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Hungry Healthy Happy » Recipes » Chicken

Lemon Basil Chicken

Updated: May 23, 2021 · Published: Jan 30, 2020 · Written by Dannii Martin · This post may contain affiliate links which earn us commissions if purchases are made · 50 Comments

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Diet: Gluten Free / Low Carb
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Lemon basil chicken on a bed of pasta with a text title overlay.

This quick and easy Lemon Basil Chicken is super juicy, and that all comes from the simple marinade of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and basil. It's fresh and light and can be served it with pasta, rice, in a sandwich or on a classic green salad. Chicken breasts never have to be dry or boring again! Naturally gluten free and a protein packed meal.

Sliced chicken breast on a bed of spaghetti. A lemon half and some garlic cloves are next to it.

You are going to want to batch cook this chicken. It's so easy and convenient. Just keep it in your fridge to add to meals over the next couple of days. It is made with such a simple marinade, but it keeps the chicken super juicy and delicious.

Lemon and basil are both such light and fresh flavours, and this recipe has the perfect balance of them both - it keeps the chicken beautifully moist. Just a few minutes of prep time for this simple chicken dish.

Jump to:
  • Why you will love it
  • Step by step
  • Is it healthy?
  • What cut of chicken to use?
  • The marinade
  • How to cook it
  • What to serve it with
  • Extra tips
  • More chicken recipes
  • Recipe
  • Feedback

Why you will love it

  • Under 300 calories per serving
  • Really easy to make
  • A light and fresh marinade
  • Tender and juicy
  • Really versatile and can be used so many different ways

Step by step

One: Put the chicken into a dish and cover with the rest of the ingredients.

Two raw chicken breasts in a round dish with, lemon juice, zest, oil and chopped basil.

Two: Mix well, cover and marinade overnight (or for at least 4 hours).

Two raw chicken breasts in a round dish with, lemon juice, zest, oil and chopped basil all mixed together.

Three: Put the marinated chicken in an oven proof dish in a preheated oven at 200°C/400°F/Gas6 and cook for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve on pasta, rice or mashed potato.

Lemon Basil Chicken and spaghetti on a blue plate.

Is it healthy?

Yes, this is a really healthy chicken dish. It is protein packed, and the marinade doesn't have any honey or added sugar like most chicken marinades do. The main flavour comes from lemon and basil, which is low in calories.

What cut of chicken to use?

We wanted to keep this dish as lean as possible, so we used skinless and boneless chicken breasts. If you want an even juicier chicken dish, then I recommend using chicken thighs instead. These will also reheat better. Cooking time will very though, depending on the thickness of the thighs.

If you fancy trying something different with this lemon and basil marinade, then you could use it for prawns, salmon or even steak.

The marinade

This is such an easy marinade, but quality is key. Firstly, you want to use the best quality olive oil that you can get - it will be more expensive but you can taste the difference.

Make sure it is well seasoned with salt and pepper and then you have the perfect balance of garlic, oregano and fresh basil.  Make sure you use a juicy lemon, otherwise you might need to use a second lemon.

Sliced cooked chicken breast on top of spaghetti.

How to cook it

You have a few options here when it come to cooking the chicken. You can put it all in a baking dish (including the marinade) and cook in a preheated oven at 200°C for 30 minutes (or until it is cooked through).

However, you can also cook this under the grill, as it gets the chicken nice and crispy. This would also be great cooked on the BBQ if you wanted something easy to feed a crowd. You could even cook this in a hot pan on the hob.

What to serve it with

There are so many different ways that you can serve lemon basil chicken, which is why we usually batch cook it and then keep it in the fridge to use on meals over the next couple of days.

We serve it with spaghetti, on rice or mashed potato and we chop up leftovers to have a on a big green salad or in sandwiches and wraps. It also goes really well with our Italian Roasted Vegetables.

A plate of spaghetti and lemon basil chicken.

FAQs

How long should chicken marinate for?

You don't have to marinate the chicken, but you will really taste a difference, Marinating it not only allows the flavours to really infuse, but the lemon also tenderises the chicken.
For best results, marinate the chicken overnight (around 12 hours), however try for a minimum of 4 hours.

Can this be prepared in advance?

Yes, this is recommended so that it has plenty of time to marinade. You could even make the marinade ahead of time and then just add it to the chicken when you are ready to marinade it.

How to store and reheat

You can freeze this chicken once it is cooked. Store in freezer bags for up to 2 months and then make sure it is fully defrosted before reheating. It will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To reheat, add to a pan with a little oil and heat through. Make sure you don't heat it for too long, otherwise it will become dry.

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Extra tips

• Pound the chicken flat before marinating it. This will help it all be an even size and then it will cook at the same rate.
• To marinate the chicken, put it in a zip-lock bag, or a bowl with clingfilm on it.
• After the chicken has marinated, discard the marinade and then cook the chicken.

More chicken recipes

  • Loaded chicken nachos on a large metal baking tray.
    Loaded Chicken Nachos
  • Marinated Chicken Breasts on a plate with rice and slaw.
    Tomato, Chilli and Basil Marinated Chicken
  • A plate of creamy chicken spinach pasta.
    Creamy Chicken Spinach Pasta
  • Pizza Chicken Breast on a plate with tomato slices and lettuce.
    Pizza Topped Chicken

If you’ve tried this lemon chicken recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

Recipe

Lemon Basil Chicken and spaghetti on a blue plate.

Lemon Basil Chicken

By: Dannii Martin
This quick and easy Lemon Basil Chicken recipe is simple and delicious. Light and fresh flavours will impress both guests and family.
A circular logo saying GF.
Gluten Free
The words low carb in a white circle.
Low Carb
4.91 from 21 votes
Pin Print Save recipe Saved!
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: British, Italian
Prep: 5 minutes mins
Cook: 35 minutes mins
Total: 40 minutes mins
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 292kcal
Allergens:
An illustration of a cow's head.
Meat

Ingredients

  • 300 g (10.5 oz) Chicken breast
  • 2 tablespoon Olive oil
  • 1 Lemon - (juice and zest only)
  • 3 Garlic clove - crushed
  • 8 tablespoon Fresh basil - chopped
  • 1 Pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Dried oregano

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6.
  • Put the chicken into a dish and cover with the rest of the ingredients.
  • Mix well and marinade overnight (or for at least 4 hours)
  • Put the marinated chicken into an oven proof dish cook for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Recipe Tips

  • Pound the chicken before marinating it. This will help it all be an even size and then it will cook at the same rate.
  • To marinate the chicken, put it in a zip-lock bag, or a bowl with clingfilm on it.
  • After the chicken has marinated, discard the marinade and then cook the chicken.

Nutritional Information

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 292kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 196mg | Potassium: 671mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 467IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 2mg

The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.

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Comments

  1. Cocoa extracts says

    February 13, 2020 at 8:08 am

    I tried this recipe.It came fabulous.Thanks for sharing.I loved that lemon flavor in that.

    Reply
  2. Olive Foster says

    February 01, 2020 at 10:06 am

    5 stars
    Tried this recipe and it is going into my favourites, it was so easy and simple to make and is a very good addition to my healthy eating.

    Reply
    • Dannii says

      February 05, 2020 at 8:06 am

      I'm so glad you enjoyed this.

      Reply
  3. Kerry @ Kerry Cooks says

    May 18, 2015 at 2:08 pm

    5 stars
    This would be such a yummy summer supper eaten outside with a glass of white - I can dream!

    Reply
  4. Lucy @ BakingQueen74 says

    May 18, 2015 at 2:03 pm

    Mmm, this sounds delicious, just what I need. Going to try this this week. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
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4.91 from 21 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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My name is Dannii. Here you will find easy family recipes with a healthy twist.

Established in 2011, Hungry Healthy Happy has become one of the UK's most popular food blogs, with two successful recipe books published.

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