Dinner Tonight: Thai-Style Minced Chicken with Basil and Chiles Recipe
This recipe delivers a quick and intensely flavorful Thai-style minced chicken stir-fry. It combines savory ground chicken with aromatic fresh basil, fiery chiles, crisp vegetables, and traditional Thai sauces for a balanced, umami-rich dish. Ideal for a speedy weeknight dinner, it is traditionally served over steaming white rice.
Equipment
- 1 Wok or Large Skillet
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Chef's knife
- 1 Measuring Spoons and Cups
- 1 Food Processor (optional, for chopping meat)
Ingredients
Main
- 1 pound ground chicken or boneless, skinless meat chopped in a food processor
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil divided
- 1 small yellow onion thinly sliced into crescents
- 1 red or orange bell pepper cut into 1/2 inch strips and then into diamonds
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1-2 jalapeno or serrano chiles cut crosswise into rings
- 1 tablespoon Thai black soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves thinly sliced
- Ground pepper to taste
- 2 cups cooked white rice for serving
Instructions
- Prepare all ingredients: Thinly slice the onion, cut the bell pepper into diamonds, mince the garlic, slice the chiles into rings, and thinly slice the fresh basil leaves. If using boneless, skinless meat, chop it finely in a food processor or by hand.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of peanut oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until shimmering.
- Add the ground chicken (or chopped meat) to the hot pan and break it up with a spoon. Stir-fry until browned and cooked through, about 3-5 minutes. Remove the cooked chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of peanut oil to the pan. Add the sliced onion and bell pepper and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened but still crisp.
- Add the minced garlic and sliced chiles to the pan. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Return the cooked chicken to the pan. Add the Thai black soy sauce and Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce.
- Stir-fry vigorously for 1-2 minutes, ensuring the chicken and vegetables are evenly coated in the sauce.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the thinly sliced fresh basil leaves until just wilted.
- Season with ground pepper to taste, adjusting the balance of flavors as needed.
- Serve immediately over hot cooked white rice.
Notes
Achieving a true Thai stir-fry relies on intense heat and rapid execution. Ensure all ingredients are prepped and measured (mise en place) before you even turn on the stove; this dish cooks very quickly. For authentic flavor, seek out Thai basil (Holy Basil or Horapha), but common sweet basil is an acceptable substitute. Adjust the number of chiles to your preferred spice level, always tasting as you go. When cooking the chicken, avoid overcrowding the pan to ensure it browns rather than steams, which develops crucial flavor. Add the fresh basil at the very last moment, off the heat, to preserve its vibrant color and aromatic oils.