This mouthwatering Thai Basil Chicken comes together in just 20 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknight dinners. Packed with 23g of protein and bursting with authentic Thai flavors, this quick stir-fry combines tender chicken pieces with aromatic basil in a savory sauce.
At only 283 calories per serving, it’s a healthier alternative to takeout that doesn’t compromise on taste. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or new to Thai cuisine, this recipe delivers restaurant-quality results right in your own kitchen.
Essential Ingredients
- Ground Chicken (1 pound): Can substitute with diced chicken breast or ground turkey for variety
- Aromatics: 2 sliced shallots, 6 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp minced ginger for authentic Thai flavor
- Vegetables: Bell pepper and your choice of asparagus, green beans, mushrooms, or broccolini
- Sauce Elements: Fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and Asian chili sauce for depth
- Fresh Basil (2/3 cup): Essential for authentic Thai flavor
- Additional Components: Oil, brown sugar, chicken broth, cornstarch for thickening
Cooking Instructions
- Prepare the Base: Heat oil in wok over medium-high heat, then add shallots, garlic, ginger, and vegetables
- Cook Aromatics: Stir-fry vegetables for 3 minutes until fragrant
- Add Protein: Push vegetables aside, add ground chicken on high heat, breaking into small pieces
- Create Sauce: Mix brown sugar, sauces, cornstarch, broth, and water, then pour into pan
- Final Touches: Cook for 3 minutes, then add basil until wilted
- Serve: Present over freshly cooked jasmine rice while hot
Cooking Techniques
This Thai Basil Chicken comes together quickly in a wok or large skillet! The key to success is having all your ingredients ready before you start cooking. The high heat cooking method creates amazing flavors, but moves fast – so you’ll want everything within arm’s reach.
Keep the heat medium-high when cooking the aromatics (garlic, ginger, shallots), then crank it up to high for the chicken. This gives you tender veggies and perfectly cooked meat!
Variations & Substitutions
This recipe is super flexible! While ground chicken is traditional, ground turkey works great too. The sauce can be adjusted to your taste – if you can’t find fish sauce, hoisin sauce makes a good backup. Feel free to play with the vegetables – snow peas, mushrooms, or bamboo shoots are all tasty additions.
Want it spicier? Add more chili sauce! Need it milder? Start with just 1 tablespoon of chili sauce and taste as you go. If you can’t find Thai basil, regular basil will still give you wonderful flavor.
Serving Suggestions
Jasmine rice is the perfect partner for this dish – it soaks up all that yummy sauce! For a complete meal, add a fresh cucumber salad on the side. Want to make it low-carb? Serve it over cauliflower rice or in lettuce cups.
A sprinkle of chopped peanuts on top adds nice crunch, and extra basil leaves make a pretty garnish. Don’t forget lime wedges on the side – a little squeeze of fresh lime juice really makes the flavors pop!
Storage Tips
Got leftovers? Lucky you! This dish keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. The flavors actually get better overnight as everything mingles together. When reheating, add a splash of water or chicken broth to keep it from drying out. Just remember to store your fresh rice separately from the chicken mixture – this helps both stay at their best.
Thai Basil Chicken
Equipment
- Wok or large skillet
Ingredients
For Stir Fry
- 2 Tablespoon oil vegetable or canola
- 2 shallots thinly sliced
- 6 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger minced
- 1/2 bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 pound ground chicken lean, or diced chicken breast or ground turkey
For Sauce
- 2 teaspoon light brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon fish sauce or substitute hoisin sauce
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Asian Garlic Chili Sauce or Sambal Oelek more or less to taste, for heat
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2/3 cup fresh basil leaves
For Serving
- Cooked Jasmine rice for serving
Instructions
- In a wok or large skillet over medium high heat add the oil. Once hot but not smoking, add shallots, garlic, ginger, bell peppers (and any other veggies) and fry for 3 minutes.
- Push the veggies off to the side. Turn the heat to high and add the ground chicken, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks.
- In a small bowl stir together the brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch, chicken broth, and water then add to the pan. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the basil and stir-fry until wilted.
- Serve over hot cooked rice.
