Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai)
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
5 mins
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Total Time
20 mins
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Servings
4 servings
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Calories
279 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Thai
Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai)
Description
This Thai Basil Chicken recipe starts by grinding bird’s eye chilies with garlic to form a flavorful aromatic paste. The paste is cooked briefly in oil to release fragrance, then ground chicken is added and allowed to brown with some larger chunks intact, providing texture variation. A sauce combining oyster, soy, dark soy, fish sauce (optional), and sugar is poured in to coat the chicken, delivering a balance of savory, salty, and sweet flavors.
Diced yellow onions and green beans are incorporated during cooking, adding fresh vegetable elements and texture. Finally, a generous amount of fresh basil leaves is stirred through, imparting a characteristic herbal aroma native to this Thai dish. Optional components include a fried egg on top for richness and lime wedges to squeeze, especially helpful to balance the flavors if fish sauce is used.
Adjust chili amounts according to preferred spice levels: 4 chilis for mild to medium spice, 6 for authentic heat, and garnish with extra chilies if desired. Fish sauce contributes pungency and saltiness but can be skipped or balanced with lime juice for a milder taste. Holy basil is traditional, but Thai or regular basil may be used instead.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken (other ground meat works, too)
- 4 to 6 bird’s eye chili chopped (depending on spice level desired) (Footnote 1, Thai variety
- 6 cloves garlic , smashed
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce (Optional) (Footnote 2)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Stir Fry
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 yellow onion , diced
- 4 oz green beans cut into 1” (2.5 cm) pieces, about 1/2 cup
- 1 bunch basil , stems removed (Footnote 3)
- egg Optional, fried
- lime Optional) (Footnote 4, wedges
Instructions
- Mince the chilis and garlic together until a rough paste forms (see the blog post above for step-by-step pictures). You can also blend both together in a small food processor or use a mortar & pestle.
- Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the oil and garlic-chili paste to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Cook until the aromatics are fragrant and the garlic is just barely starting to brown.
- Add the ground chicken. Move the aromatics onto the chicken using your spatula to prevent the aromatics from burning. Spread out the chicken and let it cook without disturbing for 1 minute, to let the bottom brown. Break apart the chicken, let cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is almost cooked through and the chicken juices have cooked off, 2 minutes or so. I prefer to keep some larger chunks of chicken without breaking them into a million pieces.
- Pour in the sauce and stir to mix well.
- Add the onion and green beans. Cook for another minute or two, until the sauce is distributed and slightly reduced.
- Turn off the heat and add the basil leaves. Toss until the leaves are wilted.
- Serve hot over rice with a crispy fried egg and a squeeze of lime juice.
Notes
- Adjust the number of bird’s eye chilies to control the dish's spiciness; more chilies increase heat.
- Fish sauce adds authenticity but is optional; if used, balance with lime juice to offset pungency.
- Holy basil is preferred for authentic flavor; Thai basil or regular basil can substitute.
- Serve with a fried egg on top and lime wedges on the side for added richness and acidity.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 279 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 279kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 22.8g | 8% |
| Protein | 27.8g | 56% |
| Fat | 9.7g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat | 2.1g | 11% |
| Cholesterol | 71mg | 24% |
| Sodium | 410mg | 17% |
| Potassium | 906mg | 19% |
| Fiber | 3.7g | 15% |
| Sugar | 11.3g | 23% |
| Calcium | 68mg | 7% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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