As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This website also participates in other affiliate programs and may earn commissions if you shop through the links used on this website.
(This article was originally published on August 3, 2022 and was last updated on August 3, 2022)
Basil chicken is one of those flavor combinations that just works. The slightly sweet, slightly peppery taste of basil offers an instant flavor injection for a wide range of chicken dishes, making the right basil chicken recipe worth its weight in gold. Whether you’re in need of basil chicken recipe to use up your latest basil harvest, or you just need a quick weeknight dinner that’s fairly simple, the following recipes with chicken and basil have you covered!
Is Basil Good with Chicken?
Basil is great with chicken! There are a few classic basil pairings – basil and tomatoes, basil and Parmesan cheese – and basil and chicken is one of them. While Thai basil chicken and chicken pesto pasta are possibly the most classic examples, there’s a ton of creative chicken recipes out there that work beautifully with basil.
What Kind of Basil Goes Well with Chicken Recipes?
Most of the recipes below are made with normal basil (aka sweet basil, or Genovese basil) or Thai Basil.
However, if you have access to more exotic or rare basil varieties, there’s not reason you can’t experiment and do some substituting.
Some other basil varieties you might want to try in a basil chicken recipe include the citrus basils (lemon and lime), Persian basil, lettuce leaf basil, and purple basil.
The Best Basil Chicken Recipe for Every Occassion
When it comes to a flavor combination that just works without too much effort, basil chicken is right up there. The sweet spiciness of basil instantly elevates chicken, providing a flavor injection that's hard to beat. If you're in need of a chicken basil recipe to use up some of your basil harvest, keep reading! Below we've collected 21 recipes with chicken and basil to inspire you in the kitchen!
A creamy basil chicken recipe for those times you want something fancy, but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen! This recipe uses chicken breasts wrapped in gorgeous prosciutto, adding in creamy cheese, basil pesto, and cherry tomatoes for maximum flavor.
This basil chicken recipe is for those times you want something simple, yet delicious. This chicken salad (made with chicken breasts or leftover rotisserie chicken) uses a classic basil pairing of fresh basil and parmesan cheese, making it a summer taste sensation that's absolutely delicious and easy to make! The perfect combination for a hot summer’s day where you want something light but super tasty. Skip the chicken breast and use a supermarket rotisserie chicken if it's too hot outside to cook!
Another cheesy, creamy basil chicken recipe. This recipe involves making juicy, crunchy breaded chicken breasts topped with a cheesy, creamy basil sauce. While it's quick to make, it doesn't taste like it, and it's delicious with crusty bread, pasta, or veggies. This recipe also uses dried basil rather than fresh, making it a good one to use up any of your basil harvest that you dried to preserve after the growing season.
This is such a perfect recipe to try on the grill, using fresh seasonal veggies and fresh basil from the garden (or dried from your spice cabinet). This chicken and basil recipe includes shrimp, but if you are not a fan of seafood, simply just omit it and add more vegetables or chicken. The basil oil marinade brings a lovely herbaceous taste to the meat, fish, and vegetables, and is a showstopper on a warm day.
This chicken basil and pasta soup is inspired by a traditional Italian soup, and will leave you feeling full with one hearty bowl.
This Slow Cooker Basil Chicken and Rice is an easy meal to make in the slow cooker, and leaves you with tender chicken thighs and fragrant rice (thanks to plenty of basil!). Make it with dried basil, and serve with some simple veggies on the side. This chicken and basil recipe is a great choice for those evenings where you just want something easy and without much fuss.
Another slow cooker option (aka: easy mode), this chicken tomato and basil recipe makes for a great meal year round. It's light in the summer, and doesn't require to much work on hot evenings, but it's warm and filling enough to enjoy in the cooler months. This recipe is good with chicken breasts or chicken thighs, and uses both dried basil and normal sweet basil from the supermarket or your garden.
These Chicken Tomato Mozzarella Basil Rolls can be made with tomatoes and basil straight from your garden - or you can pick them up from the supermarket. Wrapped up in crescent rolls with a bit of ranch dressing for extra creamy flavor, these rolls are easy to make and ready in 15 minutes.
This Thai basil chicken uses finely diced chicken, stir-fried with mixed veggies (you can use bell peppers, baby corn, mushrooms, snap peas), shallots, and fresh Thai basil leaves, all cooked up in a homemade sauce mixture packed with flavor thanks to being made with chicken broth, oyster sauce, soy sauce and fish sauce, and brown sugar. Thai Basil Chicken is a Thai restaurant takeout classic, but this version is absolutely delicious and quick and easy to make at own home!
A lovely riff on a traditional Caprese salad, this toasted sandwich includes pan-seared chicken cutlets with fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, pesto, and more fresh basil leaves on crusty bread. It's simple, but delicious and filling, and is ready in only 15 minutes! If you have purple basil or lettuce basil, these would make a nice substitution for normal basil!
This Pesto Chicken is a great weeknight dinner, with a crowd-pleasing juicy and delicious flavor that's ready in less than 30 minutes. It's a great way to use up fresh pesto you might have frozen in your freezer from your summer harvest, and goes well with plenty of sides. If you love the classic tomato basil chicken flavor combo, I think you'll find this basil chicken recipe is a winner!
This is a super simple chicken salad recipe that's got plenty of flavor. It works well with crackers and toast (or homemade baguette crisps), as a salad on its own, or in a sandwich.
These spicy Thai Basil Chicken Skewers make a tasty change from plain chicken ones, and is a nice Thai-inspired chicken basil recipe that isn't Thai Basil Chicken. This recipe uses a dairy-free, super flavorful skewer marinade and cashew dipping sauce, along with a gremolata topping.
This is the ultimate easy pesto pasta salad dish. Toss pasta, diced chicken, fresh tomatoes, and diced mozzarella in an easy pesto. It's a super quick and easy midweek meal that the whole family will love, and you can customize the final result by switching up the type of pesto you use.
Chicken for dinner doesn't have to be the same old and it doesn't have to be complicated either. This simple baked Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken with fresh basil and tomato makes dinner worth repeating! Ready in 30 minutes and packed with flavor.
This moist and delicious Lemon Basil Roasted Chicken recipe is packed with flavor. The chicken is stuffed with lemons while cooking, and the recipe uses garlic and basil under the skin. The result is a juicy, golden brown chicken that is packed with flavor when it comes out of the oven. It's one of those awesome "weekend dinner at home" chicken recipes, with tons of versatility in terms of side dishes it works with.
Lemon and basil is always a great pairing, and this creamy lemon basil chicken is - in a word - delectable. Even better? It's a single skillet meal, making cleanup a breeze and letting you pull together a delicious weeknight dinner in a hurry. Full of flavor, this would be lovely paired with simple summer vegetables like asparagus or zucchini and summer squash.
This chicken and basil recipe is a great option if you have dietary restrictions, as it can be made to be whole30 friend, paleo friendly, and dairy free, as well as keto. As written, it uses fresh basil pesto, mozzarella, tomato, and basil. Juice, bursting with flavor, and easy to make with either chicken breasts or chicken thighs.
A chicken pesto recipe that uses creamy, parmesan cheesy risotto instead of pasta. That makes this gluten free, but still super delicious for even gluten eaters to enjoy. Chicken, basil and parmesan is always a hit in my books, making this an easy yes in my kitchen.
Homemade chicken burgers are so simple, and these grilled chicken burgers are juicy to perfection! Making uses of pre-packaged Roasted Tomato, Garlic, and Basil Seasoning, I'd personally top these burgers with some lettuce leaf basil, Mammoth basil, or purple basil as well!
This Thai Basil Chicken Stir-Fry recipe comes together quickly and easily. The fried egg adds extra creaminess and protein and also helps to cut the spiciness if you like it hot!