Creamy Lemon Basil Chicken
This lemon basil chicken is all about contrast ~ golden, crispy thighs in a silky, citrusy cream sauce that practically begs for a crusty baguette.
Servings: 8
Equipment
- large skillet or braising pan
Ingredients
- 8 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs, about 3 pounds
- sea salt
- olive oil
- 1 large shallot, finely minced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or crushed through a garlic press
- 1/4 cup dry sherry, or other fortified wine like Marsala, white port, or vermouth. Make sure they are dry, not sweet!
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
- fresh cracked black pepper
- 1/2 cup basil, finely julienned
Instructions
- Note: preheat your oven to 375F if you plan to finish cooking your chicken thighs in the oven rather than on the stove top. Season your 8 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs with salt on both sides. Coat the bottom of your large skillet or braising pan with olive oil and heat until hot over medium high heat. You want to see it start to shimmer, but not smoke.
- Brown, skin side down for about 12 minutes, until the skin is nice and crisp. If you have a splatter screen this is a good time to use it :) I generally turn the heat down a bit while the chicken is browning, you don't want it to burn. Flip the chicken and cook for another 12-15 minutes, or until done. The meat should read 160F on an instant read thermometer. Remove the meat to a plate and cover with foil while you make the sauce. Note: alternatively you can move the chicken to your preheated oven after flipping and finish there, see instructions in the notes below*
- Add the 1 large shallot and 2 cloves garlic to the drippings in the pan and sauté, stirring constantly, for a couple of minutes. Then add the 1/4 cup dry sherry and let it bubble down while you scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the 1/2 cup chicken broth, 1 cup heavy cream, and 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice to the pan, and cook the sauce for a few minutes until it starts to reduce slightly, stirring frequently. NOTE: don't let the sauce boil furiously ~ just keep at a good simmer.
- Stir in the 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and taste to add salt and fresh cracked black pepper.
- Nestle the chicken thighs back into the pan, but don't submerge them in the sauce, you want the golden skin to stay crispy. Heat through for a minute or so, and then shower with the fresh basil just before serving.
Notes
*To finish your chicken in the oven transfer it to a foil lined sheet pan and bake in your preheated 375F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken registers 165F on an instant read thermometer.
- For no-alcohol version replace sherry with chicken stock, although be aware that some of the alcohol evaporates off, and the flavor payoff is huge. Even a tablespoon or two will make a difference in the flavor of this sauce.
- Use chopped chicken instead of the whole thighs, and serve this over pasta. The pasta absorbs all that creamy sauce and it’s fantastic.
Nutrition
Calories: 470 kcal · Carbohydrates: 3 g · Protein: 27 g · Fat: 38 g · Saturated Fat: 15 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 6 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 14 g · Trans Fat: 0.1 g · Cholesterol: 180 mg · Sodium: 566 mg · Potassium: 364 mg · Fiber: 0.2 g · Sugar: 2 g · Vitamin A: 679 IU · Vitamin C: 4 mg · Calcium: 112 mg · Iron: 1 mg
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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