Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai)

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This Thai basil chicken recipe delivers street food flavor in under 30 minutes. The combination of basil, garlic, and Thai chilis creates a dish that's savory, slightly spicy, and so aromatic! Serve over jasmine rice with a fried egg for a real Thai experience.

Servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 teaspoon Thai sweet soy sauce
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
¼ cup shallots thinly sliced
1 tablespoon garlic minced
3 Thai bird's eye chilis minced (adjust to taste)
1 lb ground chicken or boneless chicken thighs, chopped finely (½ kilo)
2 to 4 tablespoon low sodium chicken broth or water
1 cup Thai basil or holy basil, loosely packed [See Note 1]

Instructions

In a small bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, and 2 teaspoon Thai sweet soy sauce. Set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoon vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add ¼ cup shallots, 1 tablespoon garlic and 3 Thai bird's eye chilis (or to taste!) When you smell the garlic's fragrance (about 15-20 seconds in), that's when you add the chicken in the next step. If the garlic starts to brown, it might become bitter.
Add 1 lb ground chicken or chicken pieces and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink. Add the 2 to 4 tablespoon low sodium chicken broth to deglaze only if needed. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. [See Note 2]
Pour in the sauce mixture and continue to stir-fry for another minute, making sure the chicken is evenly coated.
Turn off the heat and add the 1 cup Thai basil (or holy basil leaves). Stir just until the basil is wilted, about 30 seconds.
Serve the Thai basil chicken over jasmine rice. Optionally, top with a fried egg and serve with nam pla prik (Thai chili fish sauce) condiment on the side for authentic flavor. [See Notes 3 and 4]

Notes

Note 1: Although holy basil is preferable, it's hard to find in many regions of the West, so regular Thai basil is a good substitute. You can use Italian basil, but it should be your last resort due to the difference in flavor.

Note 2: Sometimes chicken can release a lot of liquid and you might not need the broth.

Note 3: To serve with fried eggs: In a frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons of oil over high heat. (Yes, it's a lot of oil, but that allows the egg to crisp up, Thai-style!) Crack an egg into the pan and fry until the egg white is crispy but the yolk is still runny. Repeat for each egg.

Note 4: To make the Thai condiment nam pla prik, mix the following and let it sit for 15 minutes.

3 tablespoon fish sauce
2 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon shallots, thinly sliced
2-3 Thai bird's eye chilis, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Nutrition