One of the most popular Thai dishes, Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai), is actually very easy to make at home with pantry staples. If you can find Thai basil at your local Asian market, it’ll take this recipe to the next level! This dish is spicy with a hint of sweetness and a touch of pepper from the basil.

I love Thai food. I really do. There’s nothing better than a giant plate or bowl of steaming rice or noodles topped with spicy and savory meat and veggies. Sometimes Thai food can be hard to recreate at home because of the unique ingredients. But this recipe for Thai Basil Chicken only uses a few pantry staples (plus fish sauce, not really a pantry staple). I also added baby spinach to the mix for some extra veg!

If you can find Thai basil at your local Asian market, grab a giant bunch. It has more of a peppery/spicy flavor than regular basil. I grew Thai basil in my backyard garden this year and it did extremely well! It grew so much that I couldn’t use it all. I also didn’t really know what to use it for except for in this dish, haha. If you know of another use for Thai basil, please let me know! I plan on planting it again next year!

What you’ll need to make Thai Basil Chicken

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How to make Thai Basil Chicken

Make your Thai sauce

In a small bowl, you’ll whisk together the broth, soy sauce, fish sauce, and brown sugar. You can use chicken or vegetable broth here, I prefer chicken (more savory!). Don’t substitute or forget the fish sauce — it’s vital for that distinct Thai flavor!

Cook the chicken

We’re using chicken thighs for this recipe. You’ll want to dice them up into small, even pieces so they cook evenly. You’ll stir fry the chicken in oil for a few minutes before adding the veggies.

Glaze the sauce

Once you add the sauce to the skillet, you’ll keep cooking until it starts to thicken, darken, and glaze the chicken. This will take some time, so don’t rush it!

Toss with basil, serve with rice

Finely chop the spinach and basil before tossing. It’ll wilt slightly and get covered in the savory sauce!

I hope you give this recipe a try! You can also find this recipe on the Mealime app.

Spicy Thai Basil Chicken with Baby Spinach & Rice

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

Author: Emily Weeks, RDN, LD
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 20
Total Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients

Instructions

Using a strainer or colander, rinse the rice under cold, running water, then drain and transfer to a small saucepan. Add 2 cups of water and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
In a medium bowl, combine the broth, soy sauce, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Whisk to combine the sauce and set aside.
Once the liquid comes to a boil, stir the mixture, cover the saucepan, and reduce the heat to low. Cook the rice until the liquid is fully absorbed, 15-18 minutes. Once done, remove the rice from the heat and let it stand, still covered, for 5 minutes.
Roughly chop the chicken thighs into ½-inch pieces.
Peel and mince the garlic and shallot. Quarter the jalapeño pepper lengthwise; seed and remove ribs of the jalapeño with a spoon. Finely dice and set aside.
Heat a large skillet over high heat. Once the skillet is hot, add oil and swirl to coat the bottom.
Add chicken and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, then add the garlic, shallot, and jalapeño. Continue cooking on high heat for 2-3 more minutes, stirring often.
Chop the baby spinach into small pieces.
Pour the sauce into the skillet. Cook on high, stirring often, until the sauce thickens and glazes the meat, 8-12 minutes. Remove from heat.
Pick basil leaves off the stems, roll up crosswise, and thinly slice into ribbons.
Add the baby spinach (one handful at a time) and basil to the skillet and stir until wilted.

Notes

Try to find Thai basil at your local Asian grocery store. Thai basil has more of a peppery flavor and really compliments the spices in the sauce! If you can’t find Thai basil, regular basil will do just fine!

Emily Weeks, RDN, LD

Hi! I’m Emily, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and self-taught intuitive chef. I firmly believe that cooking is the simplest and most important step we can take to improve our minds and bodies and build healthier communities. Join me and let’s bring food back to the kitchen!