Lemon Golden Basil Chicken (Printable Version)

Juicy chicken breasts cooked with fresh basil and a bright lemon butter sauce.

# Ingredient List:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Sauce

06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
09 - Zest of 1 lemon
10 - Juice of 1 lemon
11 - 1 tablespoon honey
12 - ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
13 - 1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional, for thickening)

→ Garnish

14 - Fresh basil leaves
15 - Lemon slices

# How to Make It:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry and season both sides evenly with salt, black pepper, and ground turmeric.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and sear for 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden and fully cooked. Remove from skillet and cover loosely with foil.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add butter and minced garlic to the skillet and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
04 - Pour in chicken broth while scraping the browned bits from the pan. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and honey. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer.
05 - Dissolve cornstarch in 1 tablespoon of cold water and stir into the sauce. Continue simmering for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly thickened.
06 - Return chicken to the skillet, spoon sauce over the top, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to warm through.
07 - Stir chopped basil into the sauce just before serving. Garnish with additional basil leaves and lemon slices.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The turmeric gives the chicken this gorgeous golden crust that looks fancy without any effort.
  • It tastes bright and comforting at the same time, like sunshine you can actually eat.
  • Everything happens in one pan, so cleanup is actually manageable on a weeknight.
02 -
  • If your chicken breasts are thick, pound them to an even thickness so they cook evenly and don't dry out on the edges.
  • Don't skip scraping the pan when you add the broth, those caramelized bits are where all the depth comes from.
  • Add the basil at the very last second or it turns dark and loses that fresh, peppery brightness.
03 -
  • Let the chicken rest for a few minutes after searing so the juices redistribute and every bite stays moist.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the chicken back in, you might want a little more lemon or a pinch of salt to get it just right.
  • If the sauce tastes too sharp, another small drizzle of honey smooths it out without making it sweet.

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