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Spicy Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai)

Name: Spicy Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 18 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: thai
Ingredients: oyster sauce; soy sauce; fish sauce; brown sugar; white sugar; chicken broth; fresh basil leaves; Garlic; shallot; fresh hot chilies; bone-in skin-on chicken thighs; vegetable oil; cooked white rice (cold, day-old); Egg

groups2 servingsspeedEasycountertopsPrep: 10 minsskilletCook: 8 minsscheduleTotal: 18 minsoutdoor_grillStir-frylocal_fire_departmentSpicy

Allergens:warningGlutenwarningSoywarningFishwarningMolluscswarningEggs

Allergen labels are AI-generated and may be incomplete or wrong. If you have a food allergy, always verify every ingredient yourself.

Recipe details are AI-generated from the video and may contain errors — for reference only.

skilletInstruction

9 Steps Total

Preparation

00:00:34

In a small glass bowl, combine 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tsp soy sauce, 2 tsp fish sauce, 1/4 tsp brown sugar, 1/4 tsp white sugar, and 60 ml chicken broth. Whisk well with a mini whisk until sugars dissolve completely, then set aside.

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Watch out

Mix sauce ahead of time so ingredients blend smoothly and sugar dissolves before adding to hot pan.

Ingredients:oyster sauce (1 tbsp)soy sauce (1 tsp)fish sauce (2 tsp)brown sugar (0.25 tsp)white sugar (0.25 tsp)chicken broth (60 ml)

Tools:bowlmini whisk

Preparation

00:01:28

Wash 30 g fresh basil leaves and pat dry. Stack 5 to 6 leaves together, roll tightly into a tube, slice crosswise with a sharp knife into thin ribbons, then slice across 2 to 3 times to shorten ribbons into bite-sized pieces. Mince 4 cloves garlic, thin-slice 2 shallots, and thin-slice 3 hot chilies.

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Watch out

Use a sharp knife when slicing basil ribbons to prevent bruising and blackening the leaves.

Ingredients:fresh basil leaves (30 g)Garlic (4 clove)shallot (2 piece)fresh hot chilies (3 piece)

Tools:chef's knifecutting board

Preparation

00:02:52

warningStay safe

Sanitation note: Wash cutting boards, knives, and hands thoroughly with warm soapy water immediately after handling raw chicken thighs to avoid cross-contamination. Raw poultry carries bacteria; disinfect all food preparation surfaces and tools immediately after cutting raw meat.

Place 450 g boneless skinless chicken thighs in freezer for 10 minutes to firm up slightly. Transfer to wooden cutting board and hand-chop coarsely using a heavy meat cleaver until texture resembles coarse minced meat.

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Watch out

Chilling chicken thighs slightly in freezer makes chopping much cleaner and easier without smearing fat.

Ingredients:bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (450 g)

Tools:cutting boardcleaver

Active Cooking

00:03:45

Place a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until smoking hot. Drizzle in 1 tbsp vegetable oil, then immediately add 450 g coarsely chopped chicken thighs. Stir-fry constantly using a wooden spatula for 2 to 3 minutes until chicken pieces lose their raw pink color and turn white.

local_fire_departmentHigh heat, about 2 to 3 minutes

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Watch out

The cast-iron skillet will be smoking hot

add chicken carefully to avoid oil splattering

Ingredients:vegetable oil (1 tbsp)bone-in skin-on chicken thighs

Tools:wooden spatulacast-iron skillet

Active Cooking

00:04:22

Add prepared minced garlic, sliced shallots, and sliced hot chilies directly into the pan with chicken. Stir-fry over high heat for another 2 minutes until garlic and chilies become fragrant and chicken juices start caramelizing at the bottom of the skillet.

local_fire_departmentHigh heat, about 2 minutes

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Watch out

Keep stir-frying continuously on high heat so minced garlic does not burn.

Ingredients:Garlicshallotfresh hot chilies

Tools:wooden spatula

Active Cooking

00:05:03

Drizzle about 2 tbsp (approx half) of prepared sauce mixture into sizzling pan. Stir-fry for about 1 minute until liquid reduces and caramelizes onto bottom of skillet, deepening color of meat.

local_fire_departmentHigh heat, about 1 minute

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Watch out

Adding sauce in two batches creates deeper caramel flavors on pan bottom without steaming meat.

Tools:wooden spatula

Active Cooking

00:05:25

Pour in remaining sauce mixture. Stir and scrape skillet bottom with wooden spatula to deglaze all browned browned bits for 1 to 2 minutes until glossy sauce coats chicken pieces evenly.

local_fire_departmentHigh heat, about 1 to 2 minutes

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Watch out

Scrape all caramelized brown bits off pan bottom so flavors dissolve into sauce.

Tools:wooden spatula

Active Cooking

00:05:49

Turn off heat completely before adding basil. Add sliced basil ribbons into pan. Stir vigorously off heat for about 20 seconds until basil wilts in residual heat, turning a vivid deep green color.

local_fire_departmentOff heat (residual heat), 20 seconds

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Watch out

Must turn off heat before adding basil

cooking basil over direct flame makes leaves bitter and dark

Ingredients:fresh basil leaves

Tools:wooden spatula

Active Cooking

00:06:25

Spoon hot spicy Thai basil chicken onto a serving plate next to 400 g cooked jasmine rice. Optionally top with a fried crispy egg with runny yolk, and garnish with sliced chili and fresh basil leaf.

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Watch out

Serve immediately while steaming hot for maximum aroma and taste.

Ingredients:cooked white rice (cold, day-old) (400 g)Egg (1 piece)

Tools:serving dish