I developed a Thai Basil Chicken that outshines expensive takeout and hides a clever flavor twist you won’t expect.
I’ve been chasing the perfect spicy stir fry for years and this Spicy Thai Basil Chicken (pad Krapow Gai) finally made me stop. I still cant believe a simple pan of ground chicken and a pile of Thai holy basil leaves can outshine pricey takeout, but that’s exactly what happened.
It’s loud, messy and addictive, the kind of dish that makes you scrape the bottom of the plate. Someone even texted me, “This is a great recipe!
It was better than the expensive take out that I get.” I call it my messy Ground Chicken Thai Basil, and people always want seconds.
Ingredients
- Ground chicken: lean protein, cooks fast, keeps dish light yet satisfying it’s kinda juicy.
- Thai basil: peppery sweet aroma, adds bright herbal punch, not like Italian basil.
- Fish sauce: salty umami depth, small amount goes a long way, super savory boost.
- Oyster sauce: sweet salty glaze, thickens mouthfeel and adds roasted almost caramel notes.
- Garlic: pungent antioxidant rich gives warmth and depth, starts the whole flavor party.
- Bird’s eye chilies: blisteringly hot, adds lively heat and capsaicin benefits, use more if daring.
- Palm sugar: soft sweet balance, rounds out savory, gives subtle caramelized sweetness without being cloying.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 lb (450 g) ground chicken
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 5 to 6 cloves garlic minced
- 3 to 5 Thai bird’s eye chilies thinly sliced
- 1 small shallot thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp palm sugar or brown sugar
- 1 to 2 tbsp chicken stock or water
- 1 cup packed Thai holy basil leaves (krapow) or Thai basil
- 2 scallions sliced (optional)
- 2 large eggs (optional, for frying)
- Steamed jasmine rice for serving (optional)
How to Make this
1. Prep everything first: mince 5 to 6 cloves garlic, thinly slice 3 to 5 bird’s eye chilies (remove seeds if you want less heat), thinly slice the shallot and scallions if using, pick the basil leaves from stems and pack about 1 cup, measure 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp palm or brown sugar and 1 to 2 tbsp chicken stock or water. Crack 2 eggs if you plan to fry them and have steamed jasmine rice ready if serving that way.
2. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat until very hot, add 2 tbsp vegetable oil and swirl. Toss in the garlic, chilies and shallot and stir for 15 to 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned, you want aroma not burned garlic.
3. Add 1 lb ground chicken, break it up with a spatula and spread it out so it can sear a bit. Stir and cook on high heat until most of the pink is gone, about 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Push the chicken to the side and pour in the sauce: oyster sauce, light soy sauce, fish sauce and the 1 tsp palm sugar. Add 1 to 2 tbsp chicken stock or water to loosen things up. Mix everything together and keep stir-frying until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce clings to the meat, about 1 to 2 more minutes.
5. Taste and tweak: add more fish or soy if it needs salt, more sugar if too sharp, or extra sliced chilies if you want it hotter. If sauce looks dry add another splash of stock or water.
6. Turn off the heat and immediately stir in the packed basil leaves and sliced scallions so they wilt from the residual heat, toss once or twice until fragrant and bright green. Don’t overcook the basil or it’ll lose its punch.
7. If making fried eggs, heat a small frying pan with a little oil until very hot, crack in eggs and fry until the edges are crispy and the yolk is still runny if you like it that way. Season the eggs with a pinch of salt.
8. Serve the spicy Thai basil chicken over steamed jasmine rice, top with the fried egg if using. Quick tips: use high heat for wok hei, holy basil is traditional but Thai basil works fine, palm sugar gives the best balance but brown sugar is ok, and crushing the garlic a bit before mincing gives extra flavor.
Equipment Needed
1. Wok or large heavy skillet for high heat stir-frying
2. Small nonstick frying pan for frying eggs (optional)
3. Heatproof spatula or wooden spoon to break up and toss the chicken
4. Chef’s knife for minceing garlic, slicing chilies and shallot
5. Cutting board (use separate area for garlic and chilies if you want)
6. Measuring spoons for the sauces and sugar
7. Small bowl or measuring cup to mix the oyster/soy/fish sauce and stock
8. Rice cooker or pot with lid for steamed jasmine rice
FAQ
Spicy Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai) Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Ground chicken: swap with ground pork, ground turkey, or crumbled firm tofu if you want it meatless
- Fish sauce: use light soy sauce plus a squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt for salty umami, or tamari for gluten free
- Thai bird’s eye chilies: use serrano for similar heat, jalapeño for milder, or a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes if thats all you got
- Thai holy basil: substitute Thai basil, sweet basil, or even cilantro for a different fresh finish
Pro Tips
1) Get the pan screaming hot first and pat the ground chicken a bit drier if it’s soggy. High heat plus a little surface dryness gives quick browning and way more flavor, dont constantly stir so it can sear for a few seconds.
2) Taste the combined sauces before they hit the wok. Fish sauce is super strong so start light, you can always add more. If it gets too salty a little palm or brown sugar or a squeeze of lime fixes it fast.
3) Turn the heat off before you add the basil and scallions, then toss just once or twice so they wilt but stay bright and fragrant. Overcooked basil loses its punch, so less is more here.
4) For the perfect fried egg, heat the oil until it shimmers and fry fast so the edges go crispy while the yolk stays runny. Break that yolk into the rice for instant creaminess and extra sauce pickup.
Spicy Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai) Recipe
I developed a Thai Basil Chicken that outshines expensive takeout and hides a clever flavor twist you won't expect.
4
servings
295
kcal
Equipment: 1. Wok or large heavy skillet for high heat stir-frying
2. Small nonstick frying pan for frying eggs (optional)
3. Heatproof spatula or wooden spoon to break up and toss the chicken
4. Chef’s knife for minceing garlic, slicing chilies and shallot
5. Cutting board (use separate area for garlic and chilies if you want)
6. Measuring spoons for the sauces and sugar
7. Small bowl or measuring cup to mix the oyster/soy/fish sauce and stock
8. Rice cooker or pot with lid for steamed jasmine rice
Ingredients
-
1 lb (450 g) ground chicken
-
2 tbsp vegetable oil
-
5 to 6 cloves garlic minced
-
3 to 5 Thai bird's eye chilies thinly sliced
-
1 small shallot thinly sliced (optional)
-
1 tbsp oyster sauce
-
1 tbsp light soy sauce
-
1 tbsp fish sauce
-
1 tsp palm sugar or brown sugar
-
1 to 2 tbsp chicken stock or water
-
1 cup packed Thai holy basil leaves (krapow) or Thai basil
-
2 scallions sliced (optional)
-
2 large eggs (optional, for frying)
-
Steamed jasmine rice for serving (optional)
Directions
- Prep everything first: mince 5 to 6 cloves garlic, thinly slice 3 to 5 bird's eye chilies (remove seeds if you want less heat), thinly slice the shallot and scallions if using, pick the basil leaves from stems and pack about 1 cup, measure 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp palm or brown sugar and 1 to 2 tbsp chicken stock or water. Crack 2 eggs if you plan to fry them and have steamed jasmine rice ready if serving that way.
- Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat until very hot, add 2 tbsp vegetable oil and swirl. Toss in the garlic, chilies and shallot and stir for 15 to 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned, you want aroma not burned garlic.
- Add 1 lb ground chicken, break it up with a spatula and spread it out so it can sear a bit. Stir and cook on high heat until most of the pink is gone, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Push the chicken to the side and pour in the sauce: oyster sauce, light soy sauce, fish sauce and the 1 tsp palm sugar. Add 1 to 2 tbsp chicken stock or water to loosen things up. Mix everything together and keep stir-frying until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce clings to the meat, about 1 to 2 more minutes.
- Taste and tweak: add more fish or soy if it needs salt, more sugar if too sharp, or extra sliced chilies if you want it hotter. If sauce looks dry add another splash of stock or water.
- Turn off the heat and immediately stir in the packed basil leaves and sliced scallions so they wilt from the residual heat, toss once or twice until fragrant and bright green. Don’t overcook the basil or it’ll lose its punch.
- If making fried eggs, heat a small frying pan with a little oil until very hot, crack in eggs and fry until the edges are crispy and the yolk is still runny if you like it that way. Season the eggs with a pinch of salt.
- Serve the spicy Thai basil chicken over steamed jasmine rice, top with the fried egg if using. Quick tips: use high heat for wok hei, holy basil is traditional but Thai basil works fine, palm sugar gives the best balance but brown sugar is ok, and crushing the garlic a bit before mincing gives extra flavor.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 250g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 295kcal
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated Fat: 4.8g
- Trans Fat: 0.03g
- Polyunsaturated: 3g
- Monounsaturated: 10g
- Cholesterol: 192mg
- Sodium: 675mg
- Potassium: 438mg
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Sugar: 1g
- Protein: 38g
- Vitamin A: 400IU
- Vitamin C: 10mg
- Calcium: 30mg
- Iron: 1.4mg