Thai Basil Chicken
Thai Basil Chicken – Make this better-than-takeout recipe in the comfort of your own home in less than 20 minutes. This insanely flavorful, healthier, and lighter option to the traditional restaurant version is a guaranteed hit with the family.
I love Thai restaurants and can eat basil chicken any day of the week. But making it at home is especially perfect for a stress-free weeknight dinner. It’s a flavorful and healthy improvement to the standard fast-food fix. Besides, garlic, Thai basil, and chili pepper make everything better!
Before my blogging days, I used to use these flavors in my cooking as often as possible. Now, not so much—I have to diversify, right? But the unique flavor of Thai basil with that anise-like quality keeps calling me back.
Is Thai Basil Chicken Spicy?
In general, Thai food is pretty spicy. While this Thai basil chicken recipe has quite a kick, it’s definitely on the milder side. Instead of using the super-hot red chili pepper, I add sriracha sauce and pepper flakes so my sous chef can enjoy it, too! However, feel free to add more chili sauce or spicy red chilis if you are a heat seeker.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Oil – Vegetable oil works because of its high smoke point. You could also use other neutral-tasting oils, such as canola or peanut.
- Seasonings – Onion and garlic provide the perfect flavor base. Sriracha sauce and red pepper flakes add layers of flavor and just the right amount of heat without being overpowering.
- Chicken – My preference is skinless, boneless chicken breasts for convenience. But you could also use chicken thighs or ground chicken.
- Sauce – Fish sauce, soy sauce, and sugar combine to give this dish its signature hot, sweet, savory, and umami flavors.
- Thai Basil leaves provide a fresh, peppery flavor with just a hint of licorice. However, you can substitute sweet basil or Italian basil if you can’t find them at your local grocery store. And the dish will turn out spectacular.
How to Make Thai Basil Chicken
- Rice – If you’re serving this dish with rice, start cooking the rice before you cook the chicken.
- Seasonings – Heat oil in a wok or saucepan, swirl to coat the pan, and add onions, garlic, sriracha sauce, and pepper flakes—sauté until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Be careful not to let it burn.
- Chicken – Add chicken and cook until it’s no longer pink and is slightly browned (7-10 minutes). You can add a little water, if desired, to prevent burning.
- Sauce – Add the brown sugar, fish sauce, and soy sauce. Continue simmering until the sauce thickens and the chicken cooks through.
- Basil – Finally, stir in the basil leaves. Turn the heat off once the leaves wilt.
- Serve – Dish it up on a serving platter and serve with steamed rice for an authentic Thai dish.
Variation Ideas
- Protein swap. Replace the chicken with your favorite protein, such as turkey, shrimp, pork, or tofu.
- Veggie add-ins. Add chopped red bell pepper, fresh mushrooms, snow peas, broccoli, or baby corn for extra nutrients and color.
- Go nuts! Add toasted cashews to the dish or garnish it with a sprinkle of roasted peanuts for a delightful crunch.
- Fried rice. A great leftover makeover is Thai basil chicken fried rice. Chop everything up, melt some butter in a skillet, add leftover rice and chicken, add a little soy sauce, and heat through.
- Pad krapow. This similar dish uses Thai holy basil instead of the regular basil. Black soy sauce, yard-long beans, and ground meat or chicken deliver close to an authentic recipe.
Tips and Tricks
- For an extra special touch, lightly fry the basil until crispy and use as garnish.
- This recipe comes together quickly, so have everything ready before you start.
- High heat is key to a flavorful stir fry. Make sure the oil is ripping hot when you start.
Make-Ahead Instructions
Thai basil chicken cooks up in a flash once all the prep work is done. That said, you can do most of the prep work a day in advance. Chop the chicken, onion, and garlic and refrigerate them in separate containers.
If you’re adding veggies to the dish, you can also clean and chop them the day before and store them in the fridge. Allow the meat to come to room temperature, and then cook as directed.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Thai basil chicken is absolutely mouthwatering over a bed of fluffy rice. Garnish it with chopped peanuts or fresh diced mango for a special touch.
Leftovers are easy to store and taste just as amazing the next day. Transfer them to an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days. This dish also keeps well for 3 months in the freezer. Place the container in the refrigerator to defrost before reheating.
To reheat, place the leftovers in a skillet over medium-high heat for approximately 5 minutes. Or you can heat individual portions in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.
Perfect Sides for Thai Basil Chicken
You can’t go wrong serving Thai basil chicken over a plate of aromatic jasmine or basmati rice. A fresh, colorful pineapple cucumber salad perfectly complements the savory chicken.
Wine Pairing: Spicy dishes go best with sweeter wines. An off-dry Reisling or Gewûrztraminer is the perfect match, but a slightly sweet Pinot Gris is also delicious.
More Quick, Easy, and Delicious Chicken Recipes to Try
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was originally published in January 2015 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video
Thai Basil Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon (6-7g) sriracha sauce
- 1 teaspoon (1g) crushed red pepper
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced (about 3 tablespoons)
- 1 pound (450g) skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 teaspoon (10g) brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) or more fish sauce (adjust to taste)
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) soy sauce
- ¾ cup (15g) fresh basil leaves (10 or more leaves)
Instructions
- If serving this dish with rice, start cooking the rice before you cook the chicken.
- Heat oil in a wok or saucepan, swirl to coat the pan, and add onions, garlic, sriracha sauce, and pepper flakes—sauté until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Be careful not to let it burn.
- Add chicken and cook until it's no longer pink and is slightly browned (7-10 minutes). You can add a little water, if desired, to prevent burning.
- Add the brown sugar, fish sauce, and soy sauce. Continue simmering until the sauce thickens and the chicken cooks through.
- Finally, stir in the basil leaves. Turn the heat off once the leaves wilt.
- Serve it on a serving platter with steamed rice for an authentic Thai dish.
Tips & Notes:
- Thai basil chicken is pretty spicy. While this one has quite a kick, it’s definitely on the mild side. Instead of using super hot red chili peppers, I sub with sriracha sauce and pepper flakes.
- If you are a heat seeker, definitely add more chili sauce or use the spicy red chili.
- For an extra special touch, lightly fry the basil until crispy and use as garnish.
- This recipe comes together quickly, so have everything ready before you start.
- High heat is key to a flavorful stir fry. Make sure the oil is ripping hot when you start.
- Pad krapow. This similar dish uses Thai holy basil instead of regular basil. Black soy sauce, yard-long beans, and ground meat or chicken deliver close to an authentic recipe.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
