Thai Basil Chicken
This quick Thai basil chicken is a weeknight stir-fry with ground chicken, garlic, chiles, a savory sauce, and plenty of fragrant Thai basil. Serve it over jasmine rice for a fast, satisfying meal.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
Prep 15mCook 10mThaiQuick
Thai basil chicken, often called pad kra pao gai, is a fast Thai stir-fry built around garlic, chiles, basil, and a salty-sweet sauce. It cooks quickly, so it is a good recipe to have ready before you turn on the stove.
This version uses ground chicken, which browns fast and soaks up the sauce well. Green beans add crunch and make the dish feel complete, while jasmine rice catches every bit of sauce.
Thai basil has a peppery, slightly anise-like flavor. If you can find it, use it here. If not, regular basil will still make a good dinner, just with a softer flavor.
01What you'll need
Ingredients
13 items · 4 servings
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola, avocado, or vegetable oil
- 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 to 4 Thai chiles, thinly sliced, or 1 serrano chile, thinly sliced
- 1 small shallot, thinly sliced, about 1/2 cup
- 6 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 1/2 cups loosely packed Thai basil leaves
- 3 cups cooked jasmine rice, for serving
02How to make it
Step-by-step
1. Mix the sauce
In a small bowl, stir together the oyster sauce, reduced-sodium soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, and water. Keep it near the stove. Stir-frying moves quickly, so having the sauce ready helps prevent overcooking.
2. Prep the aromatics
Chop the garlic, slice the chiles, slice the shallot, and cut the green beans. Pick the basil leaves from the stems. Aromatics are ingredients like garlic and shallot that add flavor at the start of cooking.
3. Heat the pan
Set a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the oil and let it heat until it shimmers, which means it looks glossy and moves easily across the pan.
4. Cook the garlic and chiles
Add the garlic and chiles. Stir for 15 to 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Do not walk away here; garlic can burn quickly and turn bitter.
5. Brown the chicken
Add the ground chicken. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to break it into small pieces. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until the chicken is no longer pink and some bits are lightly browned.
6. Add the vegetables
Stir in the shallot and green beans. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the beans are bright green and crisp-tender. Crisp-tender means they are cooked but still have a little bite.
7. Sauce the stir-fry
Pour in the prepared sauce. Stir well so the chicken is evenly coated. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce bubbles and lightly thickens around the chicken.
8. Fold in the basil
Turn off the heat and add the Thai basil leaves. Stir until the basil just wilts. Taste and adjust with a splash more soy sauce for saltiness, a pinch of sugar for balance, or extra chile for heat.
9. Serve hot
Spoon the Thai basil chicken over cooked jasmine rice. Serve right away, while the basil is still fresh and fragrant.
03From our kitchen
Cook's tips
- Make-ahead: Chop the garlic, chiles, shallot, and green beans up to 1 day ahead. Store them covered in the refrigerator. Mix the sauce up to 3 days ahead and stir before using.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Store the rice separately if possible so it does not soak up all the sauce.
- Reheating: Warm in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water, or microwave in short bursts until hot. Add fresh basil after reheating if you have it.
- Chicken swap: Ground turkey, ground pork, or finely chopped chicken thighs all work. Very lean ground chicken can dry out, so avoid overcooking it once the sauce goes in.
- Basil swap: Thai basil gives the closest flavor. Holy basil is traditional but harder to find. Sweet basil can be used in a pinch, though the dish will taste milder.
- Heat control: For a mild version, use 1 serrano or even half of one and remove the seeds. For a hotter version, use 4 Thai chiles or serve extra sliced chiles on the side.
Cook's note
This recipe is seasoned to be savory and restaurant-style, but fish sauce, soy sauce, and oyster sauce all contain sodium. If you are sensitive to salt, use low-sodium oyster sauce if available and start with 1 teaspoon fish sauce, then adjust to taste.
04Frequently asked
Questions & answers
Can I make Thai basil chicken without oyster sauce?
Yes. Use 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce plus 1 tablespoon soy sauce as a simple substitute. The flavor will be a little sweeter and less briny, but it will still make a tasty stir-fry.
What is the difference between Thai basil and regular basil?
Thai basil has sturdier leaves and a peppery, slightly licorice-like flavor. Regular sweet basil is softer and sweeter. You can use either, but Thai basil gives the dish a more classic flavor.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes, but check every sauce label. Use gluten-free oyster sauce and gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce. Fish sauce is often gluten-free, but labels vary.
Do I need a wok for this recipe?
No. A wok is helpful because it gets very hot and has high sides, but a large skillet works well. Use the widest pan you have so the chicken browns instead of steaming.
Can I add a fried egg?
Yes. A crispy fried egg is a common topping for this dish. Fry one egg per serving and place it on top of the chicken and rice. The nutrition here does not include the optional egg.
05Per serving
Nutrition facts
Nutrition Facts
4 servings
Amount per serving
% Daily Value*
- Total Fat17 g
- 22%
- Saturated Fat3.3 g
- 16%
- Cholesterol98 mg
- 33%
- Sodium717 mg
- 31%
- Total Carbohydrate44 g
- 16%
- Dietary Fiber3 g
- 11%
- Total Sugars5 g
- Protein26 g
- 52%
- Vitamin D0.1 mcg
- 1%
- Calcium74 mg
- 6%
- Iron3.5 mg
- 19%
- Potassium866 mg
- 18%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
05Keep cooking
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