Thai Basil Chicken Recipe (Pad Krapow Gai)
Thai Basil Chicken is a quick and easy chicken stir fry featuring tender chicken thighs, garlic, Thai chilies, shallots, and bell pepper tossed in a flavorful sauce of oyster, fish, and soy sauces sweetened with brown sugar and finished with Thai basil and scallions. This popular Thai street food is easy to make at home in just under 30 minutes!
Servings: 4
Calories: 410kcal
Ingredients
- 1.25-1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs or ground chicken if need fast and easy
- 2 tbsp peanut oil or vegetable, or canola
- 4-5 garlic cloves
- 2-4 Thai chili peppers to taste
- 2 shallots
- 1 bell pepper
- 1 cup Thai basil or holy basil if available
- 3 scallions stalks
Sauce:
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce or a mix of dark and light soy sauce
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
To serve:
- 2-3 cups cooked Jasmine rice
Instructions
Prep work:
- Prepare all of the ingredients ahead of time!Start cooking the rice. Dice the chicken thighs meat very finely. Mince garlic, seed chili peppers, if you prefer, and slice them thin. Slice shallots and bell pepper. Chop scallions, and mix all of the ingredients for the sauce in a measuring cup.
Cooking the chicken:
- Make sure the wok is nicely seasoned all over the sides and bottom and preheat it over medium heat. Add oil and spread it around.
- Add and stir in chicken and cook until chicken is mostly done. Make sure to stir from time to time.
- Make a little well in the center and add garlic and chili peppers and sauté until its fragrant and stir it all together.
- Add shallots and bell peppers and cook until vegetables have softened.
- Whisk the sauce again and pour it into the wok, stirring as you pour. Stir and simmer for a couple of minutes.
- Stir in basil and scallions and cook just until basil is wilted. Take off heat and serve!
Video
Notes
Thai chili pepper - this is a spicy pepper to be careful using it. Adjust amount to your own personal heat tolerance. And, remember, when working with spicy peppers, don't breathe in the steam over the wok.
Gluten Free - most of the ingredients are gluten free, just substitute soy sauce and oyster sauce for gluten free soy sauce (or tamari) and gluten free oyster sauce. Check the labels on other ingredients to make sure as well.
Storing - store leftovers in an air-tight food storage container, in the refrigerator. It should be good for 3-4 days. You can even make a double batch and keep in the fridge for lunches. It reheats beautifully!
Nutrition
Calories: 410kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 1851mg | Potassium: 625mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1392IU | Vitamin C: 47mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 2mg