A vegetarian twist on the original, these Marry Me Chickpeas are full of bold satisfying flavor. This simple, hearty dish combines chickpeas with rich cream, sun-dried tomatoes, and a blend of spices for an easy one-pot weeknight meal.
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You've no doubt seen the original recipe for Marry Me Chicken by Delish. It's gone viral and taken the internet by storm. As usual, this viral recipe has inspired many different adaptations.
I always love contributing my own ideas to these types of recipes, it's great to be inspired by other creators. I made a chocolate peanut custard toast, and most recently everything cucumber salad based on Logan's cucumber salad.
For my version of marry me chicken, I'm ditching the chicken and opting for chickpeas, to make this a great Meatless Monday dinner option.
Marry Me Chickpeas is a savory and satisfying dish, made in under 25 minutes. The creamy sauce is enriched with butter and cream, and the sun-dried tomatoes add a punch of umami.
This recipe is also adaptable - serve it over pasta, rice, or with a side of roasted broccoli and toasted bread or Blackstone naan to mop up the creamy sauce.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact amounts.
- Butter: Provides a rich base for sautéing the garlic and spices. It adds a smooth texture to the dish. You can use olive oil instead if you prefer.
- Garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes: These ingredients enhance the flavors of the sun-dried tomatoes while the red pepper flakes add some heat.
- Cream: I use half and half for a creamy but light sauce.
- Broth: For more flavor and to keep the sauce from being overly creamy. I use broth cubes and water, you can use whatever you prefer.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: I use jarred sundried tomatoes in oil.
- Chickpeas: canned chickpeas are fine in this recipe.
Substitutions
- Chickpeas: If you cook your chickpeas from dry in an Instant Pot you'll get a slightly softer chickpea with a creamy kind of texture.
- Cream: Use heavy cream if you prefer, although you may want to start with less and add more as needed.
To make this recipe vegetarian and vegan use:
- vegetable broth instead of chicken broth,
- non-dairy butter or oil instead of butter
- non-dairy cream like oat cream. You can use canned coconut cream which will taste good but it will change the flavor.
- vegan parmesan cheese product or nutritional yeast instead of parmesan cheese. Parmesan cheese is made with rennet and not commonly considered vegetarian.
Make sure to reduce the broth well for a creamy sauce.
Instructions
Prep Tips
- Melt the butter or heat the oil and then add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. This cooks the garlic and blooms the spices for more flavor.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes and sauté for a minute or so or until fragrant to help it blend it with the other flavors.
- Add the broth. Leave uncovered. (Covering keeps moisture in).
- Next, add the chickpeas. Bring the heat up and simmer for 7-8 minutes (once at a simmer). Reduce the broth by half. This leads to a thicker, creamier sauce.
- Turn the heat to medium-low and add the cream. Cook for 2-3 minutes to heat through.
- Top with fresh parsley or add spinach or kale if you prefer.
- Serve.
I like these chickpeas with quick-cooking couscous and petite green peas for a super easy, hearty 20-minute meal.
Tips for making marry me chickpeas
- Reduce the sauce well before adding the cream. This concentrates flavor and will help achieve a creamy sauce instead of a thin sauce. I use the same technique in my creamy dill chicken recipe. Make sure to simmer uncovered. A lid will trap moisture in, keeping the sauce thin.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan for the best flavor and texture so the cheese melts in smoothly.
- Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to your heat tolerance. Adjust the amount of cream to your preference.
What to serve with marry me chickpeas
For a quick weeknight dinner, serve Marry Me Chickpeas over simple pasta or Instant Pot brown rice for a satisfying meal in under 30 minutes. A simple side salad like carrot and fennel salad helps balance the richness of the dish.
For an even quicker, comforting meal, pair the chickpeas with toasted garlic bread or naan to soak up the creamy sauce.
Love saucy chickpeas? Try Thai-inspired chickpea curry next.
More Chickpea Recipes
Storage
Store leftover chickpeas in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
FAQs
Yes. To make this recipe dairy-free, opt for dairy-free butter or use oil and use a dairy-free cream. To sub out the Parmesan cheese you can use a store-bought vegan Parmesan product or try nutritional yeast.
You can try drained diced tomatoes instead for a similar experience without the intensity of sun-dried tomatoes.
Yes. This adds time to the recipe but if you want a softer, creamier chickpea, cooking them from scratch offers that.
To avoid a thin sauce make sure to reduce the broth by half. This takes about 7-8 minutes of simmering uncovered. Next, add thick cream.
Yes! Add vegetables in with the chickpeas. Frozen mixed vegetables would be great in this recipe.
Recipe
Marry Me Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup cream
- 1 cup broth or water
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- 38 oz chickpeas drained, 2 x 19 oz cans
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add the garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and ground black pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and cook for another minute or so, to let the flavors blend.
- Add the chickpeas and broth. Simmer for 7-8 minutes until the liquid has reduced by about half.
- Add the cream and cheese if using, stir and cook over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes until heated through. Add additional water, by the tablespoon, as needed for a thinner sauce.
Video
Notes
Nutritional information is an estimate. Values vary based on products used. Read our full Nutrition Disclaimer.
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Sandra Rumfeldt says
Haven't tried it yet. My daughter is coming home from Finland and is a vegetarian so I will try it when she arrives. Thanks for the recipe. Looks good.
Jacqueline Piper says
How nice Sandra, I hope you both love it!