Quick One-Pan Thai Basil Chicken
Spicy, savory Thai basil chicken over rice — one pan, 20 minutes, zero regrets.
It's 6:30 PM and you want something that actually tastes like a real dinner without spending an hour in the kitchen. Thai basil chicken is your answer. Ground chicken cooks fast, the sauce comes together in seconds, and the whole thing hits that salty-savory-spicy note that makes you feel like you ordered takeout. Expect a fragrant, slightly saucy skillet you spoon over rice. The fried egg on top is optional but genuinely worth the extra two minutes. One pan, minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves — packed; Italian basil works in a pinch
- 4 unit garlic cloves — minced
- 2 unit Thai red chilies — thinly sliced; use 1 for mild, seeds removed for less heat
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce — low-sodium preferred
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp neutral oil — vegetable or avocado oil
- 2 cup cooked jasmine rice — for serving; microwave pouches work great
- 2 unit eggs — optional, for fried egg topping
Method
- 1 Mix the sauce: stir together oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
- 2 Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat until shimmering and just starting to smoke.
- 3 Add garlic and chilies. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant — don't let the garlic burn.
- 4 Add ground chicken. Break it up with a spatula and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–6 minutes until cooked through with some lightly browned bits.
- 5 Pour the sauce over the chicken and stir to coat. Cook 1 more minute until the sauce is absorbed and everything looks glossy.
- 6 Remove from heat and fold in the basil leaves. They'll wilt quickly from the residual heat — that's perfect.
- 7 Optional fried egg: push the chicken to one side, add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the empty side of the pan, crack in the eggs, and fry over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until the edges are crispy and whites are set but yolk is still runny.
- 8 Spoon chicken over rice, top with a fried egg if using, and serve immediately.
Variations
- Vegetarian Swap — Replace ground chicken with crumbled firm tofu or finely chopped mushrooms (cremini or shiitake work well). Use vegetarian oyster sauce and replace fish sauce with 1 extra tbsp soy sauce plus a small squeeze of lime.
- Faster Swap — Use a pre-minced garlic jar and a microwave rice pouch to shave off 5 minutes. The whole dish comes together in under 15 minutes.
- Ground Turkey Sub — Ground turkey works as a 1:1 swap for the chicken — cook it the same way. It's slightly leaner and a touch milder, but the sauce carries it.
Notes
High heat is the key to good pad krapow — don't be shy about cranking the burner. If you can't find Thai basil, Italian basil will taste different (sweeter, less anise-y) but still good. Leftovers reheat fine in the microwave for lunch the next day, though the basil darkens.
Equipment that helps
- Large skillet or wok — A wide, heavy pan holds high heat evenly so the chicken browns instead of steaming.
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