Description
Spicy Thai Basil Chicken, or Pad Krapow Gai, is a quick and flavorful stir-fry dish featuring tender chicken thighs cooked with aromatic garlic, shallots, and fiery Thai chilies, all tossed in a savory-sweet sauce and finished with fresh basil. Perfectly served over hot cooked rice, this authentic Thai street food classic delivers a spicy, fragrant meal ready in just 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce
- 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
- Prepare the sauce: In a bowl, whisk together chicken broth, oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, white sugar, and brown sugar until well blended to create a balanced savory-sweet sauce.
- Heat the skillet and cook chicken: Place a large skillet over high heat and drizzle in vegetable oil. Add the coarsely chopped chicken thighs and stir fry until the chicken loses its raw pink color, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add aromatics and chilies: Stir in the sliced shallots, minced garlic, and minced Thai chilies. Continue cooking on high heat until some of the juices begin to caramelize at the pan’s bottom, approximately 2 to 3 more minutes.
- Caramelize sauce residue: Add about one tablespoon of the prepared sauce mixture to the skillet, cooking and stirring until the sauce starts to caramelize, roughly 1 minute. This step deepens the flavor.
- Deglaze and glaze the chicken: Pour the remaining sauce into the skillet and cook while stirring to deglaze the pan, loosening the flavorful caramelized bits. Continue cooking until the sauce thickly glazes the chicken, about 1 to 2 minutes more. Then remove the skillet from heat.
- Incorporate fresh basil: Stir in the very thinly sliced fresh basil leaves. Cook and stir just until the basil wilts, about 20 seconds, preserving its fragrant aroma.
- Serve: Spoon the spicy Thai basil chicken over hot cooked rice and serve immediately for the best flavor and texture.
- Enjoy: Relish this vibrant, spicy, and savory Thai classic made quickly at home.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of fresh chilies to control the level of spiciness according to your taste.
- Using boneless, skinless chicken thighs helps keep the meat tender and juicy.
- If fresh Thai basil is unavailable, Italian basil can be used as a substitute, though the flavor will differ slightly.
- Serve with steamed jasmine rice for a traditional pairing.
- This dish is best enjoyed immediately to retain the basil’s fresh aroma and vibrant flavors.
- To make this recipe gluten-free, use tamari instead of soy sauce and verify oyster sauce is gluten-free.
