Thai Basil Chicken
Ingredients
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- 6 chilies Thai bird’s eye chilies – roughly chopped (for pounding)
- 6 cloves garlic – roughly chopped (for pounding)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs – finely chopped
- 1 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoons palm sugar – finely grated
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 cups holy basil leaves – leaves picked
- jasmine rice – steamed (for serving)
- eggs – fried (for serving)
Instructions
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the light soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, palm sugar, and water until the sugar dissolves; set this sauce aside.
2. Pound the garlic and Thai bird’s eye chilies in a mortar and pestle to a rough, chunky paste.
3. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat until very hot, 1–2 minutes. Add the oil and swirl to coat.
4. Add the chile–garlic paste and stir-fry until fragrant but not browned, 20–30 seconds.
5. Add the chopped chicken, spread it out, and sear briefly. Stir-fry until just cooked through and no longer pink, 3–4 minutes, breaking up any clumps.
6. Pour in the reserved sauce and toss constantly until the chicken is glazed and the sauce is slightly reduced, 1–2 minutes.
7. Turn off the heat, add the holy basil leaves, and toss until just wilted and glossy, 10–20 seconds.
8. Serve immediately over steamed jasmine rice and top with fried eggs, spooning any pan sauce over each portion.
Thai Basil Chicken, known in Thailand as phat kaphrao gai or pad kra pao gai, is a fast, fiery stir-fry that balances savory depth with aromatic herbal punch. Tender bits of chicken are tossed with a freshly pounded paste of garlic and bird’s eye chilies, then finished with a flurry of holy basil that perfumes the whole dish. The sauce is salty-sweet and slightly caramelized, clinging to the meat so it’s perfect over hot jasmine rice, often crowned with a crispy-edged fried egg.
Rooted in the Thai-Chinese stir-fry tradition, this dish rose to ubiquity on Thai street stalls in the late 20th century and is now a beloved everyday meal. Its defining element is holy basil (kaphrao), whose peppery, clove-like aroma distinguishes it from the sweeter Thai basil used in curries. Today you’ll find countless protein variations, but the chicken version remains one of the most ordered, reflecting the dish’s status as a national comfort staple.