Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai)

by 30MinuteMeals
Prep: 5m
Cook: 10m
poultry
Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai) - Image

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Ingredients
Servings:4
3tbspvegetable oil
3Thai bird chilies
3shallots
5garlic cloves
1lbground chicken
2tspsugar
2tbspsoy sauce
1tbspfish sauce
1/3cuplow-sodium chicken broth
1cupThai basil leaves
Nutrition Facts

Per serving

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Instructions
  1. 1

    Prep the aromatics

    Thinly slice the chilies (de-seed if you want less heat), shallots, and garlic. Pick the basil leaves off the stems and have them ready next to the stove. Once you start cooking, you won't have time to chop.

  1. 2

    Crank the heat

    Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat — not medium-high, high. Add the oil, then the chilies, shallots, and garlic. Stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes until softened and just starting to brown at the edges.

  2. 3

    Brown the chicken

    Add the ground chicken and stir-fry for 2 minutes, breaking it up into small bits with the back of your spatula. Keep the heat high — you want color, not steam.

  3. 4

    Sauce and deglaze

    Add the sugar, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Stir-fry one more minute, then pour in the broth and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. The liquid will cook off fast.

  4. 5

    Basil in, plate up

    Toss in the basil and stir-fry until just wilted, about 30 seconds. Serve immediately over steamed jasmine rice, ideally with a crispy fried egg on top.

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Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai)

Created by: 30MinuteMeals

Prep Time: 5m
Cook Time: 10m
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 3 Thai bird chilies
  • 3 shallots
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup Thai basil leaves

Instructions

  1. Prep the aromaticsThinly slice the chilies (de-seed if you want less heat), shallots, and garlic. Pick the basil leaves off the stems and have them ready next to the stove. Once you start cooking, you won't have time to chop.
  2. Crank the heatHeat a wok or large skillet over high heat — not medium-high, high. Add the oil, then the chilies, shallots, and garlic. Stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes until softened and just starting to brown at the edges.
  3. Brown the chickenAdd the ground chicken and stir-fry for 2 minutes, breaking it up into small bits with the back of your spatula. Keep the heat high — you want color, not steam.
  4. Sauce and deglazeAdd the sugar, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Stir-fry one more minute, then pour in the broth and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. The liquid will cook off fast.
  5. Basil in, plate upToss in the basil and stir-fry until just wilted, about 30 seconds. Serve immediately over steamed jasmine rice, ideally with a crispy fried egg on top.

Notes & Tips

This is the 10-minute weeknight dinner that turns a pound of ground chicken into something better than takeout. Two non-negotiables: get the pan ripping hot before anything goes in, and don't skip the fish sauce — that's the whole backbone of the flavor. Holy basil is traditional but hard to find; Thai basil works, and regular Italian basil will do in a pinch (the dish will be a little sweeter, less peppery). If you want it less spicy, de-seed the chilies or cut down to one. A fried egg on top isn't optional in my house — runny yolk over the chicken and rice is the whole point.