Description
Thai Chilli Basil Chicken is a vibrant and flavorful stir-fry that combines tender chicken thigh pieces with aromatic Thai basil, fiery bird’s eye chili, and a savory-sweet sauce. This quick and easy dish is perfect for a weeknight meal and is traditionally served with steamed jasmine rice to soak up the delicious sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Vegetables
- 225g / 7oz chicken thigh fillets, skinless boneless, cut into bite size pieces
- 1 green onion, cut into 4cm / 2″ lengths
- 1 cup Thai basil leaves, loosely packed (Holy Basil if available)
- 2 garlic cloves, large, finely chopped
- 1 birds eye or Thai chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
Sauce
- 2 tsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce or all purpose soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp water
Other
- 1 1/2 tbsp oil (peanut, vegetable, or canola)
- Steamed jasmine rice, to serve
Instructions
- Prepare Sauce: In a small bowl, combine the oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and water. Mix well until the sugar dissolves.
- Heat Oil: Heat the oil in a wok or a large frying pan over high heat until hot but not smoking.
- Sauté Garlic and Chili: Add the finely chopped garlic and deseeded bird’s eye chili to the hot oil. Stir-fry for about 10 seconds, releasing their aroma but be careful not to inhale the fumes directly to avoid irritation.
- Cook Chicken and White Green Onion: Add the white parts of the green onions together with the chicken pieces into the wok. Stir-fry over high heat for around 2 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and lightly browned.
- Add Sauce: Pour the prepared sauce into the wok and stir well. Cook for about 1 minute, allowing the water to reduce slightly and the sauce to thicken and become glossy.
- Finish with Basil and Green Onion Tops: Toss in the green parts of the green onions along with the Thai basil leaves. Stir gently just until the basil wilts, which should take only a few seconds. Remove from heat immediately.
- Serve: Serve the Thai Chilli Basil Chicken hot, accompanied by steamed jasmine rice to absorb the flavorful sauce.
Notes
- Use Holy Basil if available for the most authentic flavor, but Thai basil works well too.
- Be careful when cooking the chili and garlic as the fumes can be strong and may cause coughing.
- Adjust the quantity of chili to your preferred spice level.
- Chicken thigh fillets are preferred for juiciness and flavor, but chicken breast can be substituted if desired.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai
Keywords: Thai basil chicken, Spicy Thai chicken, Stir fry chicken recipe, Thai chilli chicken, Chicken with basil and chili
