By Becky Hardin
Published Feb 6, 2018
This Basil Chicken recipe with cream sauce has always been one of my favorite recipes. This dish has a creamy tomato basil sauce made with heavy cream and cheese that is just to die for! Easy breaded chicken, tomatoes, fresh herbs, and more make up this fool-proof skillet chicken recipe.
Basil Chicken Recipe
This creamy basil chicken skillet was one of the first recipes I made when I started learning to cook. It gave me so much confidence because it’s SO delicious and so fool-proof.
I’m always looking for easy chicken recipes to make for dinner, and I certainly have a lot of them! But this chicken with cream sauce has proven to stand up to the test of time.
I was instantly in love with this dish when I first made it, and it seems all of you have loved it too!
The fact that this basil chicken recipe is made in ONE PAN blew my mind and gave me confidence that I too could cook amazing (yet EASY) meals for friends and family.
My Favorite Skillet Chicken Recipe
This basil chicken remains one of my very favorite recipes on the site and I come back to it over and over again.
I first made this years ago, but I’ve continuously worked to perfect the recipe every time I made it.
Some other favorite Skillet Chicken Recipes include Chicken Parmesan Pasta Skillet , Enchilada Stuffed Chicken Skillet , and Chicken con Queso . Can you tell I’m obsessed with one pot wonders?
Basil Cream Sauce
Everyone loves a good chicken recipe, but that CREAMY SAUCE is what makes this dish amazing. It cooks in the same skillet you cook the chicken in, so the leftover juices mix in with the cream and cheese and basil to cook down into the perfect flavor pairing.
Ingredients:
- Heavy cream
- Chicken broth
- Pimentos
- Diced tomatoes
- Sherry (optional)
- Parmesan Cheese
- Garlic-Herb Cheese (like this homemade boursin )
- Basil
- Black pepper
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72+ Chicken Dinner Recipes
See our Chicken Guide for all the best chicken recipes plus tips and tricks for juicy chicken every time.
How to Make Basil Chicken with Cream Sauce
This one pan recipe is really easy. Here’s a quick step-by-step:
- Cover chicken breast in buttermilk then dip in breadcrumbs and place in skillet.
- Cook 5 minutes, then flip and cook another 5 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Remove chicken from the skillet.
- Add chicken broth and sherry to skillet and bring to a boil.
- Add cream, pimentos, tomatoes and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and add in the cheeses and herb. Let it simmer until the sauce reduces by half.
- Add chicken back to the skillet with the sauce until everything is heated through.
You can jump to the recipe card for full ingredients & instructions!
Serving Suggestions
I love serving this creamy basil chicken with a side of rice and veggies, or with pasta. The cream acts as the perfect pasta sauce, and the chicken is super tender!
What to Do with Leftovers
This creamy basil chicken recipe makes for great leftovers.
- Keep it in the fridge for 2-3 days . (If you’re like us, it won’t last that long due to you eating it immediately.)
- To reheat: place the chicken and sauce in a skillet and heat over medium heat until heated through. Stir regularly so the sauce warms evenly. Reheating the chicken directly with the sauce helps keep it juicy.
- It also reheats just fine when popped microwave for a little over a minute, if you’re in a rush to eat. Be sure to smother it in lots of leftover sauce!
- This dish doesn’t freeze well due to the heavy cream component, so I recommend refrigerating and eating within a few days.
Tips!
- This recipe works best with chicken breasts that aren’t super thick. They cook faster and more evenly in the skillet and come out more tender.
- You can slice larger breasts in half length-wise if you can’t find thin cuts.
- Soaking the chicken in buttermilk before starting helps tenderize the meat and adds a creamy texture before coating it in breadcrumbs.
- After removing the chicken from the skillet, deglaze the pan and scrape off the brown bits as you start to cook the sauce. It adds extra flavor!
Man I love this recipe. Just looking at that basil cream sauce…I’m addicted!
Recipes like this Skillet Basil Cream Chicken are my favorite thing to make, eat, and share with all of you!
MoreChicken Breast Recipeswe Love
- Baked Chicken Tacos
- Cilantro Lime Chicken
- Creamy Mushroom Chicken
- Tuscan Chicken in Parmesan Sauce
- Creamy Caesar Chicken
- Buttermilk Fried Chicken
- Chicken Pot Pie Casserole
- Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
- Baked Chicken Parmesan
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy!
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ ¼ cup buttermilk
- ▢ ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- ▢ 4 chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- ▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ▢ 2 tablespoons canola oil
- ▢ ¼ cup chicken broth
- ▢ 2 tablespoons dry sherry optional
- ▢ 1 cup heavy cream
- ▢ 1 can pimentos 4 ounces can, drained
- ▢ 1 can diced tomatoes 14.5 ounce can, drained
- ▢ ¼ cup fresh basil chopped
- ▢ 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ▢ 2 tablespoons garlic & herb cheese such as Boursin
- ▢ ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Video
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts in a shallow dish and cover with buttermilk.
- Pour breadcrumbs in a different shallow dish.
- Heat skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon canola oil.
- Dip chicken in the breadcrumbs and place in the hot skillet.
- Cook 5 minutes or until bottom side is crispy and golden brown.
- Add remaining butter and oil and flip the breasts over. Cook another 5-7 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate. Set aside.
- Add chicken broth and sherry (if using) to the skillet to deglaze and bring to a boil over medium heat. Scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the skillet.
- Add the cream, pimentos and tomatoes. Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Reduce heat to low and add Parmesan, garlic-herb cheese, basil and black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until sauce reduces by half.
- Add the chicken back to the sauce and heat through.
- Serve as is with sauce or with a side of rice or pasta.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Basil Chicken with Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- 4 chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons dry sherry optional
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 can pimentos 4 ounces can, drained
- 1 can diced tomatoes 14.5 ounce can, drained
- ¼ cup fresh basil chopped
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons garlic & herb cheese such as Boursin
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts in a shallow dish and cover with buttermilk.
- Pour breadcrumbs in a different shallow dish.
- Heat skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon canola oil.
- Dip chicken in the breadcrumbs and place in the hot skillet.
- Cook 5 minutes or until bottom side is crispy and golden brown.
- Add remaining butter and oil and flip the breasts over. Cook another 5-7 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate. Set aside.
- Add chicken broth and sherry (if using) to the skillet to deglaze and bring to a boil over medium heat. Scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the skillet.
- Add the cream, pimentos and tomatoes. Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Reduce heat to low and add Parmesan, garlic-herb cheese, basil and black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until sauce reduces by half.
- Add the chicken back to the sauce and heat through.
- Serve as is with sauce or with a side of rice or pasta.
- Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
