Basil Balsamic Chicken 

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Marinate 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Jump to Recipe
Balsamic Chicken served with cooked bell pepper and couscous, topped with fresh basil.

This Basil Balsamic Chicken is a family favorite! It’s healthy, easy to make, full of flavor, and super delicious! We serve the cooked chicken with bell pepper salsa and couscous, making a delicious low-carb and healthy dinner.

🥘 Ingredients & Substitutions

This easy dinner recipe calls for minimal ingredients, and you most likely have all these ingredients on-hand in your pantry. It’s the perfect meal for those busy weeknights when you need something healthy, quick, and delicious. First, you will want to start with the simple marinade and chicken, and then pick your veggies and carbs to create a balanced meal.

  • Chicken Breast. Or substitute with Chicken Thighs. We like to use boneless skinless Chicken Breasts cut into thin slices (cutlets) as they are very tender.
  • Balsamic Vinegar. Using high-quality balsamic vinegar is key to making a sweet and rich sauce. We like the brand Colavita Balsamic Vinegar of Modena. It has great flavor and is perfect for this recipe! Low-quality balsamic vinegar tastes bitter and acidic in comparison.
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil. We only add a little bit of olive oil to the marinade.
  • Shallot. We use 1 small shallot for the marinade.
  • Fresh Garlic Cloves. We only use 2 cloves.
  • Spices: dried basil, oregano, sea salt, and black pepper. 
  • Dijon Mustard. We prefer Dijon mustard as it adds nice flavor and spice and has less vinegar. Using yellow mustard is a good option, but if you go this route, I recommend adding mustard seeds to give the marinade a nice kick of spice.
  • Lemon Juice. It adds a nice lemon note. 
  • Bell Peppers. We like to use red, yellow, or orange bell peppers. They are juicier in flavor than green ones. Another good option is substituting with sweet peppers. Adding the bell peppers creates a sweet, juicy flavor with the tangy and bold marinade.
  • Fresh Basil. Adding fresh basil on top gives this recipe that nice herby basil flavor with each bite.
  • Couscous. We serve our tender chicken with couscous because it’s super light but filling. Plus, it soaks up the balsamic sauce making each bite delicious! We like to use the brand RiceSelect Traditional Moroccan Couscous.
balsamic chicken cooking in a pan with bell peppers.

🔪 Instructions

This is a great recipe, but the key is to marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes.

If you know you like to meal prep your weeknight meals, marinate the chicken overnight in the refrigerator. The more it marinates, the more flavor the chicken will have when it cooks. If you don’t marinate, you might end up with bland chicken.

  • Make the Marinade. Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, lemon juice, dried herbs, salt and pepper, and the fresh minced garlic and shallot in a medium bowl. The texture should be somewhat of thick syrupy consistency.
  • Marinate the Chicken. Cut the chicken breasts into thin slices or cutlets, and add to the bowl with the marinade. Or, add the marinade and chicken to a plastic baggie to marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge.
  • Cook Chicken. Add the chicken breasts and 1/4 cup of the marinade to a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Discard the excess marinade. Quick sear one side of the chicken for about 5 minutes, then flip the chicken and reduce the heat to low-medium heat. Add diced bell peppers on top and cover with the lid. Simmer everything until the chicken is done and tender. Chicken is done when the inside reaches 165º F.
  • Serve. Add cooked couscous to a plate and the juicy chicken and bell pepper salsa. Top with fresh basil leaves before serving.

🍽 Side dishes

We love to serve our balsamic glazed chicken with bell peppers and couscous, but in case you don’t have any on hand for a last-minute meal or are not a fan of either, check out which side dishes we recommend for this meal:

  • For starchy/carb sides, we like mashed potatoes, white rice, or brown rice. Our go-to for this recipe is couscous.
  • For veggies, we like roasted Brussel sprouts, broccoli, or zucchini. Another great side dish or lunch option the next day would be to serve the chicken with a Caprese salad.

🎥 Video Tutorial 

Check out my TikTok Video on how I made this delicious chicken recipe!

@eatlovenamaste

Healthy easy dinners are my fav. ✨ This is a good one: Basil Balsamic Chicken with bell peppers and couscous. #chickendinnerideas #balsamicchicken #healthychickenrecipe

♬ original sound – Tracey Gene | Eat Love Namaste

❔ FAQs

How long will it keep?


The leftover chicken will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Then, reheat in the oven or the skillet on low heat or in the microwave.

Can I make this on the grill?


Yes! All you need to do is heat your grill to 425º F and grill for 8 to 10 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 165º F.

Can I make this in the oven?


Yes, you can make this meal in the oven on a sheet pan, an oven-safe baking dish, or a large oven-safe skillet. The only difference is that we recommend adding all the marinade to the dish and placing the chicken in a single layer. Bake the chicken, covered for 20 minutes. Remove foil, add the bell peppers (if adding it to the recipe), and continue baking until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove from the oven and let rest for 3 minutes. Adding all the marinade creates a delicious sauce.

This Basil Balsamic Chicken is healthy, full of flavor, and easy to make. It’s the perfect delicious meal to make for those busy weeknights! We hope you all enjoy it! ♡ 

Balsamic Marinated Chicken Breast served with cooked bell pepper salsa and couscous, topped with fresh basil.

Basil Balsamic Chicken

5 from 11 votes
This Balsamic Marinated Chicken Breast served with Bell Pepper Salsa and Couscous is easy to make, and is the perfect healthy and low-carb dinner!
balsamic chicken on a plate with couscous and bell pepper
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Marinate 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Yields 4
Ingredients
Marinade:
  • 14 oz chicken breast cut into cutlets (about 4 pieces total)
  • cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small shallot minced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice plus more to serve
Toppings:
  • 2 bell peppers diced (we recommend red, yellow, and orange peppers)
  • 4-5 fresh basil leaves chopped
Serve With:
  • 1 cup cooked couscous
Instructions
  • Make the Marinade. Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, olive oil, lemon juice, dried herbs, salt and pepper, and the fresh minced garlic and minced shallot in a medium bowl.
  • Marinate the Chicken. Cut the chicken breasts into thin slices or cutlets, and add to the bowl with the marinade.
    Or, add the marinade and chicken to a plastic bag to marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge.
  • Make Couscous and Prepare Other Ingredients.
    Cook couscous according to the package instructions. 
    Dice the bell peppers and fresh basil. 
  • Cook Chicken. Add the chicken breasts along with 1/4 cup of the marinade to a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. 
    Discard the excess marinade.
    Sear one side of the chicken for about 5 minutes, then flip the chicken and reduce the heat to low-medium heat.
    Add diced bell peppers on top and cover with the lid. Simmer everything until the chicken is done and tender.
    Chicken is done when the inside reaches 165º F.
  • Serve. Add 1/4 cup cooked couscous to a plate and add 1 chicken breast, and a generous amount of the bell pepper salsa.
    Top with fresh basil leaves before serving.
Notes
How to store leftovers and reheat: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot.
    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
    Diet: Gluten Free, Low Calorie
    Nutrition Facts
    Serving1gCalories198.76kcalCarbohydrates17.88gProtein23.61gFat2.95gSaturated Fat0.63gPolyunsaturated Fat0.53gMonounsaturated Fat0.87gTrans Fat0.01gCholesterol63.5mgSodium747.52mgPotassium550.03mgFiber2.13gSugar5.56gVitamin A1232.39IUVitamin C52.84mgCalcium40.05mgIron1.45mg
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