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Chicken With Thai Basil

Chicken With Thai Basil is a fast garlic-chili stir-fry that browns ground chicken in minutes, then tosses it with Thai basil off the heat for a fragrant wilt. The savory soy-fish sauce combo with brown sugar balances the sliced red chilies for a bold, aromatic wok meal.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Thai
Calories: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

ground chicken
  • 1.5 lb ground chicken
thai basil
  • 1 cup Thai basil leaves Keep leaves whole for best aroma; add off heat to stay vibrant.
chili heat
  • 2 red chilies Slice for even distribution of heat.
aromatics
  • 4 clove garlic Minced for quick fragrance in the hot wok.
savory sauce
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar Helps round out salty flavors.
stir-fry base
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Stir-fry
  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok over high heat until shimmering, indicating it’s hot enough for quick cooking.
  2. Add the garlic and red chilies and stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant, using fast, constant movement so they don’t burn.
  3. Add the ground chicken and break it up, then cook until browned, about 5–6 minutes, stirring often for even coloring.
  4. Stir in the soy sauce, fish sauce, and brown sugar and cook just until glossy and combined, about 30–60 seconds.
  5. Remove from the heat and toss in the Thai basil leaves until wilted, keeping the heat off to preserve their fresh, vivid aroma.
  6. Serve immediately while the chicken is hot and the basil is just wilted.

Notes

Pro tip: Toss the Thai basil in off the heat so it wilts quickly without turning dull or overly cooked. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container; reheat gently until warmed through (avoid long high-heat reheating). Freezing is not ideal for basil texture, but cooked chicken can be frozen up to 2 months. For a lower-sodium option, use reduced-sodium soy sauce and keep the fish sauce modest to taste.