Name: Lemon Basil Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 2 h 25 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 2 lbs chicken breasts; 1 cup fresh basil; 3 tbsp olive oil; 1/2 cup chicken broth; 5 cloves garlic; 2 lemons; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp paprika

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Lemon Basil Chicken makes such an easy and delicious dinner! Marinated with lemon juice, garlic, and fresh basil, this chicken is bursting with flavor. Serve with your favorite sourdough bread and side of vegetables for a quick and healthy summer dinner.

lemon basil chicken on white plate with red striped towel

If you haven’t guessed by now, I LOVE lemon! It’s just such a cheerful and bright flavor that always makes me smile. Lemons are perfect for adding a bit of elegance to your meal like in this dinner recipe. Used in the marinade and also as garnish, they bring lots of color and zest to a simple chicken dish.

There are so many things to love about this recipe – minimal ingredients, easy preparation, and beautiful presentation. Plus, if you’re hosting friends with allergies, this lemon basil chicken makes an excellent meal since it doesn’t have any dairy or gluten. Pair it with a side of rosemary potatoes or balsamic Brussels sprouts for a healthy and yummy dinner.

You can also keep any leftover chicken and use it for lunch the next day. It’s an easy way to add some extra protein and pizzaz to a salad, soup, or sandwich. 🙂

What to serve with Lemon Basil Chicken

To make this a complete meal, pick one or two of your favorite veggie sides to serve and pair it with whatever sourdough bread you have on hand. Some of our family favorite sides include roasted potatoes, Brussels sprouts, or zucchini. If you want to be really fancy, you can even serve it with an appetizer like bruschetta or ricotta toast!

Tips for making Lemon Basil Chicken

Be careful to only marinate the chicken for 2-3 hours! The lemon juice is pretty acidic and can degrade the proteins in the meat if it marinates too long. You don’t want mushy chicken on your hands, so plan accordingly!
If you don’t have a food thermometer, cook the chicken until it runs clear liquid when you cut it with a knife. If it’s pink inside, the chicken probably didn’t get cooked all the way through.
Store any leftovers in an air-tight container for up to 5 days in the fridge. This chicken makes a great addition to salads, wraps, or sandwiches the next day.

Tools you will need

You’ll need a knife, cutting board, bowl, rolling pin, tongs, food thermometer, and skillet.

Ingredients you will need

2 lbs chicken breasts – We often get these from Costco and store them in the freezer until we’re ready to make a meal with them.
1 cup fresh basil – This recipe really works best with fresh herbs, but if need be you can use 1/3 cup of dried basil instead.
2 lemons – Make sure at least one of them looks pretty so you can use it as a garnish!
1/2 cup chicken broth – Homemade is the best if you have it, but store bought works too.
5 cloves garlic – Feel free to adjust this amount to your taste!
3 tbsp olive oil – You can also use avocado oil instead if you like.
1/2 tsp paprika – Adds just a touch of spice and a pretty color.
pinch of salt and pepper

How to make Lemon Basil Chicken

Finely chop the basil, but set 8 leaves aside to use for garnish. Cut one lemon in half and squeeze the juice into a bowl, removing any seeds.

Peel and mince the garlic, then add it to a bowl with the chicken broth, lemon juice, basil, paprika, salt, pepper, and 2 tbsp olive oil. Stir together to make the marinade.

Cut the chicken breasts into 8 roughly equal pieces and put them in a large ziplock bag. Use a rolling pin to flatten the pieces a little bit, this will make them easier to cook.

Pour in the marinade and add to the chicken. Put the chicken in the fridge and let marinate for 2-3 hours.

When you’re ready to cook the chicken, preheat the skillet to medium-high heat and grease it with a little olive oil. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes on each side to brown the outsides. Turn the heat down to medium and cook for another 5-7 minutes until the chicken reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

Remove the chicken from the pan. Slice the other lemon into 8 rounds. Place a lemon round on each piece of chicken with a basil leaf and serve!

Looking for more healthy dinner ideas?

If so, make sure you head over to the Kitchen Counter for lots of cooking inspiration! Here are a few other recipes you might enjoy:

If you make this recipe and enjoy it, let me know in the comments section below! You can also tag me on instagram @oldfashionedinspiration with a picture of your creation!