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Lemon Chicken in Basil Cream Sauce

Golden pan-seared chicken tenderloins in a rich, bright lemon basil cream sauce. An easy one-pan dinner ready in just 30 minutes with simple everyday ingredients.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 portions
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 460
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs chicken tenderloins thawed and patted dry
  • 0.25 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.75 tsp black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil plus more if needed for second batch
  • 1.25 cup chicken broth water with Better Than Bouillon works great
  • 0.33 cup fresh lemon juice from about 2 lemons, zest first
  • 0.5 cup heavy whipping cream full-fat only
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest 1 to 2 tbsp to taste
  • 0.25 cup fresh basil chiffonade, added off heat only
  • extra fresh basil for garnish

Equipment

  • Large skillet or cast iron pan
  • Shallow plate or dish for dredging
  • Wooden spoon
  • Instant-read meat thermometer
  • Microplane grater for zesting

Method
 

  1. Pat chicken tenderloins completely dry with paper towels.
  2. Mix flour, dried basil, salt, black pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, and onion powder together on a shallow plate.
  3. Dredge each tenderloin in the flour mixture, pressing to coat both sides. Shake off excess.
  4. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and oil, swirling to coat. When shimmering, add half the chicken in a single layer with space between each piece.
  5. Sear for about 4 minutes without moving. Adjust to medium if browning too fast. Flip and cook another 2 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken.
  6. With heat still on medium-high, add chicken broth and lemon juice. Scrape up all browned bits with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes.
  7. Add heavy cream. Bring back to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  8. Remove from heat completely. Stir in fresh basil and lemon zest. Return chicken to the pan and spoon sauce over the top. Garnish with extra fresh basil and serve immediately.

Notes

Always add fresh basil AFTER removing the pan from heat -- adding it while hot turns it brown. For a less intense lemon flavor, reduce lemon juice to 1/4 cup and skip the zest. Serve over pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, or cauliflower rice. Do not freeze leftovers -- the cream sauce will separate. Refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 days.