Description
Spicy Thai Basil Chicken, also known as Pad Krapow Gai, is a quick and flavorful stir-fried dish featuring tender chicken thighs cooked with aromatic garlic, shallots, and fiery chilies, all balanced with a savory-sweet sauce and fresh Thai basil. Served over hot rice, this authentic Thai street food favorite delivers a spicy, fragrant meal in just 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- â…“ cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce, or as needed
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
Main Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup sliced shallots
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons minced Thai chilies, Serrano, or other hot pepper
- 1 cup very thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
- 2 cups hot cooked rice
Instructions
- Gather Ingredients: Collect all the ingredients needed for the recipe to ensure a smooth cooking process.
- Prepare the Sauce: Whisk together chicken broth, oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, white sugar, and brown sugar in a bowl until fully combined.
- Heat Skillet and Cook Chicken: Heat a large skillet over high heat, drizzle in vegetable oil, then add the coarsely chopped chicken thighs. Stir fry until the chicken loses its raw color, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add Aromatics: Stir in sliced shallots, minced garlic, and chopped chilies. Continue cooking on high heat until juices begin to caramelize at the bottom of the skillet, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add Sauce to Caramelize: Pour about one tablespoon of the prepared sauce into the skillet. Cook and stir the mixture until the sauce starts to caramelize, approximately 1 minute.
- Deglaze and Glaze: Add the remaining sauce to the skillet and stir to deglaze the browned bits from the bottom. Continue cooking until the sauce thickly glazes the chicken, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from heat.
- Incorporate Basil: Stir in the very thinly sliced fresh basil leaves and cook just until the basil wilts, about 20 seconds.
- Serve: Spoon the spicy Thai basil chicken over hot cooked rice while still warm and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of chilies to fit your preferred spice level.
- Use chicken thighs for juicier and more flavorful results, but chicken breast can be substituted for a leaner option.
- If Thai basil is unavailable, holy basil or sweet basil can be used as alternatives.
- For a vegetarian version, replace chicken with tofu and omit fish sauce, substituting with soy sauce only.
- Serve with steamed jasmine rice for an authentic accompaniment.
