Marry Me Chickpeas

Get ready for a creamy, dreamy dish that’s so good it might just make someone propose! This vegetarian twist on the famous “Marry Me Chicken” will have your family begging for seconds with its rich sun-dried tomato cream sauce and protein-packed chickpeas.

Recipe Details

Timing & Servings: Active Time: 25 minutes, Total Time: 25 minutes, Serves: 4 people.

Nutrition Profile: Gut Healthy, Sesame-Free, Nut-Free, Healthy Pregnancy, Soy-Free, High-Fiber, Vegetarian, High-Protein, Egg-Free.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 545 Calories, 28g Fat, 57g Carbs, 20g Protein.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Sun-dried tomato oil: You’ll need 2 tablespoons from the jar – this liquid gold adds so much flavor! Don’t throw away that precious oil when you buy sun-dried tomatoes.

Shallot: One large shallot chopped up gives you that perfect mild onion flavor. If you don’t have shallots, half a regular onion works great too!

Sun-dried tomatoes: You’ll want 2/3 cup of the julienne-cut ones in oil with herbs, chopped up. These little flavor bombs make the whole dish sing with that rich, concentrated tomato taste.

Garlic: Three medium cloves minced up will fill your kitchen with the most amazing smell. Fresh garlic is so much better than the jarred stuff here!

Chickpeas: Two 15-ounce cans of no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed and drained. These protein powerhouses make this dish super filling and satisfying.

Vegetable broth: One cup of the lower-sodium kind helps create that silky sauce. You can use chicken broth if you’re not keeping it vegetarian!

Water: Just half a cup to help thin out the sauce to the perfect consistency.

Paprika: One teaspoon, and Hungarian sweet paprika is amazing if you can find it. This adds such a lovely warm flavor and beautiful color.

Italian seasoning: One teaspoon of the dried stuff brings all those herb flavors together perfectly.

Crushed red pepper: Half a teaspoon total, but you’ll divide it up. This gives just a tiny kick of heat that makes everything pop!

Heavy cream: Half a cup creates that rich, creamy sauce that coats everything beautifully. You can use half-and-half if you want it a bit lighter.

Fresh basil: Two tablespoons chopped up and divided – fresh herbs make such a difference in the final dish!

Parmesan cheese: 2/3 cup finely grated and divided. Get the good stuff if you can – it melts so much better than the pre-shredded kind.

Butter: Two teaspoons melted for brushing on the bread. Unsalted is best so you can control the salt level.

Whole-wheat baguette: Four ounces cut into pieces for the perfect bread to soak up all that amazing sauce!

How to Make Marry Me Chickpeas

Step 1: Heat that flavorful sun-dried tomato oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until it’s shimmering. Add your chopped shallot and cook, stirring often, until it’s nice and soft – about 2 to 3 minutes. Then stir in those chopped sun-dried tomatoes and minced garlic. Cook everything, stirring constantly, until the tomatoes break down a bit and turn a deep red color – this takes about 2 minutes.

Step 2: Now stir in your chickpeas, vegetable broth, water, paprika, Italian seasoning, and a quarter teaspoon of that crushed red pepper. Bring everything to a boil over medium heat. Let it cook uncovered, stirring now and then, until the chickpeas are heated through and the mixture reduces slightly – about 3 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of fresh basil. Cook until you see the sauce start to bubble around the edges, then remove from heat.

Step 3: Here’s the magic part – gradually stir in a third of your Parmesan cheese until it melts and combines beautifully. This should take 30 to 45 seconds. Don’t rush this step!

Step 4: While your chickpeas are getting cozy, brush that melted butter on the cut side of your bread pieces. Heat up a large cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Place the bread buttered-side down and cook until it’s golden brown and crispy on the edges.

Step 5: Top your creamy chickpea mixture with the remaining Parmesan, the last tablespoon of fresh basil, and that final quarter teaspoon of crushed red pepper. Serve it up with your perfectly toasted bread for dipping!

Easy and Quick Marry Me Chickpeas Version

Want to make this even faster? You can skip making the toasted bread and just serve this over cooked pasta or rice! Use 2 cups of your favorite cooked grain and dinner is ready in just 15 minutes. You could also use store-bought garlic bread instead of making your own – just pop it in the oven while you’re cooking the chickpeas.

Serving Ideas

This creamy chickpea dish is pretty much a complete meal on its own! The protein from the chickpeas and cheese plus all those veggies make it super satisfying. If you want to add a simple green salad with lemon vinaigrette, that would be perfect. A glass of white wine doesn’t hurt either!

Storage

Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days in a covered container. To reheat, just warm it up in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring gently. You might need to add a splash of broth or water to loosen up the sauce. Don’t microwave it – the cream sauce can get weird and separate!

Substitutions

No chickpeas? Swap them out for white beans like cannellini or navy beans – they work beautifully! If you can’t find sun-dried tomatoes, you can use regular diced tomatoes plus a tablespoon of tomato paste for extra richness. Half-and-half works instead of heavy cream if you want it lighter. And if you’re out of fresh basil, dried basil works too – just use about a teaspoon total.

Pro Tips

• Save that oil: Always save the oil from sun-dried tomato jars – it’s liquid gold for cooking!
• Cheese melting trick: Take the pan off the heat before adding cheese so it doesn’t get stringy or clumpy.
• Bread perfection: Don’t rush the bread toasting – medium-low heat gives you the best golden color without burning.
• Fresh herbs matter: Add half the fresh basil during cooking and save half for the top – it makes such a difference in flavor!

FAQs

Can I make this dairy-free?

You bet! Use coconut cream instead of heavy cream and skip the Parmesan cheese. You could add some nutritional yeast for that cheesy flavor if you want. It’ll still be absolutely delicious!

How spicy is this dish?

It’s pretty mild! The crushed red pepper just adds a tiny bit of warmth, not real heat. If you love spicy food, feel free to double the red pepper flakes. If you’re sensitive to spice, just leave them out completely.

Can I prep this ahead of time?

Sure! You can make the whole dish except for the bread up to a day ahead. Just reheat it gently on the stove and make fresh bread when you’re ready to serve. The flavors actually get even better overnight!

What if I can’t find sun-dried tomatoes in oil?

No worries! You can use the dry-packed ones – just soak them in hot water for 10 minutes to soften them up, then chop and use regular olive oil for cooking. You’ll still get great flavor!

I hope you love this cozy, creamy dish as much as my family does! Let me know how it turns out for you – I always love hearing about your cooking adventures. Happy cooking, friend!