Thai Basil Chicken Stir Fry (Pad Kra Pao)
This Thai basil chicken stir fry (pad kra pao) is a flavorful Thai-inspired dish made with lean ground chicken in a savory-sweet sauce. It's high in protein and pairs perfectly with a bowl of jasmine rice and a fried egg on top. It's a quick weeknight dinner that's ready in 15 minutes and even makes for a great meal prep!
Servings: 4
Calories: 194kcal
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken pork, or turkey
- 8 garlic cloves
- 2 Thai or bird's eye chili
- 1 ½ tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoon dark soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoon brown sugar
- 2 cups holy basil or Italian basil
- fried egg for serving
- cooked jasmine rice for serving
- neutral oil
Instructions
- Finely mince garlic and Thai chili until it forms a paste. Alternatively, you can use a mortar and pestle to grind it into a paste (the traditional method) or use a small food processor and pulse it until it's fine.
- To a pan over low heat, add oil and garlic chili paste. Stir constantly to saute the garlic and chili, making sure it doesn't stick or burn. Continue stirring until aromatic.
- Add in your ground protein, use a spatula to break it up into small pieces and mix it until it's combined with the garlic chili paste.
- Stir in fish sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, and brown sugar. Turn the heat up to medium and stir until the meat is cooked through and any liquid has evaporated.
- Stir in the basil until cooked down and combined. Remove from heat.
- Enjoy over rice with a fried egg.
Notes
- Finely mince the garlic and chili. This will help the flavor distribute evenly.
- Cook off the liquid. This will ensure the chicken stir fry isn't watery.
- Add the basil last with the heat off, so it stays vibrant.
- To store: Store Thai basil chicken stir fry in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. When ready to eat, heat it up in the microwave in 30 second intervals or in a pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Add a freshly fried egg on top right before serving.
- To serve: Serve over steamed jasmine rice, with a side of sliced cucumbers, in a lettuce wrap, and/or topped with a fried egg.
Nutrition
Serving: 95g | Calories: 194kcal | Carbohydrates: 4.2g | Protein: 23.3g | Fat: 9.1g | Saturated Fat: 2.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 723mg | Potassium: 68.4mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 1.8g | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg
