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Spicy Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai)

My version of this classic Thai dish has spectacular taste even with regular basil instead of Thai or holy basil. The sauce actually acts like a glaze as the chicken mixture cooks over high heat. The recipe works best if you chop or grind your own chicken and have all ingredients prepped before you start cooking.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine south east asian
Servings 2 people
Calories 1798.8 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Large Skillet Ideally a carbon steel or cast iron for high heat cooking
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 Mixing Bowl For preparing the sauce
  • 1 Chef's knife For precise chopping of chicken and aromatics
  • 1 Cutting Board

Ingredients
  

Main

  • ⅓ cup chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce or as needed
  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 pound skinless boneless chicken thighs, coarsely chopped
  • ¼ cup sliced shallots
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons minced Thai chilies Serrano, or other hot pepper
  • 1 cup very thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
  • 2 cups hot cooked rice

Instructions
 

  • Gather ingredients. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Whisk chicken broth, oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, white sugar, and brown sugar together in a bowl until well blended. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Heat large skillet over high heat. Drizzle in oil. Add chicken and stir fry until it loses its raw color, 2 to 3 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Stir in shallots, garlic, and sliced chilies. Continue cooking on high heat until some of the juices start to caramelize in the bottom of the pan, about 2 or 3 more minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Add about a tablespoon of the sauce mixture to the skillet; cook and stir until sauce begins to caramelize, about 1 minute. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Pour in the rest of the sauce. Cook and stir until sauce has deglazed the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook until sauce glazes onto the meat, 1 or 2 more minutes. Remove from heat. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Stir in basil. Cook and stir until basil is wilted, about 20 seconds. Serve with rice.
  • Serve hot and enjoy! Chef John

Notes

Achieving the signature 'wok hei' for this dish relies heavily on high heat; ensure your skillet is smoking hot before adding ingredients. Mise en place is critical as cooking moves quickly. While regular basil is acceptable, holy basil (krapow) or Thai basil will lend a more authentic aroma and slight anise notes. Don't rush the caramelization steps; this builds depth and forms the glaze. Deglazing with the sauce is key to incorporating all those flavorful browned bits from the pan. For optimal texture, chop the chicken thighs yourself to maintain some bite rather than using pre-ground meat. Balance the sweet, salty, and spicy notes to your preference.