Description
A quick and flavorful Thai Basil Chicken recipe featuring ground chicken stir-fried with aromatic garlic, shallots, and chilies, seasoned with soy and fish sauce, and finished with fragrant Thai basil leaves. Perfect for a spicy and savory meal served over steamed rice.
Ingredients
Scale
Oil
- 3 to 4 tablespoons oil
Aromatics
- 3 Thai bird chilies or holland chilies, deseeded if desired and thinly sliced
- 3 shallots, thinly sliced
- 5 cloves garlic, sliced
Main
- 1 pound ground chicken
Seasonings
- 2 teaspoons sugar or honey
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth or water
Herbs
- 1 bunch holy or Thai basil leaves
Instructions
- Heat the oil: In a wok over high heat, add the oil and heat until shimmering to prepare it for stir-frying.
- Sauté aromatics: Add the sliced chilies, shallots, and garlic to the hot oil. Fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and slightly softened to release their flavors.
- Add chicken: Add the ground chicken to the wok. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes, breaking it into small bits until it is partially cooked.
- Season: Stir in the sugar, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Cook for another minute to combine and enhance the flavors.
- Deglaze: Pour in the chicken broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Continue cooking quickly over high heat until the liquid mostly evaporates, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add basil: Remove the wok from heat, add the Thai basil leaves, and stir until the leaves are wilted and fragrant. Serve hot over steamed rice.
Notes
- Adjust the number of chilies to your preferred spice level, and remove seeds if you want it milder.
- You can substitute ground chicken with ground turkey or pork if desired.
- Use low sodium soy sauce and chicken broth to control salt levels.
- Serve immediately to enjoy the fresh aroma of the basil.
- Optional: add a fried egg on top for added richness as is common in Thai cuisine.
