This Thai basil chicken stir fry is a staple at western Thai restaurants. Featuring succulent bites of chicken stir fried with fragrant garlic, chili, and Thai basil, it's no wonder this dish is so popular. Fortunately, it's also quick and easy to make at home.

It's only recently that hubby and I have started to embrace this dish, however. For years, we would wait until we could make its relative, Chicken with Holy Basil (Pad Kra Pao Gai/ผัดกระเพรา). Both dishes are quick and easy stir fries of chicken and basil. However, Pad Kra Pao Gai features a unique type of basil known as Holy basil, while Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Horapa Gai/ผัดโหระพาไก่) uses Thai basil.

Although this difference might seem small, the flavors of Holy basil and Thai basil are distinct enough that they create two completely unique dishes. So we would wait... Wait for the weather to warm up enough to plant holy basil seeds; wait for our holy basil seedlings to grow enough to be picked; wait for our local farmers market to sell fresh holy basil.

One day instead of waiting for this elusive holy basil, I decided to make the same stir fry with Thai basil instead. I aimed to create a dish similar to what you might find in a western Thai restaurant, with thinly sliced pieces of chicken, more vegetables, and a bit less spice than its relative Pad Kra Pao. And while it certainly doesn't have the same flavor as Pad Kra Pao Gai, this Thai Basil Chicken Stir Fry is wonderfully delicious in its own right.

Jump to:

Holy Basil vs Thai Basil
Ingredients
Instructions
Variations
Recipe

Holy Basil vs Thai Basil

Thai basil and Holy Basil are two distinct varieties of basil used in Thai cooking.

Holy basil is known as Kaprow in Thai (although it's often spelled Kra Pao in English). It is a type of basil that is native to India, where it's known as Tulsi, but has been cultivated all across Southeast Asia. Holy Basil can be distinguished from other types of basil by its hairy stems, saw-tooth edged leaves, and very unique taste. It has a strong peppery flavor, reminiscent of young green peppercorns, with a lingering spicy aftertaste.

Thai basil is known as Horapa in Thai. It is also grown all over Southeast Asia and used extensively in Thai cuisine. Thai basil has narrow green leaves that are slightly serrated with purple stems and purple flowers. It has a sweeter flavor than Holy Basil, with more notes of anise and licorice and much less spice.

Holy basil is harder to find outside of Southeast Asia, so Thai basil is sometimes used in its place in western Thai restaurants. However, these two basils really do have very different taste profiles and are not interchangeable.

Ingredients

Garlic: The garlic cloves should be peeled and chopped finely. They'll be stir fried with the Thai chili pepper until golden brown.
Thai chili pepper: Thai Basil Chicken as served in Thai restaurants is often less spicy than Pad Kra Pao, therefore, this recipe calls for one Thai chili. If you prefer more (or less) spice, feel free to adjust the amount of chilis to your taste preference.
Chicken: Chicken breast or thighs both work well in this recipe. Chop into bite-sized pieces and add to the stir fry after the garlic and chilis are cooked.
Sweet Mini Pepper and Green Beans: These vegetables add color and crunch to this Thai Basil Stir Fry. Slice the Peppers into thin strips and the green beans into ½ inch pieces. They should be cooked until tender, but still crunchy.
Oyster sauce, Thick black soy sauce, Thin soy sauce: These Thai seasoning sauces add a salty umami flavor to the dish. Each sauce adds a slightly different taste. Used in combination, they provide a more complex flavor than any one could achieve in isolation.
Thai basil leaves: Thai basil is the star of this dish. It's sweet licorice-like flavor permeates the chicken and makes the stir fry taste delicious. It should be added right at the end of the cooking process so that the delicate leaves don't wilt or turn brown.

Instructions

This Thai Basil Chicken Stir Fry comes together in less than 30 minutes, making it a great dish to make for weeknight dinners. Simply prepare the ingredients, stir fry them all together, and serve over jasmine rice. Dinner is done!

Prepare the Ingredients: Mince the garlic and Thai chili. Cut the sweet mini pepper into thin strips and the green beans into ½" pieces. Slice the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Cook the Aromatics: Add oil to a wok and heat over medium high heat. Cook the minced garlic and chilis until the garlic is golden brown.
Stir Fry the Chicken: Add the chicken pieces and cook just until browned on both sides, about 1-2 minutes. Then add the green beans and mini pepper and saute until tender, but still crunchy. Add all three sauces and stir fry a minute longer. Do a taste-test here and adjust seasonings if needed.
Add the Thai Basil: Take the pan off the heat and add the Thai basil. Stir everything together until the basil is just wilted. Serve with fresh jasmine rice.

Variations

Thai Basil Chicken is a relative of Pad Kra Pao (Chicken with Holy Basil). The main difference between the two dishes is the use of different basils (Thai basil for Thai Basil Chicken; Holy Basil for Pad Kra Pao). Thai Basil Chicken is often less spicy, contains more vegetables, and has sliced chicken rather than the minced chicken of Pad Kra Pao.

This Thai Basil Chicken Stir Fry is a great dish to make for a quick and easy weeknight meal. With chicken, some vegetables, and tons of flavor, it's a definite crowd-pleaser. It's no wonder that this dish is so popular at local Thai restaurants... It will certainly be making more frequent appearances at our house from now on!

Recipe