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–+ servings
A bowl of white rice topped with Thai Basil Chicken, seasoned ground meat, red chili peppers, and fresh green herbs, served on a gray plate with a green napkin underneath.
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Thai Basil Chicken Recipe (Gai Pad Krapow)

Make easy Thai basil chicken stir fry in minutes with ground chicken, holy basil, chilies, and bold Thai seasonings. Perfect with jasmine rice and a fried egg on top.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Thai
Keyword: basil chicken stir fry, gai pad kra pao, gai pad krapow, thai basil chicken
Servings: 4
Calories: 291kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist

Ingredients

FOR THE SAUCE

  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon chili-garlic paste or use sambal oelek
  • 1-2 tablespoons water for saucier, if needed
  • Pinch of sugar optional

FOR THE STIR FRY

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or canola oil or other high temperature oil
  • 1 shallot sliced
  • 2-3 Thai bird's eye chilies or serranos sliced (Bird’s eye chilies are very spicy - start with 1-2 if you prefer milder heat. Use more for extra heat.)
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1 1/2 cups holy basil leaves loosely packed - Thai basil or Italian basil can be used if needed tender basil stems can also be stir-fried for extra flavor
  • For serving. Cooked jasmine rice, optional crispy fried eggs
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Whisk together the fish sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, chili-garlic paste, and optional pinch of sugar in a small bowl. Whisk in 1-2 tablespoons water for a thinner sauce, if desired. Set aside.
  • Heat the oil over high heat in a wok. Add the shallot, chilies, and garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  • Add the ground chicken and stir fry for 3-4 minutes, breaking it up as you go, until it mostly cooks through and crisps up.
  • Stir in the reserved sauce and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.
  • Add the basil and stir fry until softened to your liking, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  • Serve over hot rice with an optional crispy fried egg on top.

Notes

Add 1 red bell pepper or other sweet pepper thinly sliced for a fuller meal. Works with your favorite veggies.
Nutritional information estimated without rice or egg.

Nutrition

Calories: 291kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 1651mg | Potassium: 804mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 699IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg