Flavorful Thai Basil Chicken Recipe Easy Spicy Pad Krapow Gai Guide
A quick and easy Thai basil chicken stir-fry with a perfect balance of heat, savory notes, and fresh herbaceousness. This authentic Pad Krapow Gai is a family-approved, crowd-pleasing dish ready in under 30 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450g) ground chicken (organic free-range preferred)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or peanut oil)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2–3 Thai bird’s eye chilies, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium optional)
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon palm sugar or brown sugar
- 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
- Optional: steamed jasmine rice, to serve
- Optional: fried egg on top
Instructions
- Mince the garlic cloves finely and chop the Thai chilies into small pieces. Wash and gently pat dry the Thai basil leaves, removing any tough stems.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering (about 1-2 minutes).
- Add the minced garlic and chopped chilies, stirring constantly for 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Increase heat to high and add the ground chicken in a single layer. Break it up with a spatula and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mostly cooked and slightly browned.
- Pour in the soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and palm sugar. Stir well to coat the chicken evenly and cook for another 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Remove from heat and quickly fold in the fresh Thai basil leaves, allowing them to wilt with residual heat.
- Serve immediately over steamed jasmine rice and top with a fried egg if desired.
Notes
Use fresh Thai basil for authentic flavor. Avoid overcrowding the pan to ensure proper searing. Adjust chili quantity to control spiciness. Pat chicken dry before cooking to avoid watery texture. For vegetarian version, substitute ground chicken with crumbled firm tofu and use mushroom soy sauce instead of fish sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/4
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 700
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 10
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 32
Keywords: Thai basil chicken, Pad Krapow Gai, spicy chicken stir-fry, Thai recipe, quick dinner, authentic Thai food