Marry Me Chicken
This Marry Me Chicken recipe brings rich flavor to the Z Grill Pellet Grill with a perfect balance of smoky sear and creamy sauce. Bone-in thighs and chicken breasts are seasoned with a bold homemade rub, then seared in a hot cast-iron skillet over cherry wood pellets for irresistible flavor. After a golden crust is achieved, the chicken is finished with a luscious sauce made from garlic, chicken stock, tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, heavy cream, Pecorino Romano, and Dijon mustard. The result is tender, juicy chicken coated in a velvety, smoky-savory sauce that pairs beautifully with pasta, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread.
Ingredients
Serving Sizes
Chicken
- 2 medium chicken breasts (medium thickness)
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Custom Rub
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
For Cooking & Sauce
- 3–4 tbsp olive oil (plus more as needed)
- 1 tbsp butter
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- ¾–1 cup chicken stock
- 1 heaping tbsp tomato paste
- ⅛ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1–3 tbsp Pecorino Romano (or Parmesan), grated
- 1–3 tbsp Dijon mustard
- Cherry wood pellets (or similar fruitwood)
Equipment
- Z Grills Multitasker 7052B
Instructions
Prep the Chicken
Step 1:
- Trim chicken breasts and thighs of excess fat and skin.
- Mix rub ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Coat chicken thoroughly with the rub.
- Let rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
FIRE UP THE ZGRILL
- Load the Z Grill with cherry pellets.
- Remove the drip tray for direct flame access.
- Place a heavy sauté pan or cast iron skillet over the flame.
- Heat with olive oil until the pan reaches 400–450°F.
Cook the Chicken
Thighs:
- Place thighs skin-side down in the hot pan. Cook 4 minutes.
- Flip and cook another 4–5 minutes, then flip again.
- Total sauté pan time: 14–15 minutes.
- Move thighs to the middle grate above the pan to continue cooking and allow drippings to fall back in.
Breast
- Lower sauté pan temperature to about 350°F. Add more olive oil if needed.
- Cook chicken breasts 4 minutes per side, about 8–10 minutes total.
- Remove breasts and thighs to a platter. Collect juices for later.
- Total thigh cook time (pan + grate): ~24 minutes.
- Build the Sauce
Bring sauté pan to ~350°F. - Add 1 tbsp butter + 2 tbsp olive oil + 3 cloves chopped garlic. Sauté 1 minute (don’t burn).
- Stir in ¾–1 cup chicken stock. Mix well.
- Whisk in 1 heaping tbsp tomato paste until combined.
- Add ⅛ cup sun-dried tomatoes. Stir.
- Bring to a gentle simmer at 350°F.
- Add ½ cup heavy cream, stirring to incorporate. Be careful not to let the cream break.
- Simmer 2–3 minutes until sauce begins to reduce slightly.
- Finish with the Chicken
Return the chicken thighs and breasts to the sauté pan along with any juices from the platter. - Coat the chicken well in the sauce — this will help stabilize pan temperature around 350°F.
Stir in:
- 1–3 tbsp Pecorino Romano (or Parmesan)
- 1–3 tbsp Dijon mustard
- Simmer until the sauce thickens to your liking and chicken is fully coated.
Step 5:
Serve
- Remove the sauté pan from heat.
- Transfer the chicken and sauce to a serving platter.
- Garnish with fresh thyme or parsley if desired.
- Serve hot with pasta, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
