KitchgrowKitchen growth, made calmer
Start planning free
Thai

Pad Kra Pao (Thai Basil Chicken)

A Thai basil chicken rice plate with a savory stir-fry sauce, fragrant basil and steamed jasmine rice.

Published and reviewed by Kitchgrow on 7 September 2026Updated

Jump to recipe ↓
Pad Kra Pao (Thai Basil Chicken)

35 mintotal

Prep 15 min · Cook 20 min

Serves
2
Difficulty
Easy
Spice
Medium
Add to your week

Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

Twenty-five minutes, and the rice takes most of it. The stir-fry itself is over in four minutes, so have everything chopped and the sauce mixed before the wok goes on.

Method

  1. Cook the rinsed jasmine rice with the measured water until tender, then keep it covered while the stir-fry is prepared.

  2. Mix fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce and palm sugar in a small bowl.

  3. Heat the measured neutral oil in a wok or wide pan over high heat and fry the garlic and bird's eye chiles until fragrant.

  4. Add the chopped chicken and stir-fry until it is no longer pink and the edges begin to brown.

  5. Pour in the sauce mixture and toss until the chicken is fully cooked and lightly glossy.

  6. Turn off the heat and fold in the Thai basil until just wilted.

  7. Serve the basil chicken over hot jasmine rice.

How to tell it's done

The chicken should be fully cooked and glossy, the basil just wilted, and the rice fluffy.

Getting it right

Tip

Keep the pan hot and add the basil after turning off the heat so it stays fragrant and green.

What to serve it with

Serve as a rice plate with cucumber slices or a simple clear soup on the side.

Common mistakes

The chicken stews instead of frying.
Get the wok properly hot and cook in one layer. Pad kra pao wants browned edges and a nearly dry pan; a moderate heat with the meat piled up gives you grey chicken in a puddle.
The basil turns black and tastes of nothing.
It goes in off the heat and is folded through, not cooked. Thai basil gives up its aroma in seconds, and a minute in the pan leaves you with dark leaves and none of the smell the dish is named for.

Substitutions

  • Use Chicken Breast instead of Chicken Thigh if preferred, but avoid overcooking it.
  • Use regular basil only if Thai Basil is unavailable; the flavor will be milder and less peppery.
  • Oyster Sauce commonly contains shellfish and Soy Sauce contains soy; check labels for formulation-specific allergens.
  • Reduce Bird's Eye Chiles for a milder rice meal.

Storing and reheating

Keeps two days in the fridge, though the basil dulls overnight. Reheat quickly in a hot pan and throw in a few fresh leaves at the end. The rice is better stored separately.