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Chicken With Thai Basil

Chicken with Thai basil is a quick skillet-style stir-fry where ground chicken gets browned, then garlic and chilies bloom for deep aroma. Fresh Thai basil is folded in off-heat so it wilts gently and stays peppery without bitterness.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Total Time 34 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Thai
Calories: 310
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken With Thai Basil
  • 1.5 lb ground chicken
  • 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
  • 4 garlic, minced
  • 2 Thai chilies, sliced
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the chicken
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat until hot. You should see light shimmering in the pan within a few seconds.
  2. Add garlic and Thai chilies, cooking until fragrant for about 30 seconds. The garlic should smell aromatic without browning.
  3. Add ground chicken and cook until browned, breaking it apart, for about 6-8 minutes. The meat should lose its pink color and form small browned crumbles.
  4. Stir in soy sauce, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Simmer just enough to combine flavors for 1 minute, until glossy.
Finish with Thai basil
  1. Remove from heat and fold in fresh Thai basil until just wilted. The leaves should turn dark green but still hold their shape.
  2. Serve immediately over rice. The sauce should cling to the browned chicken and look lightly glossy.

Notes

Pro tip: add the basil off the heat so it wilts gently without turning bitter. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet until warmed through. Freezing: yes, freeze the chicken mixture (without basil if possible) for up to 2 months, then thaw and rewarm; add fresh basil afterward for best flavor. For a low-sodium option, use reduced-sodium soy sauce and keep fish sauce to taste.