Thai Basil Chicken
Equipment
- Mortar and pestle optional
Ingredients
Stir Fry
- 4 boneless skin-on chicken thighs, cut into ½-inch chunks
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
- 2 Thai chilies, crushed or minced
- 1 cup fresh thai basil leaves, see note 1
Sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Grind or finely mince the garlic and Thai chilies. In a small bowl, mix together dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and water to form the sauce.
- Heat a pan with a little oil and brown the chicken for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and chilies and cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in the sauce, turn up the heat, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and clings to the chicken. Then add in thai basil and remove once the leaves are wilted.
- Serve the chicken over a fresh bowl of rice.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Why I Always Keep Thai Basil in My Fridge
I always like to buy my Thai basil in bulk because not only is it so versatile as an ingredient, but one of my favorite dishes to make it is Thai basil chicken (Pad Kra Pao Gai). When you get this at a restaurant, it feels l like the dish is super hard to make because of all the complex taste profiles, but it comes together in just one pan with minimal prep work. Thai flavors are some of my favorite to cook (and eat) because you can literally smell the flavors developing as you continue to cook the dish. This version of Thai basil chicken keeps the prep work simple while still giving you that restaurant style flavor.
What Makes Thai Basil Chicken A Perfect Weeknight Meal
This dish is built for weeknights. I use chicken thighs because not only do they stay juicy unlike other lighter cuts of chicken, but they get this amazing caramelization without needing a ton of oil. Additionally, the garlic and chilies create the classic Thai base flavors of spiciness and fragrance. The sauce is super simple to make with pantry ingredients as well. It’s salty, sweet, and clings to every piece of chicken and ultimately forms a glossy coating that you see a lot at your favorite Thai restaurants. Finally, the basil at the end finishes the dish off perfectly and gives it that extra flare.
What You’ll Need To Make Thai Basil Chicken
Stir Fry
- 4 boneless skin-on chicken thighs, cut into ½-inch chunks
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
- 2 Thai chilies, crushed or minced
- 1 cup fresh thai basil leaves
Sauce
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
How to Make Thai Basil Chicken
Crush or finely mince the garlic and Thai chilies.
In a small bowl, mix dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and water to form your sauce.
Heat a pan with oil over medium-high heat and add chicken and cook for about 3 minutes until browned.
Add garlic and chilies, stir-fry for 2 more minutes until fragrant.
Pour in the sauce, turn up the heat, and stir-fry for 5 minutes until sauce thickens and clings to the chicken.
Add Thai basil and cook just until wilted, then remove from heat and serve over rice.
Tips and Variations
• Want it even spicier? I like to add additional thai chilies one at a time until it’s at my desired spiciness level.
• If you don’t have Thai basil, Italian basil works in a pinch, but the flavor will be more mellow. It has less of that licorice taste profile.
• If you don’t want to eat it with chicken, try using thinly sliced pork or ground meat for a Pad Kra Pao!
• Sometimes, I like to serve with a fried egg on top for a more traditional garnish!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use ground chicken instead of thigh meat?
Yes, ground chicken is commonly used in Thai basil stir-fries, like Pad Kra Pao. It cooks even faster and still absorbs all the flavors beautifully.
What’s the difference between Thai basil and regular basil?
Thai basil has a spicier, more licorice-like flavor and holds up better to heat. Regular basil is sweeter and softer. Thai basil is ideal here, but the regular kind can work in a pinch.
Is fish sauce essential?
Fish sauce adds deep umami and saltiness that rounds out the flavor. If you skip it, you’ll miss some of the complexity, but you can sub with soy sauce if absolutely needed.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes! It reheats well in the microwave or on the stove. Just wait to add the basil until right before serving to keep the flavor fresh. I personally like to add the basil when I reheat it because it maintains its flavor better.
Try These Next
Love stir-fries as much as I do? Try out my Beef Onion Stir Fry!
Want a similar sauce but with noodles? My Garlic Beef Noodles has a similar sauce but adds even more garlic!
For something super comforting, check out my Beef Curry Udon!
