Khao Pad
A classic Thai fried rice with a medley of flavors.
29 recipes using chicken — Pad thai, green curry, tom yum — aromatic and bold.
These 29 thai chicken recipes are ready in about 45 minutes on average, with 260–720 kcal per serving, and 31% are rated easy enough for a weeknight. Every recipe includes exact ingredient quantities, step-by-step instructions and full nutrition per serving.
Thai cooking chases the balance of hot, sour, salty and sweet in every dish — fresh, aromatic and unafraid of chilli. When Thai cooks work with chicken, they reach for fish sauce, lime, lemongrass, galangal, Thai chilli and palm sugar, and the techniques that come up most across these recipes are frying, simmering, stir-frying and boiling.
The world's most-cooked protein — mild, lean and endlessly adaptable to almost any spice profile or cooking method. In this collection it's most often cooked with fish sauce, garlic, lime juice, oyster sauce, coconut milk and palm sugar. The dishes here span thai classics ready in as little as 20 minutes to slower, more involved cooking that rewards a relaxed afternoon.
A classic Thai fried rice with a medley of flavors.
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.
Fragrant Thai coconut milk soup with chicken, galangal, lemongrass and kaffir lime — silky, spicy and deeply aromatic.
Grilled chicken skewers with a creamy Thai peanut dipping sauce.
Thailand's most fragrant curry — chicken in a vibrant coconut milk sauce with homemade green curry paste, Thai basil and aubergine.
Wide rice noodles stir-fried with Chinese broccoli, egg and your choice of protein in a rich sweet-savoury soy sauce.
Thai poached chicken rice with ginger broth and a spicy fermented bean dipping sauce — Bangkok's beloved lunch.
Thai green curry with chicken in fragrant coconut milk — the most internationally recognised Thai dish, done properly.
A complex green curry built on a hand-pounded paste of green chilies, lemongrass, galangal and shrimp paste, simmered with chicken thighs and Thai eggplant.
Wide rice noodles stir-fried with Chinese broccoli, soy sauce and egg — Bangkok's most beloved street wok dish.
Northeastern Thai minced-chicken salad with toasted rice powder, lime, fish sauce, mint, and chili.
Chiang Mai's signature dish — silky coconut curry over soft egg noodles with chicken, crowned with a tangle of crispy fried noodles, lime, shallots and pickled mustard greens.
Wide rice noodles stir-fried hard and fast with chile, garlic, Thai basil and a punchy soy-oyster sauce — Thailand's late-night, wake-the-dead noodle dish.
Chiang Mai's iconic dish: egg noodles in a golden, coconut-curry broth topped with crispy fried noodles, pickled mustard greens, and shallots.
Thailand's most iconic green curry: chicken simmered in a vibrant coconut broth of fresh green chilies, kaffir lime, lemongrass, and Thai basil.
Bangkok Basil Chicken Rice Bowl brings thai flavor into a practical home recipe with chicken thighs, fish sauce, lime, palm sugar and fresh chiles, and a finish of Thai basil.
A creamy, spicy coconut chicken soup in the spirit of tom kha gai, warmed with turmeric and fresh chile.
A fast pad kra pao-style chicken skillet with sweet roasted onion and plenty of holy basil.
Wide rice noodles stir-fried hard with Chinese broccoli, egg and a dark soy glaze, family-dinner style.
Yogurt-and-lemongrass-marinated chicken thighs roasted on a tray until the skin blisters and the pan juices turn into a herby sauce.
Minced chicken tossed with toasted rice powder, lime, fish sauce, and mint, spooned into crisp lettuce cups.
Day-old jasmine rice fried hard and fast with green curry paste, chicken, and a big handful of Thai basil.
Charred lemongrass-marinated grilled chicken piled into a soft roll with a fiery green chile dipping sauce and crunchy pickled vegetables.
A rustic open-faced skillet pie filled with coconut-ginger braised chicken and topped with a golden, flaky crust.
A punchy minced chicken salad tossed with lime, fish sauce, toasted rice powder, and fresh herbs -- northeastern Thailand's signature dish.
A whole roast chicken rubbed with garlic, white pepper, and cilantro root, served with a tangy tomato-basil dipping sauce.
Bell peppers stuffed with spicy Thai basil chicken (pad krapow gai), baked until tender and topped with a crisp fried egg.
A baked casserole layering green curry-spiced rice, vegetables, and melted cheese for a fusion take on Thai green curry.
Juicy chicken burger patties packed with lemongrass, cilantro, and Thai basil, finished with a spicy lime mayo.
Look for plump, pinkish flesh with no grey patches and a clean smell. Thighs stay juicier than breasts and forgive overcooking; bone-in, skin-on pieces deliver the most flavour.
Pat dry before searing for proper browning, and bring it to room temperature for 15 minutes so it cooks evenly. Marinades with acid or yoghurt tenderise lean breast meat.
Cook to an internal temperature of 74°C / 165°F — the juices should run clear and there should be no pink at the bone.
A lean, high-protein choice: a skinless breast delivers roughly 31 g of protein per 100 g with very little saturated fat.
Most of these 29 Thai chicken recipes are ready in around 45 minutes from start to finish. The quickest, Khao Pad, takes about 20 minutes, while the slower-cooked dishes run up to 100 minutes.
Across this collection they range from about 260 to 720 kcal per serving, averaging 479 kcal — Larb Gai (Isan Chicken Larb) is the lightest option at 260 kcal.
Khao Pad is a great place to start — it's rated easy and comes together in about 20 minutes. 31% of the recipes here are beginner-friendly.
In these recipes, chicken is most often paired with fish sauce, garlic, lime juice, oyster sauce, coconut milk and palm sugar. Thai kitchens also lean on fish sauce, lime, lemongrass, galangal, Thai chilli and palm sugar.
Cook to an internal temperature of 74°C / 165°F — the juices should run clear and there should be no pink at the bone.
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