Stir-fry this simple Thai-style basil chicken for a quick meal
Thai basil chicken, or pad krapow gai, is a sweet and spicy stir-fry with aromatic flavors from a generous amount of basil. It’s a great dish to adapt to the 5:30 Challenge column; the cooking time is very short, and it only needs a few tweaks to simplify the ingredient list.
What type of basil is best for Thai-style basil chicken?
Traditionally, basil chicken is made using holy basil, also known as krapow (which translates to holy basil, so it’s in the name). However, it can be a challenge to find the herb outside Thailand, so you can substitute Thai basil or even Italian basil in this recipe. The final flavor of the dish will vary depending on the basil variety, but it’ll be plenty tasty no matter what you can find. Just be sure to pick up a large bunch; this stir-fry relies heavily on the basil for both flavor and color.
Add the basil in two stages, once over the heat to release its full aromatic potential, and then again off the heat before serving for a bit more color and brightness.
Diced chicken breasts make a lean, protein-packed stir-fry
While you’ll often see basil chicken made with ground poultry, I prefer to make it with diced boneless chicken breasts. They make a leaner dish that’s packed with protein, plus I find the larger pieces of meat are more satisfying to eat. Stir-fry the chicken on its own until cooked through, then remove it from the skillet to build the sauce. This two-step cooking method ensures the meat stays juicy and does not overcook.
Oyster sauce is the base for the simple, glazy sauce
Salty, sweet and flavor-packed oyster sauce is another key ingredient in basil chicken. Most recipes add additional soy sauce (both dark and light) to accentuate the flavor, but that’s not truly necessary for a simplified sauce.
In addition to oyster sauce, minced garlic and red pepper flakes (use anywhere from 1/4 teaspoon for a mild stir-fry to 1 teaspoon for a spicy one) bring depth and heat. One-fourth cup of water thins the oyster sauce just enough to easily coat the chicken.
Thai-Style Basil Chicken Stir-Fry
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/4 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup oyster sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 3/4 cup fresh basil leaves, preferably holy basil or Thai basil, divided
- On the side: Steamed white rice
- Season the chicken with the salt.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until browned and cooked through, 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet, followed by the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Stir in the oyster sauce and water and bring to a simmer. Return the chicken to the skillet, add 1/2 cup basil leaves, and stir to coat the chicken and basil in the sauce. Continue to cook over medium-high heat until the sauce thickens, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 1/4 cup basil leaves.
- Serve immediately with white rice.
Serves 4.