Experience the delightful fusion of tender, crispy chicken enveloped in a rich, aromatic basil cream sauce, perfectly accented with vibrant pimientos. This exquisite dish, Chicken with Basil Cream Sauce, offers a sublime culinary transition, making it an ideal end-of-summer supper or a comforting meal for any season.
Crispy Chicken with Savory Basil Cream Sauce: Your Ultimate Comfort Dish
As the long, sun-drenched days of summer begin to softly yield to the crisp whispers of autumn, our palates often crave a culinary bridge between seasons. This Chicken with Basil Cream Sauce recipe is precisely that bridge: a vibrant, herbaceous homage to summer’s bounty, yet hearty enough to welcome the cooler evenings. It’s a dish that effortlessly combines the satisfying crunch of perfectly crispy chicken with the luxurious embrace of a smooth, aromatic basil cream sauce, making it an indispensable addition to your repertoire of easy chicken dinners. Prepare to impress with minimal effort, whether you’re hosting a casual gathering or simply enjoying a quiet family meal.
From Garden to Kitchen: A Fresh Herb Adventure
There’s an undeniable magic that comes from using ingredients plucked straight from the garden. The vibrancy, the aroma, the pure, unadulterated freshness – it elevates any dish. And sometimes, these fresh ingredients bring along little surprises. My own experience while preparing this delightful Chicken with Basil Cream Sauce involved a memorable, albeit slightly unsettling, encounter with nature.
Our current residence, it seems, is a haven for snails. They are quite prevalent, typically keeping to the garden soil, but occasionally venturing across our driveway or patio. While I understand their detrimental impact on plants (a silver lining, perhaps, that we don’t maintain an extensive garden!), they have certainly left their mark on a few of our potted greens and a spot in the lawn. My children, with their boundless curiosity, sometimes engage with these slow-moving creatures, a pastime I observe from a very safe distance, shuddering politely.
On this particular cooking day, with basil cream chicken firmly on the menu, I ventured out to my backyard herb pots to snip some fresh basil. Multitasking, as most parents do, I had a child comfortably perched in one arm, leaving me to gather basil with the other hand. My focus, admittedly, was divided. I brought the fragrant basil indoors, deposited it into the kitchen sink, and returned to the more immediate tasks of meal preparation. The cooking unfolded without a hitch; the aroma of simmering ingredients began to fill the kitchen, promising a delicious outcome.
As I cook, I meticulously clean up after myself – a necessity in a kitchen with limited counter space. So, after scrubbing a cutting board, I propped it up behind the sink to dry. I was just about to declare the meal complete when my eyes landed on it. A snail. In my kitchen. Perched on my immaculately clean cutting board. My initial reaction was a bewildered “How did you get here?!” – convinced for a moment that one of the kids, despite never having done so before, must have brought it in. Then, my gaze fell to the fresh basil still resting in the sink. The culprit became clear: our tiny mollusk friend had likely hitched a ride straight from the herb pot, a vivid (and slightly gross) testament to the truly fresh nature of my ingredients.
Fortunately, my brave daughter, ever the intrepid one, was more than willing to escort our little visitor back to the garden. And even more luckily, our unexpected guest had not made it onto any of the food. Missing out on this particular meal would have been a significant disappointment, as it truly is a standout dish. This little adventure, while a momentary distraction, underscored the authentic connection between the garden and the plate, reinforcing the joy of cooking with vibrant, living herbs.
Why This Chicken with Basil Cream Sauce Will Become Your New Favorite
This Chicken with Basil Cream Sauce is more than just a meal; it’s an experience that consistently delights. It’s incredibly straightforward to prepare, yet it delivers a depth of flavor that suggests far greater culinary effort. The beauty of this creamy basil chicken lies in its simplicity and the exquisite quality of its components. Here’s why it stands out as a must-try recipe:
- Effortlessly Elegant: Despite its gourmet appearance and rich, complex taste, this dish comes together in under 30 minutes from start to finish. This makes it an ideal solution for busy weeknight meals, yet it possesses enough sophistication to serve as an impressive centerpiece for end-of-summer entertaining or a cozy dinner party.
- Irresistibly Crispy Chicken: The foundation of this meal is the perfectly textured chicken. We achieve that coveted golden crunch by delicately coating thin chicken breasts in plain breadcrumbs and pan-frying them to perfection. Each bite offers a delightful textural contrast – a crisp exterior giving way to tender, juicy chicken – that complements the smooth, rich sauce beautifully.
- The Star: A Flavorful Basil Cream Sauce: This isn’t just any cream sauce; it’s a true revelation. Crafted with a harmonious blend of fresh basil and vibrant pimientos, it’s a flavor powerhouse. The basil generously infuses the sauce with its distinctive sweet, peppery, and slightly anise-like notes, while the pimientos contribute a subtle sweetness and a beautiful visual speckle of red, transforming simple chicken into an extraordinary culinary delight. It’s the kind of sauce you’ll want to spoon over everything!
- Seasonal Versatility: While perfectly suited for celebrating the tail end of summer and easing into fall, the ingredients for this dish are readily available year-round. This makes it a wonderfully flexible meal option for any season. Whether you’re utilizing the last of your abundant garden basil or sourcing fresh herbs from your local market, the quality and accessibility of ingredients ensure this dish can be enjoyed whenever the craving strikes.
Crafting the Perfect Crispy Chicken Base
The success of this incredible meal hinges on the crispy chicken itself. Achieving that desirable golden-brown, crunchy exterior while maintaining a tender, juicy interior is a technique that’s much simpler than it sounds, and it’s key to the dish’s overall appeal:
- Prepare Your Chicken: Start with high-quality boneless, skinless chicken breasts. To ensure even cooking and maximize the surface area for crispiness, cut each breast lengthwise into two thinner cutlets. If your chicken breasts are particularly thick, you might even consider pounding them slightly to an even thickness using a meat mallet between two pieces of plastic wrap. This step not only guarantees uniform cooking but also significantly reduces the overall cooking time.
- The Breading Station: Set up a simple breading station. Pour a quarter cup of milk into one shallow dish and about half a cup of plain breadcrumbs into another. The milk acts as a binder, helping the breadcrumbs adhere beautifully to the chicken, promising an even and delicious golden crust.
- Coat and Cook: Dip each chicken piece first into the milk, allowing any excess to drip off, then transfer it to the breadcrumbs, pressing gently to ensure a thorough coating on all sides. Melt two tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is shimmering, carefully place the coated chicken pieces into the hot pan. Cook for approximately 5 minutes per side, or until each piece is beautifully browned, crispy, and cooked through. To be certain, use a meat thermometer; the internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C) at its thickest part.
- Keep it Warm: As you finish cooking each batch of chicken, transfer the golden-brown pieces to a cooling rack that’s been placed over a baking sheet. Keep this in a low oven, preheated to around 170°F (75°C), to ensure every piece remains hot and wonderfully crispy until all the chicken is ready to be served.
The Magic of the Basil Cream Sauce: A Symphony of Flavors
While the crispy chicken provides a fantastic base, the basil cream sauce is truly where this dish transcends the ordinary. It’s a rich, vibrant, and utterly delicious explosion of fresh, creamy, and subtly sweet flavors, masterfully achieved with just a handful of carefully selected ingredients:
- Building Flavor (Deglazing): After you’ve cooked the chicken, your skillet will be left with wonderfully browned bits (known as “fond”) at the bottom – these are pure flavor! Add half a cup of chicken broth to the same skillet. Bring it to a gentle boil, and with a whisk, scrape up all those browned bits from the bottom of the pan. This process, called deglazing, incorporates all that delicious concentrated flavor into the base of your sauce.
- Adding Richness (Cream): Next, pour in a full cup of heavy whipping cream. This transforms the broth into a luxurious, velvety sauce. Allow it to simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until it begins to thicken slightly. You’ll know it’s ready when it coats the back of a spoon. Be patient here; a slow simmer will yield the best texture.
- The Pimiento Punch: Stir in four ounces of drained, chopped pimientos. These often-overlooked little gems are a secret weapon in this sauce. They introduce a mild, sweet pepper flavor and a lovely, vibrant pop of red color that makes the sauce visually appealing and adds another subtle layer of complexity to the overall flavor profile.
- Fresh Basil & Parmesan Finish: Once the sauce has achieved its desired thickness, reduce the heat to low. This is crucial for preserving the fresh basil’s delicate flavor. Stir in half a cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and, most importantly, a generous quarter cup of minced fresh basil. The residual heat of the sauce will gently warm the basil, releasing its aromatic oils without overcooking it, thereby preserving its vibrant fresh taste. Finally, season the sauce generously with freshly grated pepper to taste. You may not need much salt due to the chicken broth and Parmesan.
The thoughtful combination of these simple ingredients creates a sauce that is both comforting and sophisticated, making it the perfect, crowning accompaniment to the crispy chicken. Every bite of this meal is designed to be savored, leaving absolutely no crumb behind!
Serving Suggestions and Creative Variations
This wonderfully versatile Chicken with Basil Cream Sauce pairs beautifully with a wide array of side dishes, allowing you to easily customize your meal for any occasion, dietary preference, or personal craving. Here are some of our favorite recommendations:
Ideal Accompaniments:
- Pasta Perfection: Serve the chicken and sauce over a bed of your favorite pasta – linguine, fettuccine, or even penne work wonderfully – ensuring every strand is coated in the decadent cream sauce.
- Fluffy Rice: A simple side of steamed white or brown rice is excellent for soaking up all the rich basil cream sauce.
- Roasted Vegetables: Complement the creamy main course with a side of vibrant, simply roasted vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli florets, or tender green beans. Their slight crunch and earthy flavors provide a lovely contrast.
- Fresh Green Salad: A light, crisp green salad with a bright vinaigrette dressing, much like the one subtly featured in our images, offers a refreshing counterpoint to the richness of the chicken and sauce, balancing the meal beautifully.
- Crusty Bread: Don’t forget a side of warm, crusty bread or garlic bread! It’s perfect for mopping up every last drop of the irresistible sauce.
Creative Variations to Explore:
Feel free to get creative in the kitchen and adapt this chicken recipe to your taste or what you have on hand:
- Boost Your Veggies: Enhance the sauce by stirring in sautéed mushrooms, fresh spinach (which will wilt down beautifully), or finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes. These additions bring extra flavor, texture, and nutritional value.
- Add a Hint of Heat: If you appreciate a little warmth in your dishes, a small pinch of red pepper flakes added to the sauce along with the cream will introduce a gentle, pleasing kick without overpowering the basil and pimiento flavors.
- Experiment with Proteins: While chicken is a classic choice, this luscious basil cream sauce would also be fantastic over pan-seared pork chops, flaky white fish like cod or snapper, or even tender shrimp for a quick seafood variation.
- Herb Alternatives: While fresh basil is undoubtedly the star here, if you find yourself with an abundance of other herbs or wish to experiment, fresh parsley or dill could offer interesting, albeit different, flavor profiles. However, for the true essence of this dish, fresh basil is highly recommended.
More Ways to Enjoy Your Fresh Basil Harvest
If you’re among the fortunate few with a thriving basil plant, this recipe is merely one fantastic way to enjoy its bounty! Before the inevitable chill of the first frost brings an end to your summer herb garden, consider these other delightful culinary uses for your fresh basil:
- Turkey Sub with Artichoke and Basil: A fresh and flavorful twist on a classic sandwich, perfect for lunch.
- Tomato and Basil Bake: A comforting and aromatic side dish that highlights the synergy between tomatoes and basil.
- Bruschetta Chicken: Capture the essence of Italian flavors with this vibrant, fresh, and incredibly popular dish featuring grilled chicken topped with a fresh basil and tomato mixture.
- Tomato Basil Soup: The ultimate classic comfort in a bowl, made even better with freshly picked basil.
- Grilled White Pizza Recipe with Basil and Bacon: An adventurous and undeniably delicious pizza option, where fresh basil elevates every savory bite.
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Chicken with Basil Cream Sauce
Deborah Harroun
10 minutes
20 minutes
30 minutes
4 servings
Main Dish
American
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (8-12 oz each) cut open lengthwise into 4 thinner pieces
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 4 oz chopped pimientos drained
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup minced fresh basil
- freshly grated pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°F (75°C). This low temperature will be used to keep your cooked chicken warm while you prepare the sauce.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan or skillet over medium heat until it’s shimmering.2 tablespoons butter
- Prepare your breading station: place 1/4 cup of milk in a shallow dish and 1/2 cup of plain breadcrumbs in a second shallow dish. Dip each of the chicken pieces first into the milk, ensuring it’s fully coated, then transfer to the breadcrumbs, pressing gently to ensure a thorough and even coating on all sides. Place the coated chicken into the hot skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides and thoroughly cooked through, which typically takes about 5 minutes per side. Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a cooling rack placed over a baking sheet and keep it warm in the preheated oven.1/4 cup milk,
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs,
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts - To the same skillet (without cleaning it, to retain the browned bits), add 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Bring the broth to a boil, whisking vigorously to scrape up any flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and the 4 oz of drained, chopped pimientos. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce slightly thickens to your desired consistency. Reduce the heat to low, then stir in 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup of minced fresh basil. Season the sauce generously with freshly grated pepper to taste.1/2 cup chicken broth,
1 cup heavy whipping cream,
4 oz chopped pimientos,
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese,
1/4 cup minced fresh basil,
freshly grated pepper - Serve the exquisite basil cream sauce generously over the crispy chicken. Garnish with a few extra fresh basil leaves if desired, and prepare to enjoy a truly memorable meal!
Recipe Notes:
basil cream sauce, crispy chicken, chicken dinner, summer supper, pimientos, fresh basil recipe, easy dinner, creamy chicken