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Thai Basil Chicken Recipe (Pad Krapow Gai) — 15-Minute Thai Classic

Name: Thai Basil Chicken Recipe (Pad Krapow Gai) — 15-Minute Thai Classic
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: thai
Ingredients: 300 g minced chicken or pork; 4 cloves garlic (roughly chopped); 3–5 Thai chillis (or 1 large chilli, roughly chopped); 1 cup fresh Thai holy basil leaves (or Italian basil); 2 tbsp oyster sauce; 1 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tsp soy sauce; 1 tsp sugar; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 eggs (for fried eggs on top); 300 g jasmine rice (steamed, to serve)

Pad krapow gai — spicy Thai basil chicken stir-fry with ground chicken, fresh Thai basil and fish sauce served over rice with a fried egg. Thailand's most popular street food is ready in 15 minutes.

Prep

10 min

Cook

10 min

Servings

Difficulty

Easy

★★★★★

4.8(7,640 ratings)

#thai basil chicken#pad krapow#thai#stir fry#15 minute dinner#easy thai recipe#street food#ground chicken

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About This Recipe

Pad krapow gai (Thai holy basil stir-fry with chicken) is Thailand's most popular everyday dish — eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The combination of ground chicken, oyster sauce, fish sauce and fresh holy basil with a fried egg on top is beloved across the country. It's also one of the quickest and most flavourful things you can cook.

Ingredients

Serves 2

300 gminced chicken or pork
4 clovesgarlic(roughly chopped)
3–5Thai chillis(or 1 large chilli, roughly chopped)
1 cupfresh Thai holy basil leaves(or Italian basil)
2 tbspoyster sauce
1 tbspfish sauce
1 tspsoy sauce
1 tspsugar
2 tbspvegetable oil
2eggs(for fried eggs on top)
300 gjasmine rice(steamed, to serve)

Instructions

1
Pound garlic and chilli
Roughly pound garlic and chilli in a pestle and mortar (or just chop finely together). You want a coarse paste with texture, not a smooth one.
2
Stir-fry
Heat oil in a wok over maximum heat until smoking. Add garlic-chilli paste and stir-fry 30 seconds until fragrant and starting to colour.
Maximum heat is essential for wok hei (the smoky, charred flavour) — don't be timid with the heat.
3
Add chicken and sauce
Add minced chicken and break it up with a spatula. Stir-fry on high heat until cooked through — about 3 minutes. Add oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy and sugar. Toss to combine for 1 minute. Add a splash of water if it looks dry.
4
Add basil and serve
Turn off the heat. Add basil leaves and toss — the residual heat wilts them without losing their flavour. Serve over rice, topped with a fried egg (cooked in hot oil until the edges are crispy).

Pro Tips

→
Holy basil (krapow) is the traditional herb — it has a peppery, clove-like flavour distinct from Italian basil. Use it if you can find it.
→
Maximum heat is what creates the authentic charred, smoky flavour. Use a wok on the highest flame.
→
Add basil at the very end with heat off — cooking basil too long makes it bitter.

Variations

•
With shrimp: replace chicken with whole peeled shrimp — reduce cooking time to 2 minutes.
•
Vegetarian: use crumbled firm tofu and replace fish sauce with soy sauce.

Storage

Best eaten immediately. Leftovers refrigerate for 2 days but lose the wok-char flavour.

History & Origin

Pad krapow is considered Thailand's national dish by some — it's the go-to everyday meal from Bangkok street carts to home kitchens across the country. The dish's simplicity and speed (under 10 minutes) made it the default answer to 'what's for lunch' for generations of Thais.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between holy basil and Thai basil?

Holy basil (krapow) has a peppery, slightly clove-like flavour and is the correct herb for this dish. Thai basil has an anise/liquorice flavour and is used in curries. Italian basil can substitute in a pinch.

Is Thai basil chicken spicy?

It can be very spicy with Thai chillis. Reduce the chillis for a milder version or use only one large red chilli.

Can I make pad krapow without fish sauce?

Fish sauce provides the characteristic umami-salty flavour. Replace with soy sauce for a less authentic but still good result.

Why is the fried egg important?

The crispy-edged fried egg (kai dao) is an essential component — the runny yolk mixes with the spicy chicken and rice, tempering the heat and adding richness.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (350g) · 2 servings total

Calories440kcal

Protein34g

Carbohydrates42g

Fat16g

Fiber1g

Protein34g

Carbs42g

Fat16g

Time Summary

Prep time10 min

Cook time10 min

Total time20 min

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About This Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 2

300 gminced chicken or pork

4 clovesgarlic(roughly chopped)

3–5Thai chillis(or 1 large chilli, roughly chopped)

1 cupfresh Thai holy basil leaves(or Italian basil)

2 tbspoyster sauce

1 tbspfish sauce

1 tspsoy sauce

1 tspsugar

2 tbspvegetable oil

2eggs(for fried eggs on top)

300 gjasmine rice(steamed, to serve)

Instructions

Pound garlic and chilli

Roughly pound garlic and chilli in a pestle and mortar (or just chop finely together). You want a coarse paste with texture, not a smooth one.

Stir-fry

Heat oil in a wok over maximum heat until smoking. Add garlic-chilli paste and stir-fry 30 seconds until fragrant and starting to colour.

Maximum heat is essential for wok hei (the smoky, charred flavour) — don't be timid with the heat.

Add chicken and sauce

Add minced chicken and break it up with a spatula. Stir-fry on high heat until cooked through — about 3 minutes. Add oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy and sugar. Toss to combine for 1 minute. Add a splash of water if it looks dry.

Add basil and serve

Turn off the heat. Add basil leaves and toss — the residual heat wilts them without losing their flavour. Serve over rice, topped with a fried egg (cooked in hot oil until the edges are crispy).