Creamy Lemon Basil Chicken (2024)

November 1, 2019 by Beth Pierce 34 Comments

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This delectable Creamy Lemon Basil Chicken is made in one skillet and comes together quickly, making it the perfect weeknight meal. The list of ingredients is short, but the lemon flavors are abundant. I love to serve it with rice or potatoes and broccoli or rice.

Chicken has got to be the most versatile meat on the planet. If your house is anything like ours, then you can never have too many great chicken recipes. This tender chicken recipe combines chicken breasts with a creamy lemon basil sauce that is lightly seasoned. It is delicious served with a bit of angel hair pasta or, for those watching their carbohydrate count, a simple garden salad and fresh asparagus. There isn’t any wine in this recipe, but a glass of a nice dry wine like Sauvignon Blanc complements this meal perfectly. Sometimes I like to add capers or place them under the broiler for a minute or two. This recipe does best with heavy whipping cream as it reduces and thickens really nicely.

How do you make Creamy Lemon Basil Chicken?

First, grab a large skillet and add a little olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook until golden brown and almost cooked through. Remove from the pan, and plate and cover to keep warm.

Now add a little more olive oil to the pan over low heat. Add the garlic, basil, and onion powder and cook for thirty seconds. Add the chicken broth and stir to scrap any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Then add the cream and simmer until slightly thickened. This will take approximately ten to fifteen minutes. Add the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Return the chicken to the skillet and simmer for an additional five minutes. Top with lemon zest, parsley, or fresh lemon slices. For best results, serve promptly.

Recipe tips

Slice your chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create four thinner breasts. Chicken breasts are so large these days that the portions will be more appropriate, and they will cook more thoroughly. This recipe also works well with boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
Heavy whipping cream reduces and thickens nicely. Half-and-half or whole milk will not do that and will require some kind of thickening agent.
Use fresh lemons and lemon juice. It really seals the deal on this scrumptious dish.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat at reduced power in the microwave.

More chicken recipes

Bruschetta Chicken
Mexican Chicken Soup
Cashew Chicken
Greek Chicken
Chicken Chop Suey
Mongolian Chicken

Lemon Basil Chicken

This delicious and simple one skillet chicken recipe combines chicken breasts, garlic and basil in a rich creamy lemon sauce.

5 from 11 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: main meal chicken

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 238kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise
2 –3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon dried basil or one tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 –2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
1 lemon thinly sliced

Instructions

In large skillet over medium heat add 1 tablespoon olive oil and brown chicken breasts on both sides. If necessary work in batches so the skillet is not crowded. Plate chicken, cover and keep warm.
If needed add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to same skillet over LOW heat. Add garlic, basil and onion powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add chicken broth and stir to scrap brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add cream and simmer until slightly thickened; approximately 10-15 minutes. Add lemon juice and salt & pepper to taste. Return chicken to skillet and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Top with parsley and fresh lemon slices serve.

Notes

Slice your chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create four thinner breasts. Chicken breasts are so large these days so that the portions will be more appropriate, and they will cook more thoroughly. This recipe also works well with boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
Heavy whipping cream reduces and thickens nicely. Half n half or whole milk will not do that and will require some kind of thickening agent.
Use fresh lemons and lemon juice. It really seals the deal on this scrumptious dish.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat at reduced power in the microwave.

Nutrition

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https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf

More Recipes and Cooking

Fried Green Beans
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Nutrition Disclaimer: All nutritional information shared on this site is an approximation. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on this site should be used as a general guideline.

Reader Interactions

Comments

Vinna
September 01, 2023 at 8:40 pm

AHHHHmazing! I’ve made this recipe five times now, once we cooked it for 150 people at a graduation party! It is so versatile,,, I’ve used chicken tenderloin, brined the chicken, used shredded chicken, added spinach and served it over gluten free pasta and it is ALWAYS delicious!
Thank you for such a great gluten free recipe!
Reply
- Beth Pierce
  September 02, 2023 at 8:02 am
  You are most welcome, Vinna! Boy that is a lot of people to cook for. I am so glad that you like the lemon basil chicken.
  Reply
Mary
November 03, 2022 at 11:00 am

Hi Beth! I don’t usually comment on recipes but this was so delicious, I had to! Wonderfully flavorful dish. Thank you for sharing!
Reply
- Beth Pierce
  November 09, 2022 at 10:47 am
  Thanks, Mary! Good to hear from you! So glad that you like it!
  Reply
Jodee
July 07, 2022 at 8:24 am

This was delicious. I didn’t have heavy cream on hand so I used coconut milk instead and it was bomb! Family loved it too!
Reply
- Beth Pierce
  July 07, 2022 at 9:21 am
  So glad that you liked it! I appreciated the tip about the coconut milk.
  Reply
  - Shelby
    May 10, 2023 at 8:21 pm
    
    How is this so simple.. yet so incredibly delicious? I’m obsessed!!
  - Beth Pierce
    May 15, 2023 at 12:52 pm
    Me too!
Sam
January 27, 2021 at 1:58 pm
It isnt indicated whether or not to season the chicken prior to browning. Will you please clarify? Excited to try!
Reply
- Beth Pierce
  January 28, 2021 at 8:25 am
  I find the chicken stays juicier and more tender without seasoning it right before cooking.
  Reply
Stephanie
November 20, 2019 at 9:15 am

Such a delicious recipe! The sauce was absolute perfection!
Reply
Toni
November 20, 2019 at 8:29 am

I loved it! Packed full of delicious flavors!
See Also
20 Beginner-Friendly Chinese Recipes You Can Make At Home
Reply
Lauren Kelly
November 20, 2019 at 7:45 am

WHOA! This recipe is so delicious and very easy too!
Reply
Laura Reese
November 20, 2019 at 12:33 am

This recipe is simple and is so easy but the flavors taste amazing together. I love it!
Reply
Katie
November 19, 2019 at 10:53 pm

Made this for the family and it was a hit!
Reply
Susan Douglas
February 19, 2019 at 2:32 pm

Beth, do you think I could use orange zest in place of the lemon? I have tried to find a recipe that a small town Italian restaurant serves and this is as close as I can get to it. Think it might be worth a try? Otherwise, I will be doing this one as well! TIA. Susan
Reply
- Beth Pierce
  February 19, 2019 at 4:04 pm
  Might be worth a try. A little different flavor but could turn out wonderful.
  Reply
Jennifer
January 27, 2019 at 8:40 pm
This recipe is soooooo delish!! I’m an avid cook and have tried many lemon & chicken dishes but yours is getting a permanent page in my cookbook! I usually do my own thing but I followed yours exact and couldn’t imagine it being any better. I also never post but I had to this time. Thank you for sharing this!
Reply
- Beth Pierce
  January 28, 2019 at 7:24 am
  My pleasure! Thanks so much Jennifer! I am so glad that you liked it. I should make this for dinner tonight! I have some fresh basil in the refrigerator that I am going to lose it if I do not use it soon!
  Reply
Rebecca Holechek
January 16, 2019 at 12:39 pm
Do you think I could substitute fish for the chicken? This looks so good.
Reply
- Beth Pierce
  January 16, 2019 at 4:19 pm
  Yes I think that would work as well. Sounds delicious to me!!
  Reply
Susan
December 18, 2018 at 7:00 pm
This is the second time I made this delicious dish. Added a few hot pepper flakes and served over angel hair pasta with sauteed asparagus. Thank you for sharing this recipe ?
Reply
- Beth Pierce
  December 18, 2018 at 10:10 pm
  You are most welcome! I am so glad that you liked it! I love crushed pepper too! Sounds like a great meal.
  Reply
- Lisa
  June 22, 2020 at 4:54 pm
  
  Awesome. I added capers !!
  Reply
  - Beth Pierce
    June 22, 2020 at 9:34 pm
    Oh my how I love capers! They are delicious!
JP
May 28, 2018 at 9:17 pm
Hi Beth,
I just wanted to thank you for this delicious recipe. I normally don’t take the time to comment on things like these, so the simple fact that I’m writing you now is saying something! I have essentially zero solid cooking experience, but even I was able to pull off this recipe — a testament to how easy it was to follow. Let’s just say that when it was finished I couldn’t believe that I had actually made something that tasted so good! I made enough for two dinners to have leftovers, but I ended up eating both portions because I couldn’t resist. Your note about adding more cream to thicken really helped. I have bad timing when it comes to cooking everything so they finish at the proper times, so my sauce started to get very thin as I waited for the pasta to cook. Just a little extra cream and it was saved. Overall, this was a great dish and I plan to make it again for dinner tonight!
Thanks!
Reply
- Beth Pierce
  May 29, 2018 at 8:01 am
  I am so glad that it worked out for you and that you truly liked it. I try to write recipes that anyone can cook and I try to have helpful hints for people because life happens while you are cooking. You are very kind to leave such a nice thorough comment and I hope you enjoy your creamy lemon basil chicken again.
  Reply
  - JP
    May 30, 2018 at 4:32 am
    It was just as good the second time around, and my friend was impressed with how it turned out. I added some fresh cherry tomatoes that I got from the farmer’s market and served it over a bed of angel hair pasta. Delish!
  - Beth Pierce
    May 30, 2018 at 11:01 am
    Great! So glad that you liked it again. I am going to have to try the cherry tomatoes. Sounds delicious!!
Tiffany Breslin
May 21, 2018 at 9:39 pm
Beth, don’t worry about spelling. It is obviously not ruining the recipe. I imagine it was very minor. Some people just like to complain for no reason. Great recipe!
Reply
- Beth Pierce
  May 21, 2018 at 9:48 pm
  Thanks so much. I appreciate your kind words!!
  Reply
Chris Duffy
March 05, 2018 at 9:14 pm
Do you not proof read your recipes before you publish them? You should!
Reply
- Beth Pierce
  March 05, 2018 at 10:36 pm
  Will you please elaborate so I know what I did.
  Reply
- Beth Pierce
  March 05, 2018 at 10:56 pm
  I can only assume that you are referring to the lemon slices. I have added where they go in the recipe. I do try to proof my recipes more than once but I am a Mom and a wife and there is a lot of activity going on in my house at all times.
  Reply