Description
This Thai Basil Chicken recipe is a flavorful, quick stir-fry featuring tender chicken thighs cooked with garlic, Thai chilies, and fresh basil leaves. Enhanced with a savory sauce of oyster, soy, and fish sauces, it offers an authentic taste of Thai cuisine that’s perfect for a weeknight dinner served over fragrant jasmine rice.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 small Thai chilies, thinly sliced (adjust according to your spice preference)
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 2 cups fresh Thai basil leaves
- Cooked jasmine rice, for serving
- Lime wedges, for garnish
Sauce Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Slice the boneless, skinless chicken thighs into thin pieces and set aside.
- Heat Oil: Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add the minced garlic and sliced Thai chilies to the hot oil, stirring frequently until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Cook Chicken: Add the sliced chicken to the pan and cook until no longer pink, approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Add Onion: Stir in the sliced onion and continue to cook until the onion becomes translucent.
- Mix Sauce: In a small bowl, combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar. Mix well until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add Sauce and Simmer: Pour the sauce over the chicken and onions, stirring well to coat. Let the mixture simmer for 2-3 minutes to meld flavors.
- Add Basil: Add the fresh Thai basil leaves to the pan and stir until just wilted.
- Serve: Serve the Thai Basil Chicken over cooked jasmine rice and garnish with lime wedges for an extra burst of flavor.
Notes
- Adjust the number of Thai chilies according to your preferred spice level.
- Use fresh Thai basil leaves for the best authentic flavor; sweet basil can be a substitute but will alter the traditional taste.
- Serve immediately to enjoy the best texture and aroma of the basil.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheated in a skillet.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute chicken with tofu and use vegetarian oyster sauce.
