Several weeks ago, Ben and I mapped out a series of mini home renovation projects with the goal of having them completed by this weekend. Current completion count: zero. At least our dinners have been running on schedule, courtesy of easy, one-pan recipes like this Lemon Basil Chicken.
My sister—who is in the midst of some home projects that make ours look as invasive as reorganizing a coat closet—warned me that real life is “not HGTV.”
I wasn’t entirely sure what she meant…until I was driving to an IKEA in a different state to pick up several missing parts of the shelving units that the store forgot to ship.
Add the shelf snafu to our first round of curtains being too short (the right length is now back ordered until July), the guy installing our blinds leaving halfway through the job for another appointment (he still hasn’t been back), and the fact that the only concrete step we’ve taken towards repainting our kitchen cabinets is to narrow down the color options from 17 shades of “white” to 7, and you have a situation that is a far cry from the 48-hour flips as seen on HGTV.
Lemon Basil Chicken
Basil chicken with lemon is an easy one pan skillet meal packed with fresh flavors! This easy chicken recipe is fresh, healthy, cooks in a single skillet, and is ready to eat in 20 minutes! Serve with rice for a quick and easy weeknight dinner.
Prep: 15min
Total: 30min
Yield: 4
Serving Size: 1 (of 4), with 1/2 cup brown rice
Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 (of 4), with 1/2 cup brown rice, calories 349 kcal, Carbohydrate 29 g, Protein 40 g, Fat 8 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 98 mg, Fiber 4 g, Sugar 3 g
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 large yellow onion (finely chopped, about 1 cup)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, (cut into 3/4-inch pieces)
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 5 cups loosely packed baby spinach (about 5 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- Kosher salt and pepper (to taste)
- Prepared brown rice (for serving)
Instruction:
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium. Once hot, add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 additional seconds.
- Add the chicken, increase the heat to medium high, and let cook for 3 minutes, browning all sides. Stir in the soy sauce and black pepper. Let cook until the chicken is completely cooked through, about 3 minutes longer.
- Stir in the spinach a few handfuls at a time, letting the heat of the pan wilt it as you go. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and basil. Cook and stir just until the basil is wilted, about 1 additional minute. Taste and season with additional salt or pepper as desired. Serve warm with rice as desired.
Spicy Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai) – How to Make Spicy Basil Garlic Chicken
FAQ
What can I do with a lot of basil?
- Top whole leaves onto pizza.
- Finish pasta with whole or thinly sliced leaves.
- Blend it into sauces.
- Puree it into soups.
- Chop it up to add to a salad.
- Use it to garnish avocado toast.
- Turn it into an ice cream topping! Jazz up vanilla ice cream with fresh strawberries, basil, and a balsamic reduction.
What foods go well with basil?
What is Thai basil chicken recipe made from?
Is Thai basil the same as basil?
