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–+ servings
Spicy Thai chicken basil with red chilies and Thai basil.
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4.64 from 33 votes

Thai Basil Chicken

My authentic Thai basil chicken (Gai Pad Krapow) recipe is packed with tender minced chicken, fragrant basil, and spicy chilies, all ready in just 25 minutes. It’s an easy and healthy Thai dish that's perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Chicken
Cuisine: Thai Recipes
Keyword: Thai Basil Chicken
Servings: 3 people
Author: Bee Yinn Low

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 2 shallots finely chopped
  • 10 oz (280g) ground chicken
  • 1 fresh red chili sliced into pieces
  • 6 bird's eye chilies pounded and bruised (or 1-2 fresh jalapeno cut into slivers)
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce Thailand Nguan Chiang brand Original Sweet Soy Sauce or ABC Sweet Sauce or Kecap Manis
  • 1 tablespoon Thai palm sugar or sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 cup Thai basil leaves stems removed
  • 3 dashes ground white pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Maggi sauce or Thai Golden Mountain Seasoning Sauce, optional

Instructions

  • Add the oil to a heated wok, then add the chopped garlic and shallots. Stir fry until aromatic.
  • Add the ground chicken and use a spatula to quickly stir fry, breaking the meat into small lumps.
  • When the chicken turns white, add the chilies, fish sauce, oyster sauce, sweet soy sauce, sugar, and water. Stir to combine well. Add the basil leaves and stir quickly until they wilt and release their fragrant aroma.
  • Add the white pepper, give the dish a few quick stirs, then dish out and serve immediately with steamed rice and a fried egg.

Video

Notes

  • Prep everything first. Chop and measure all your ingredients before you start cooking since it all comes together quickly.
  • Crank up the heat. Use high heat for stir frying to cook the chicken fast and get all those flavors mingling.
  • Don’t crowd the pan. If you’re making a big batch, cook in parts so you get a nice stir fry instead of steaming everything.
  • Adjust the spice level. Like it milder or hotter? Add less or more bird’s eye chilies to get the spice level just right.
  • Use dark soy sauce for color. Add a splash of dark soy sauce if you want a richer color in your dish.

Nutrition

Serving: 3people | Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 1392mg | Potassium: 965mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 1424IU | Vitamin C: 155mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 3mg