This easy spicy Thai Basil Chicken recipe infuses authentic Thai flavors into a coconut sauce that’s dynamite over rice or noodles for a fast dinner you will literally find yourself craving.
When my stock of summer’s sweet basil is ready for harvest, I make a mad dash for caprese salads and homemade pesto. But my love of basil roots don’t stop there.
Each spring I go beyond the bounds of planting traditional sweet basil. In my garden, I always make room for at least 3-4 Thai basil plants, just so I can have them to make this Thai basil chicken recipe. It’s creamy, spicy, and when using rice noodles, it’s gluten-free.
In high school, my sister Holly spent a year in Thailand as a foreign exchange student, and our family’s taste buds haven’t been the same since. Holly originally introduced me to the traditional recipe of Pad Krapow Ga. Then my mom found a variation to this Thai Basil Chicken recipe in an old issue of Sunset magazine.
Over the years I’ve added this and that to make the recipe my own, and come late summer, it shows up nearly every week on our dinner table, taking full advantage of that sweet but savory, homegrown Thai basil.
What’s the Difference Between Thai Basil and Regular Basil?
So what’s the difference? Is Thai basil the same as regular basil? Just like lettuces, peppers, and citrus, there’s a different flavor found in every type of basil. From cinnamon basil to sweet basil, they all vary just a bit.
Thai basil has a more distinct licorice or anise flavor. It’s more more savory and is a defining characteristic in Southeast Asian recipes where it’s sturdy leaves hold up well to longer cooking times. Its the perfect herb-ey basil punch for stewed dishes, soups, those with a heavier sauce, and for when you’re looking for something to spice up a dish with perfumed licorice and citrus notes.
Which is why it is PER-FECT-O for my go-to summertime dish of Thai Basil Chicken.
Ingredients in Thai Basil Chicken
The ingredients in this Thai basil chicken can easily be found at most any good grocery store. However, there is one quality ingredient you may need to purchase at an Asian market or online, noted below:
- Ground chicken: I prefer ground chicken thighs because they have a higher fat content, which lends more flavor.
- Shiitake mushrooms: Brown mushrooms can easily be substituted if you like
- Red bell pepper: Orange or yellow would be good too
- Onion: I prefer red for the color
- Fresh ginger: Instead of a knife, use a spoon to scrape off the brown skin
- Garlic: Fresh is best
- Thai basil: If you can’t find Thai basil, sweet basil will work
- Mint: Another herb for delicious flavor
- Coconut milk: Use the best quality coconut milk you can find, and avoid using the low-fat version. Older coconut milk will separate in the can, with the fat becoming a solid chunk. If this happens, whisk, shake or mix the solid and the liquid into one. I’ve found organic coconut milks don’t separate as much, but that could just be luck of the draw.
- Soy sauce: Use light soy sauce for a less salty flavor
- Rice wine vinegar: Do not confuse this ingredient with rice wine
- Fish sauce: ALWAYS use a high quality fish sauce. Fish sauce sounds weird, but it lends the distinct Thai taste we all love. I like the Red Boat brand the best, and get it from my local Asian market or you can order it here.
- Chile garlic sauce: I use Sambal Oelek for it’s balanced heat to vinegar bite
- Rice stick noodles or rice for serving
- Chopped peanuts for garnish
How to Make Thai Basil Chicken
There are just a few simple steps to make this quick and dinner an easy success.
This dish comes together relatively fast so prep all of the ingredients before you start cooking. Having everything chopped, sliced, and ready to roll saves time in the long run.
Start cooking your rice or soften the noodles before you start cooking the veg and the meat so everything finishes at the same time.
Like many Thai recipes, you’ll be cooking this dish in the same pan, but in stages.
First, sauté the mushrooms, onion and bell pepper to soften, then remove from the pan and set aside.
Next, cook aromatics with the ground chicken. The garlic and ginger will continue to cook as the chicken does. Use a flat edged wooden spatula to chop the chicken fine as it cooks.
As the chicken cooks, whisk together the coconut milk and sauce ingredients in a 4-cup measuring cup and set aside.
Finally, combine all of the cooked ingredients and add the coconut milk mixture. Cook down until the sauce reduces, then add the herbs.
Serve with cooked brown or white rice, or softened rice noodles. Garnish with more herbs, chopped peanuts, and squeezes of fresh lime juice.
An Easy Recipe for Easy Entertaining
This recipe is great for entertaining. Complete the cooking and keep warm on the stove then re-heat the dish and add the fresh herbs.
This Thai basil chicken recipe makes great leftovers. Store the chicken mixture separate from the rice or noodles for 3-4 days in the fridge. The chicken also makes terrific chicken lettuce cups.
What to Serve with Thai Basil Chicken
- Sweet And Sour Asian Pickled Cucumbers
- 5 Ingredient Thai Pumpkin Soup
- Thai Coconut Cauliflower
- Stuffed Artichokes With Thai Shrimp Salad
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Bookmark this recipe and leave a comment below, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai)
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken thighs
- ½ pound fresh shiitake mushrooms , sliced
- 1 red bell pepper , cored and sliced
- 1 red onion , thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger , minced
- 3 garlic cloves , minced or pressed
- 1 ½ cups plus ¼ cup for garnish, of thai basil , (or basil of your preference)
- ½ cup fresh mint
- 1 15-ounce can coconut milk
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce , (use light soy sauce for less salty flavor)
- 6 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons fish sauce to taste
- 1 tablespoon chile garlic sauce or Sambal Oelek or more to taste
- 1 8-ounce package rice stick noodles or 8 cups cooked rice
- ground peanuts and lime for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a deep sided fry pan over medium heat. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan. Add thek the mushrooms, onion, and red pepper and cook until softened, about 8 -10 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl and set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan then add the minced ginger and garlic. Cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the ground chicken. Use a wooden spatula to break the chicken into small pieces as it browns. Cook for 6-8 minutes or until cooked through.
- While the chicken is cooking, in a 4 cup measuring cup or bowl, whisk the coconut milk, soy sauce, rice vinegar, fish sauce and chile sauce. When the chicken is cooked through, add the mushroom and onion mixture back to the pan with the coconut milk mixture, 1 ½ cup basil plus mint and simmer until reduced by one third. Serve the chicken mixture over cooked rice or softened rice stick noodles. Serve with additional basil for garnish, peanuts and lime wedges.
Notes
Nutrition
Try These Thai Recipes Too
- Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup
- Shrimp In Thai Coconut Sauce
- Thai Quinoa Salad
- Thai Coconut Noodle Salad
- Thai Coconut Chicken And Rice
- Chicken Satay With Lighter Almond Dipping Sauce
- Thai Red Beef Curry
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Mark
Wow, so not authentic. I too lived in and learned to cook in Thailand.
This may suit midwestern taste but try this to make it more authentic.
Use 3 table spoons of Aroyo yellow curry mix in the broth ( you may have to get it on line), smash 3-6 Thai chillies and fry with the ginger and garlic prior to frying the meat. Always add 2 tbl spoons sugar and the juice of 1-2 limes. A table spoon of oyster sauce wouldn’t hurt. Finally add a cup of water to the coconut mixture.
Try it.. you wont be sorry.
Okay Mark, thanks for your tip. I think this one is pretty fantastic and reflects the meals I had when in Thailand too. But every recipe is different!
Athena
This was soooo good!! Added another pepper and a zucchini though. Everyone went back for seconds♥️
Glad it was a success!