Thai Basil Chicken Fried (Printable)

Tender chicken sautéed with holy basil, chilies, and jasmine rice for a vibrant, spicy meal.

# What you'll need:

→ Proteins

01 - 14 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, thinly sliced

→ Rice

02 - 4 cups cooked jasmine rice (preferably day-old)

→ Vegetables & Herbs

03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2–3 Thai red chilies, finely sliced (adjust to taste)
06 - 1 cup holy basil leaves (substitute with Thai basil if unavailable)
07 - 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced (optional)

→ Sauces & Seasonings

08 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
09 - 1 tbsp oyster sauce
10 - 1 tbsp fish sauce
11 - 1 tsp sugar
12 - ½ tsp white pepper
13 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil

→ Garnish

14 - Lime wedges
15 - Sliced cucumber

# Method:

01 - Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat.
02 - Add the garlic and chilies; stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add the sliced chicken and cook until opaque, about 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Stir in the onion and bell pepper (if using); cook for another 2 minutes.
05 - Add the cooked jasmine rice, breaking up any clumps with a spatula.
06 - Pour in soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and white pepper. Toss until rice is evenly coated and heated through.
07 - Remove from heat, fold in holy basil leaves, and stir until just wilted.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with lime wedges and sliced cucumber.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in 30 minutes from start to finish, which means you can satisfy a caving for restaurant-quality Thai food without the delivery wait.
  • Holy basil transforms ordinary fried rice into something that tastes like you've been cooking it all day, even though you haven't.
  • The heat is adjustable and honest, so whether you love fire or prefer a whisper of spice, this adapts to you.
  • One pan, minimal cleanup, maximum flavor that actually tastes better the next day if you somehow have leftovers.
02 -
  • Day-old rice is non-negotiable—warm rice from today will turn to mush no matter how hot your wok is, so this is the one place where planning ahead pays off.
  • Add the basil after you remove from heat, because cooking it destroys the volatile oils that make it special and worth using in the first place.
  • Fish sauce smells funky in the bottle but disappears into the background of the finished dish, adding depth you can't quite name—resist the urge to skip it.
03 -
  • Have all your ingredients prepped and within arm's reach before you turn on the heat—once things get moving in the wok, there's no time to pause and chop.
  • If you can't find holy basil, grow it yourself because once you taste the real thing, you'll understand why it matters so much.
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