan onto a plate.Â
- Remove your pan from the heat for about a minute to cool. Then return your pan to the burner and turn the heat to medium. Add the butter and crushed garlic and stir. Allowing the pan to cool slightly will avoid burning the butter and garlic.Add the spinach leaves and gently stir until they cook down and are wilted.Â
- Pour in the sauce and parmesan cheese. Stir with a spatula until the cheese is melted. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and return the chicken breasts to the pan. If your chicken pieces are large, you can cut them in half before putting them in the pan. Spoon the sauce over the chicken.Using a meat thermometer, check the internal temperature of the chicken. Once it reaches 165°F, the chicken is done.
- Slice the chicken pieces and serve over your favorite pasta, rice, or spaghetti squash.Â
Video
Nutrition
This recipe has been reviewed by a healthcare professional for its nutritional balance and alignment with healthy eating principles.
This recipe was outstanding. I used half and half instead of coconut milk and it was delicious. I also used olive oil instead of the butter to sauté the garlic. I did also make a separate batch of the sauce. Will definitely make this again.
I love your substitutions! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Super-Duper website! I am loving it!! Will be back later to read some more. I am taking your feeds also.
This recipe was a hit! It was easy to make and we loved the flavor in the sauce using cottage cheese. Thank you for such an easy and healthy recipe!
Hi Marcus, I’m so glad you love this recipe! Thank you for sharing this with me 🙂
I’ve never thought of using cottage in the sauce. It tasted delicious!!! We ate with steamed broccoli and bowtie pasta and it was a hit. I will for sure be making this again.
I’m so glad you liked this recipe! That’s a great idea to eat it with broccoli and bowties! Thanks for sharing 🙂