Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai) is a super fast minced chicken stir-fry in rich, spicy brown sauce with Thai holy basil. This dish is great served over rice with a wok-fried egg on top.
Years ago I shared a recipe for Thai Basil Chicken that I titled “What to Eat in a Thai Airport”. It was a random title for a recipe post on a blog, but a very true statement. When I was living and working in Bangkok and traveling throughout Thailand, I’d often find myself hungry and at a roadside food stall, in an obscure mall, or in a tiny airport restaurant. And when in doubt over what to order, Pad Krapow Gai was my go-to dish. a subpar Pad Krapow Gai in Thailand is easily better than 90% of what I get for lunch here in the United States. It’s rich, peppery, spicy, and loaded with the uniquely exotic flavor of Thai holy basil.
It feels worth mentioning that in 2012 when I was traveling throughout Thailand for work, a very respectable plate of Pad Krapow Gai in rural Thailand cost 75 cents, plus an extra 5 cents for the fried egg. (I would never order this dish without that wok-fried egg!)
The thing that makes Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai) such a smart order in Thailand is the same thing that makes it a great Thai dish to master at home. This dish cooks fast and only uses a few ingredients. Here’s how to make it.
Thai Basil Chicken Ingredients
- Thai Holy Basil – Find this fresh basil variety in an international / Asian grocery store. Thai Holy Basil has rough leaves and has a flavor that is peppery and and a bit sour. It is the key ingredient that makes Thai Basil chicken taste truly authentic.
- Chicken – Boneless, skinless chicken breast is great in this recipe, but boneless, skinless chicken thighs would also work. For an authentic texture, chop the chicken into pea-sized pieces yourself. For a shortcut, ground chicken totally works (though it doesn’t have quite the same rustic texture as chopping it yourself).
- Bird’s Eye Chilis – These are the spicy element of the dish. Bird’s eye chilis are teeny little peppers that are red or green. They are SUPER spicy, so you’ll need to adjust them to your taste – start with 1 chili for a little spice and go up to 5 if you like spice (or even more if you’re super tolerant of spice – go you!). I fall somewhere in the middle and go for about 3 in this recipe.
- Garlic – Just regular old garlic. Feel free to increase this if you love garlic.
- Sweet Thai Soy Sauce and Light Thai Soy Sauce – The combination of these two soy sauces gives the sauce in this dish a combination of sweet and savory flavor. Check out the Guide to Essential Thai Ingredients for more on these sauces.
- Oyster Sauce – The sauce doesn’t taste fishy in the amount it’s used here, but it gives the sauce a rich, savory flavor that is essential for this dish.
- Rice and Egg (for serving) – This dish is great served over rice with a Wok-Fried Egg.
What if You Can’t Find Thai Holy Basil?
As noted above, Thai Holy Basil is the key ingredient that makes Thai Basil Chicken taste truly authentic, so there is no substitute if you want the dish to taste like it does in Thailand. That said, the dish is still delicious when made with regular Thai Basil. Regular Thai Basil has a slightly sweeter flavor and has smoother leaves compared to Thai Holy Basil. You cannot use Italian-style basil as a substitute for Thai basil in any Thai recipes.
Substitute for Thai Soy Sauce
In a pinch, you can make a great version of Thai Basil Chicken even if you don’t have the two types of Thai Soy Sauce required for the sauce. This substitute sauce recipe won’t taste exactly like the authentic or restaurant version of the dish, but it still makes a great version of Thai Basil Chicken. All of these ingredients are available at most grocery stores (some in the international aisle).
Whisk together:
- 1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 2 tsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Fish Sauce
- 1 tsp Granulated (white) Sugar
- 1 tsp Light Brown Sugar
More Thai Stir-Fry Recipes
- Sesame Garlic Ramen Stir-Fry – Need a quick and easy weeknight meal? Look no further than this one-pan stir-fry noodle dish made with quick-cooking instant ramen noodles, tender chicken, and crisp snow peas in a savory sesame garlic sauce.
- Honey Garlic Chicken Fried Rice – In a sweet and savory sauce, Honey Garlic Chicken Fried Rice has tons more flavor than any fried rice you’d find at your local take-out spot. This is great served right away or tucked away for a quick and unique freezer meal.
- Chicken with Thai Holy Basil – This dish is a popular way to use Thai holy basil, which, to me, tastes more tart than sweet basil and has almost a citrus quality to it.
- 20-Minute Chicken Ramen Stir-Fry – In 20 minutes, you can make this Chicken Ramen Stir-Fry for dinner tonight. It tastes better than take-out, has less than 400 calories, and it’s fast (did I mention that?).
Favorite Tools
- Joyce Chen Carbon Steel Wok – Almost any Thai recipe you can think of can be made in a wok. This inexpensive wok has been a staple in my kitchen for 5+ years. If you’re not ready for a wok to take up space in your kitchen, a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven will work great as well.
- Wok Spatula – The rounded edge of this spatula helps to scrape the sides of a wok down as food cooks.
- Splatter Screen for Cooking – If cooking foods that will splatter, I love using this screen to cover the pan.
Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai)
Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai) is a super fast minced chicken stir-fry in rich, spicy brown sauce with Thai holy basil. This dish is great served over rice with a wok-fried egg on top.
For the Sauce:
- 1 Tbsp Sweet Thai Soy Sauce
- 2 tsp Light Thai Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Oyster Sauce
For the Stir-Fry:
- 2 – 6 Thai Bird's Eye Chilis ((these are very spicy; adjust according to your spice tolerance))
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 1 Tbsp Cooking Oil ((a neutral oil like canola, vegetable, or avocado oil work well))
- 1 lb Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast, finely chopped ((sub ground chicken, see note))
- 20 leaves Thai Holy Basil ((see note))
For Serving:
- Cooked Rice ((cooked Thai Jasmine Rice is great here))
- Wok Fried Eggs ((check out the recipe here))
- Fish Sauce
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In a mortar and pestle, grind the chilis and garlic until they are in rough pieces, but haven’t quite formed a paste. (Note: If you don’t have a mortar and pestle or prefer not to use them, you can finely chop the chilis and garlic. Be careful when handling Bird’s Eye Chilis – they can sting your fingers and anything you touch; these are best handled while wearing gloves.) Set aside.
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Combine sweet Thai soy sauce, light Thai soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Set sauce aside.
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Heat cooking oil in a wok over high heat.
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When oil is hot, add chilis and garlic and saute until fragrant, ~1 minute.
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Add chicken, stirring until chicken is nearly cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes.
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Pour sauce into wok and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce reduces and has coated the chicken.
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Stir in basil until it is wilted, about 1 minute more.
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Serve over rice with fried egg on top and extra fish sauce on the side.
Sauce substitute – If you don’t have access to the Thai ingredients listed in this sauce, you can still make a very good version of Thai Basil Chicken. Instead of the sauce listed above, try this version that uses common grocery store ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 2 tsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Fish Sauce
- 1 tsp Granulated (white) Sugar
- 1 tsp Light Brown Sugar
Bird’s Eye Chilis – Don’t have access to Bird’s Eye Chilis? Try using red jalapeno peppers or use dried Red Pepper Flakes for the spice.
Chicken Breast – For an authentic texture in this dish, chop the chicken yourself into small pieces, roughly the size of peas. To save time, you can also use store-bought ground chicken, though you won’t get the authentic texture that is used in authentic Thai versions of the dish.
Thai Holy Basil – You’ll find Thai varieties of basil in two versions. “Thai Basil” has smooth leaves and is slightly sweet and citrusy. “Thai Holy Basil” has rough leaves and has a flavor that is peppery and and a bit sour. For authentic Thai Basil Chicken, you must use Thai Holy Basil. That said, I’ve made it with regular Thai Basil, and I still think it’s great. I feel confident that you’ll love the result with either of these varieties. You cannot make this dish with the Italian-style basil that is sold in most American grocery stores.
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