Turn your leftovers into something crave-worthy with this Marry Me Chicken with Leftover Chicken—a creamy, one-pan dinner that’s packed with flavor, ready in 30 minutes, and perfect for busy weeknights.
For more Creamy One-Pan Chicken Dinners, try our marry me butter beans, marry me orzo, and easy chicken stroganoff.
Why You'll Love This Marry Me Chicken with Leftover Chicken
This is the ultimate weeknight "cheat code" for when you want high-effort flavor with zero actual effort. Louise and I realized that by swapping one can of beans for shredded rotisserie chicken, you get a protein-rich dinner that’s on the table in under 20 minutes! 🥗
It’s an elevated, Mediterranean-style twist on the viral "Marry Me" trend. We’ve replaced the heavy cream with Greek yogurt for a silky, luscious sauce that’s naturally lower in saturated fats but still feels incredibly indulgent—you can totally use cream if you prefer. 🍗
Using precooked chicken means no messy searing or worrying about internal temperatures. You simply simmer the meat in a sun-dried tomato and garlic base until it’s tender and infused with flavor.
It’s nutritious, fiber-packed, and exactly what you want to scoop up with a piece of crusty bread. Simple, fast, and seriously craveable. 🥖
P.S. Love Easy Weeknight Chicken Dinners? Check out our creamy chicken and spinach, lemon chicken orzo, and mediterranean chicken.
Nico Pallotta
Ingredients
For quantities, see recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Olive oil: builds a rich, Mediterranean base and keeps it heart healthy. Substitute butter or use a mix of both for deeper flavor.
- Onion: adds sweetness and depth. Swap with shallots or leeks for a milder taste.
- Tomato paste: gives that signature “marry me” richness. Substitute with crushed tomatoes (reduce broth slightly).
- Garlic: adds bold flavor.
- Red pepper flakes: brings gentle heat. Skip or use paprika for a milder creamy chicken skillet recipe.
- Butter beans: make it creamy and hearty. Swap with cannellini beans, black beans, or chickpeas for a rotisserie chicken with chickpea twist.
- Cooked shredded chicken: the shortcut star. Use rotisserie, leftover roast chicken, turkey, or even canned chicken for a quick chicken dinner with leftovers.
- Chicken broth: substitute vegetable broth.
- Dried oregano: classic Mediterranean flavor. Swap with Italian seasoning or thyme.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: add sweetness and depth. Use roasted red peppers if needed. Those packed in oil are best.
- Spinach: adds freshness. Swap with kale or chard (simmer longer).
- Parmesan: salty and savory. Substitute pecorino or nutritional yeast.
- Greek yogurt: makes it creamy without cream. Substitute low-fat Greek yogurt, Skyr for extra protein, or use cream or half and half.
- Lemon zest: brightens the dish. Optional but recommended.
- Fresh basil: adds aroma. Swap with parsley or skip.
How to Make Marry Me Chicken With Leftover Chicken
Cook the flavor base
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes, until soft and lightly golden.
Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often, until the paste darkens and smells rich and savory. This builds the base of flavor.
Add the beans, chicken, and simmer
Add the butter beans and shredded chicken. Season with salt and black pepper, then stir to coat everything in the sauce.
Pour in the chicken broth and oregano. Let it simmer gently for 5 to 6 minutes, until everything is heated through and the sauce thickens slightly.
This is what makes it such a great quick chicken dinner with leftovers—no extra cooking, just warm and soak up flavor.
Add the tomatoes and spinach
Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes (snip them with scissors right into the pan—no cutting board needed) and the spinach. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the spinach wilts and turns bright and glossy.
Finish and serve
Turn off the heat and move the skillet off the burner. Stir in the parmesan until melted, then gently fold in the Greek yogurt and lemon zest until smooth and creamy.
Top with fresh basil and extra parmesan. Serve warm with crusty bread, rice, or pita to soak up the sauce—just like an easy marry me chicken recipe, but faster.
Tips
- Don’t rush the tomato paste: cooking it until it darkens makes a big difference in flavor—it should smell rich, not sharp.
- Simmer gently, not aggressively: keep it at a light bubble so the sauce thickens without drying out the chicken.
- Add yogurt off the heat: this keeps the sauce smooth and creamy and prevents curdling.
- Adjust consistency easily: too thick? Add a splash of broth. Too thin? Let it simmer 1–2 minutes longer, but before adding the yogurt.
- Chop sun-dried tomatoes with scissors: quicker, cleaner, and no sticky cutting board.
- Use what beans you have: butter beans, chickpeas, or cannellini all work—great for using pantry staples.
- If you are cooking for mixed diets: serve the base as-is, then add chicken only to part of the pan or on top when serving.
- Finish with fresh herbs: basil or parsley at the end lifts the whole dish and makes it feel fresh.
- Taste before serving: parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes add salt, so adjust seasoning at the very end.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, absolutely. Rotisserie works perfectly here and makes this even faster. It’s a great way to turn this into a true marry me chicken with rotisserie chicken dinner with almost no prep.
You can. The beans add creaminess and fiber, but you can leave them out or replace them with extra chicken or vegetables.
Yes. You can swap the Greek yogurt for heavy cream or half and half for a richer, more classic sauce. Just simmer it gently at the end.
Chickpeas, cannellini beans, or even lentils all work well. Use what you have on hand.
Yes. Skip the parmesan and yogurt, and use a dairy-free alternative or a splash of coconut milk for creaminess.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth to bring the sauce back to life.
You can, but the texture may change slightly because of the yogurt. For best results, freeze before adding the yogurt and stir it in fresh when reheating.
Crusty bread, rice, or pasta are perfect for soaking up the sauce. A simple salad on the side works great too.
More Mediterranean Chicken & Bean Recipes
- Chicken and white bean soup
- Easy Greek chicken and bean stew
- Mediterranean chicken and chickpea soup
- Mediterranean chicken lentil soup
- Chicken cacciatore
- Chicken marsala
- Chicken piccata
- Chicken pesto pasta
Tried this Marry me chicken with leftover chicken recipe? We'd love to hear what you think! Leave a 🌟 star rating and drop a comment below—we read every single one. 💬💛
Recipe
Marry Me Chicken with Leftover Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 clove garlic grated
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes adjust to taste
- 1 can butter beans or chickpeas - 15 oz / 400 g can - drained and rinsed
- 1½ cups cooked shredded chicken
- 2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth — low-sodium
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil drained and sliced with scissors
- 3 cups baby spinach optional
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan
- ½ cup Greek yogurt full-fat recommended - or cream
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest optional
- ½ teaspoon salt to taste + black pepper
- 1 handful basil leaves for serving - optional
Instructions
- Cook the base: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add 1 medium onion and cook for about 3 minutes, until soft.Stir in 3 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 clove garlic, and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, until it smells rich.
- Add chicken and beans: Add 1 can butter beans (drained) and 1½ cups cooked shredded chicken. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and pepper and stir well.Pour in 2 cups chicken broth and ½ teaspoon dried oregano. Let it gently simmer for 5–6 minutes, until warmed through and slightly thick.
- Add veggies: Stir in ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil and 3 cups baby spinach. Cook for 1–2 minutes, until the spinach softens.
- Finish and serve: Turn off the heat. Stir in ⅓ cup grated parmesan until melted, then mix in ½ cup Greek yogurt and ½ teaspoon lemon zest until creamy.Top with 1 handful basil leaves and extra parmesan. Serve warm with bread, rice, or pita.
Notes
- Olive oil → Butter, or a mix of both
- Onion → Shallots or leeks (milder flavor)
- Tomato paste → Crushed tomatoes (use a little less broth)
- Garlic → Garlic powder (in a pinch)
- Red pepper flakes → Paprika or skip (for less heat)
- Butter beans → Cannellini beans, black beans, or chickpeas
- Cooked shredded chicken → Rotisserie chicken, leftover turkey, or canned chicken
- Chicken broth → Vegetable broth
- Dried oregano → Italian seasoning or thyme
- Sun-dried tomatoes → Roasted red peppers
- Spinach → Kale or chard but simmer longer
- Parmesan → Pecorino
- Greek yogurt → Skyr, cream, or half-and-half
- Lemon zest → Lemon juice or skip
- Fresh basil → Parsley or skip
- Cook tomato paste well → let it darken for richer flavor
- Keep a gentle simmer → not too bubbly or it dries out
- Add yogurt off heat → keeps it smooth (no curdling)
- Adjust texture → add broth (too thick) or simmer longer (too thin)
- Snip sun-dried tomatoes → faster, less mess ✂️
- Use any beans → butter beans, chickpeas, or cannellini all work
- For mixed diets → add chicken only to some portions
- Finish with herbs → basil or parsley = fresh boost
- Easy on the salt → cheese + tomatoes already add salt
- Store leftovers → keep in fridge up to 3 days, reheat gently
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