Thai Basil Chicken (Gai Pad Krapow) Recipe
Thai Basil Chicken, or Gai Pad Krapow, is a quick and flavorful stir-fry featuring ground chicken, fresh Thai basil, and a spicy chili-garlic punch. This authentic Thai dish is perfect for an easy weeknight meal, offering a balance of savory, sweet, and aromatic flavors, served traditionally over steamed rice.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 tablespoons oil
- 3 Thai bird chilies or Holland chilies
- 3 shallots, sliced
- 5 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 2 teaspoons sugar or honey
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth or water
- 1 bunch holy or Thai basil leaves
Instructions
- Heat aromatics: In a wok over high heat, add the oil, chilies, shallots, and garlic. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, ensuring the aromatics release their flavors into the oil.
- Cook chicken: Add the ground chicken to the wok and stir-fry for about 2 minutes, breaking up the meat into small bits to ensure even cooking.
- Add seasonings: Stir in the sugar, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Cook for another minute to blend the flavors.
- Deglaze: Pour in the chicken broth to deglaze the pan, allowing the liquid to reduce quickly over high heat and pick up any flavorful bits stuck to the wok.
- Add basil: Toss in the holy or Thai basil leaves and stir-fry just until they wilt, which should take only seconds.
- Serve: Remove from heat and serve the Thai Basil Chicken hot over steamed rice.
Notes
- You can adjust the number of chilies according to your heat preference.
- Substitute ground chicken with ground turkey or pork for variation.
- For a sweeter touch, honey can replace sugar.
- Use low sodium soy sauce to control the salt level.
- Serve with jasmine rice or steamed white rice for a traditional presentation.
