I Tried the Viral Sticky Cherry Chicken, and Totally See Why It's the 'New Engagement Chicken'

The year was 1982. E.T. was a hit at the box office, Michael Jackson’s Thriller was dominating radio airwaves, and the first season of Cheers made us all wish for a place where “everyone knows your name.” Simultaneously, the concept of “engagement chicken” was born. After making what she deemed the most succulent, flavorful roast chicken she had ever sliced into, a fashion editor at Glamour  reportedly passed along the recipe with her assistant. The assistant took that recipe and ran with it—to the kitchen that is—and shared the finished product with her boyfriend. Legend has it that he proposed a month later; inspiring the magazine staff to publish the recipe in a 2004 issue. 

In the 20+ years since, momentum has only grown to support the hypothesis that a chicken recipe can be so epic, it might inspire your partner to put a ring on it. By 2009, Ina Garten's Engagement Roast Chicken entered the chat, and rumor has it that a similar dish may have inspired Meghan Markle and Prince Harry to finally shift from partners to fiancés. In 2016, the first marry me chicken recipe—this time, a skillet dinner involving chicken breasts doused in a sun-dried tomato cream sauce—was posted online. During the decade since, even more home cooks have been in a committed relationship with creative riffs like Marry Me Chicken Soup, Marry Me Chicken Pasta Salad, and Marry Me Chicken Pasta. 

All of the above are delicious, but I gravitate towards lighter, brighter flavors most nights of the week. So when I came across Hailee Catalano’s viral Sticky Cherry Chicken recipe, I stopped mid-scroll so I could save and recreate this ASAP.  Similar to the aforementioned chicken dinner ideas, social media creators claim this is “the summer marry me chicken” because if you make it tonight, you’ll have a ring tomorrow. Given my current single relationship status, I don’t expect that result. But after peeking at the ingredients, plus the popularity of this viral recipe, it certainly holds promise to inspire me to say “I do” want to add you to my weekly menu. Let’s give it a try.

How to Make Hailee Catalano’s Sticky Cherry Chicken Thighs

Hailee Catalano has felt at home in the kitchen for as long as she can remember. In fact, she grew up helping her Italian-American grandmother whip up Sunday dinner; a tradition that planted a seed that grew into a deep passion for food. She trained at the Culinary Institute of America cooking school before stepping into professional restaurant kitchens. It was there that she began to discover that the food she was making for diners was beautiful, but not exactly approachable in a way that welcomed home cooks to attempt to recreate them in their own kitchens. So Catalano started sharing recipes on social media via her namesake account—and later, added more inspiration to the mix with her April 2025 cookbook By Heart: Recipes to Hold Near and Dear, which debuted in April.

You’ll find this viral chicken thigh recipe in that book—and online thanks to Catalano’s helpful tutorial.

Here’s how to make Sticky Cherry Chicken:

• Sear and bake the chicken. Season 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs in salt and pepper, covering all sides evenly. Coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil, turn the heat on to medium, and add the chicken skin-side down. Cook for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the skin is crisp and golden brown. (That color is evidence that the Maillard reaction is working its magic.) Flip and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a wire rack-lined sheet pan and bake at 425°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 185°F at the thickest portion of the chicken thigh.
• Prepare the pan sauce. While the chicken cooks, adjust the heat of the skillet with the chicken drippings to medium-low. Add minced shallot, minced garlic, and minced ginger. Stir and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Adjust the heat to medium, and dump in pitted and halved cherries, honey, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Cook until the cherries soften and the sauce is thicker and bubbly; another 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat.
• Assemble the salad. In a small bowl, combine thinly-sliced scallions with a very thinly-sliced jalapeño, plus a handful each of torn fresh mint and cilantro. 
• Glaze the chicken and serve. When the chicken thighs are cooked through, place them back in the skillet with the sauce. Use a spoon to glaze the chicken with the sauce, then transfer it to a platter or plates to serve. Top with the rest of the sauce and the herb salad.

Tips For Making Cherry Chicken Thighs

After giving this recipe a go and comparing notes with our Test Kitchen, we have a handful of pointers that might come in handy if you’ve vowed to try this at home.

• Break out your apron. These wise words come from a Catalano fan who advises, “don't wear a shirt you like while pitting cherries!” Pitting cherries can be a messy process, and we’d rather spend more time savoring this dinner than fussing over cherry juice stains. If you have an apron, it’s wise to bust it out while preparing your ingredients for this recipe. In case you could use a refresher, here’s how to pit cherries, with or without a cherry pitter. Canned or frozen pitted cherries should also work here; you’ll just need to adjust the sauce’s cook time accordingly to account for the variance in moisture content.
• Sweeten to taste. Catalano calls for 3 to 4 tablespoons of honey to help round out tangy, salty, and umami sauce. Start on the low end of that range, try a taste, then add more if desired to bring balance to the dish.
• Don’t skip the wire rack. The instructions in the cookbook and on Catalano’s website don’t ask for this baking tool, but she gives it a shout-out—and uses it herself in her video demo—to elevate the seared chicken thighs off the bottom of the sheet pan. Our Test Kitchen gives this tactic a stamp of approval because this allows for even air circulation as the chicken thighs roast. (That said, if you don’t own a wire rack, you’re A-OK to add the chicken directly to the sheet pan.)
• Try it with another protein. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are full of flavor and are often budget-friendly. But they’re far from the only proteins that would play nicely with the cherry sauce and herb salad. Try that sweet-heat duo with baked pork chops, grilled pork tenderloin, or braised short ribs if you prefer those over chicken thighs or if they’re a better deal at the supermarket.
• Consider other fruits. We adore the sweet-tart flavor and juicy nature of cherries, but you can stir up a similar sauce with another fruit. Fans say Catalano’s pan sauce method also works well with pomegranate seeds and pitted and diced peaches.
• Try some sides. This easy chicken thigh recipe covers the bases for the main dish and the fruit. Add a couple sides to check the starch and veg boxes; Catalano suggests steamed white rice or creamy corn orzo, and I think Cucumber-Tomato Salad with Mint would be a lovely addition, too. Pick a drink—might we recommend a slightly chilled Pinot Noir?—and dinner is done.

The Verdict on Hailee Catalano’s Sticky Cherry Chicken Thigh Recipe

Fans who have made this at home declare it “divine” and “incredible,” and I agree. With jammy, juicy cherries swimming in a salty, tangy sauce, all spooned over crispy-skilled chicken, the foundation is strong. Along the way, Catalano walks us through every step like a parent walking their child down the aisle: with confidence and grace. (For example, during the final few minutes of sauce cook time, she instructs us to press the back of a wooden spoon over the cherries to crush them slightly for optimal texture and to release more of the juices.) Things only get better and brighter when the spicy and fresh herb salad joins the party. The peppers lend just enough heat to perk things up without overpowering the other elements.

Back in April, we predicted that cherry would be the flavor of summer, and now that I have this viral recipe in my arsenal, I’m delighted to carry the flavor through into fall and winter since I can swap in frozen cherries. 

Whether you’re making this for yourself tonight and meal prep lunches for the next few days (right there with you!), are sharing it with your family, or are hoping it might lead to a proposal, make Sticky Cherry Chicken, and chances are high you’ll have a happily ever after…each time you savor it, at least!