Description
Spicy Thai Basil Chicken, or Pad Krapow Gai, is a vibrant and flavorful stir-fry dish featuring tender chicken thighs cooked quickly with fragrant Thai basil, garlic, chilies, and a savory-sweet sauce. This classic Thai street food recipe delivers bold, spicy, and aromatic flavors in just 25 minutes, making it perfect for a fast weeknight dinner served over steaming hot rice.
Ingredients
Sauce Mixture
- 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 to prepare the sauce and the chicken to ensure the cooking process is smooth and efficient.
- Prepare Sauce Mixture: In a bowl, whisk together chicken broth, oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, white sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is well blended. This will be used to add a rich, savory, and slightly sweet flavor to the dish.
- Cook Chicken: Heat a large skillet over high heat. Drizzle in vegetable oil. Add the coarsely chopped chicken thighs and stir-fry until the chicken changes color and is no longer raw, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add Aromatics: Add sliced shallots, minced garlic, and minced chilies to the skillet. Continue cooking over high heat until the mixture starts to caramelize and release fragrant aromas, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Incorporate Sauce: Pour about a tablespoon of the sauce mixture into the skillet. Cook and stir for about 1 minute until the sauce begins to caramelize and coat the ingredients, enhancing their flavor.
- Deglaze and Glaze: Pour the remaining sauce into the skillet. Stir constantly to deglaze the bottom of the pan, lifting all flavorful bits. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens and glazes the chicken evenly, about 1 to 2 more minutes. Remove the skillet from heat.
- Add Basil: Stir in the very thinly sliced fresh basil leaves. Cook and stir for about 20 seconds until the basil wilts, releasing its aromatic essence.
- Serve: Serve the spicy Thai basil chicken hot over 2 cups of freshly cooked rice. Enjoy immediately for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Use skinless, boneless chicken thighs for better texture and flavor absorption.
- Adjust the amount of chilies based on your heat preference.
- Fresh Thai basil is essential for an authentic flavor; substitute with sweet basil if unavailable.
- Serve immediately as the basil wilts quickly and the flavor is freshest right after cooking.
- For a gluten-free version, ensure soy sauce and oyster sauce are certified gluten-free.
