Thai Basil Chicken is arguably the gold standard of Thai Chicken stir fries! An incredibly fast and easy Thai recipe that truly tastes just as good as you’ll get at your favourite restaurant, served over jasmine rice. BONUS: No hunting down unusual ingredients!
If you’re feeling inspired, indulge in a Thai banquet at home with Chicken Satay Skewers, Thai Fish Cakes, Thai Green Curry or Red Curry, and Thai Fried Rice!
Thai Basil Chicken
Wowser. I LOVE Thai Basil Chicken. Just looking at these photos and writing up this post has me peeved that I’ll shortly be reheating leftovers instead of firing up the wok. (That’s a nice insight into the immaturity that is me.)
This is a recipe I got from the mother of a friend way back when I was in uni. Obviously, a Thai friend!
And it’s one of the few recipes that I haven’t tinkered with at all. I usually can’t help it – even recipes from well respected chefs. But this one – it’s perfect as it is. It is truly just like what you get at (good) Thai restaurants and on the streets of Thailand!
What you need for Thai Basil Chicken
Here’s what you need for Thai Basil Chicken. The really nice thing about this Thai recipe is that you can get everything you need from the grocery store – at least, you can here in Australia!
Best substitute for Thai Basil
The best substitute for Thai Basil is normal basil. While it lacks the slight aniseed flavour that’s distinctly associated with this Thai dish, it is still very much worth making!
Thai Basil
Thai Basil is a key ingredient in this recipe, being the namesake and all. 😂
Thai Basil tastes like normal basil with a hint of aniseed flavour. Nowadays it’s fairly widely available in Australia in large grocery stores and green grocers (Coles, Woolies, Harris Farms).
In actual fact, the authentic version of Thai Basil Chicken is Thai Holy Basil which is different to Thai Basil. It’s actually quite hard to find even in Thai stores, so much so that most Thai restaurants just use ordinary Thai Basil and it’s the flavour that most people have become accustomed to.
Here’s a photo showing the difference between holy basil and Thai Basil.
In the video and photos, I’ve used Thai Holy Basil. (Sydney-siders, I found it in the dark depths of a Thai grocery store in the city, I had to ask for it and the store owner got it from the back!)
Thai Basil Chicken is often overly saucy when you get it from mid-standard restaurants outside of Thailand.
This recipe sticks more to the traditional way of cooking it with enough sauce to coat the stir fry and to soak the rice a bit (enough!). But not so much sauce that when you dish it up, it’s sitting in a pool of sauce which frankly is too salty and unnecessary because the flavours of this dish are so strong, you don’t need all that sauce.
Serve this over Jasmine rice or any other rice of choice. If you want to add a fresh side, try this Asian Slaw – it’s a great all rounder that goes with all Asian foods. Or for a simpler option, just add a side of plain chunks of tomato and cucumber which is a common side that’s added to plates in Thailand.
As with all stir fries, this Thai recipe moves super fast once you start cooking – about 5 minutes. So if you can get the chopping done in 10 minutes, you’ll have dinner on the table in 15 minutes.
Hey! That’s faster than ordering home delivery! – Nagi xx
Watch how to make it
More Thai takeout favourites
Pad Thai – truly just like takeout!
Starters – Chicken Satay and Thai Fish Cakes
Pad See Ew – Thai stir fried noodles
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Thai Chilli Basil Chicken
Ingredients
- 225g / 7oz chicken thigh fillets , skinless boneless, cut into bite size pieces
- 1 green onion , cut into 4cm / 2" lengths.
- 1 cup Thai basil leaves , loosely packed (Holy Basil if you can find it) (Note 1)
- 2 garlic cloves , large, finely chopped (Note 2)
- 1 birds eye or Thai chilli , deseeded and finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tbsp oil (peanut, vegetable or canola)
Sauce
- 2 tsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp light soy sauce (Note 3)
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce (or all purpose) (Note 3)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp water
Serving
Instructions
- Put Sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix to combine.
- Heat oil in wok or pan over high heat.
- Add garlic and chilli and cook for 10 seconds. Don’t inhale – the chilli will make you cough!
- Add the white part of the green onions and chicken and fry until cooked, around 2 minutes.
- Add Sauce and cook for 1 minute until the water reduces to make a thick glossy sauce.
- Toss through green part of green onions and basil leaves. Stir until just wilted, then serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published in July 2014, updated with fresh new (better!) photos, new words, a brand new recipe video and of course I added a Life of Dozer section!
Life of Dozer
Story of his life. And mine, for that matter.
So I really look forward to getting your recipes and everyone I’ve ever made has been a huge success. I will definitely try this one but I’m surprised it didn’t include fish sauce.
Hi Henry! That’s a really good pick up 🙂 But actually for this one, even the authentic and restaurant recipes I have seen all don’t use fish sauce. I think it will work just fine, it will just taste a little different to what we’re used to. 🙂
Nagi….i absolutely LOVE getting the emails with the easy recipes. You know what i like! Thai food + easy = happy me and happy hubby! THanks again for keeping it awesome. Blessings from South Africa.
I’m so pleased to hear you are enjoying my recipes Liezel, thank you for letting me know! N xx
This looks fabulous… just waiting a few days and will most certainly try this one…. thanks so much!
This chicken dish looks super easy. I still need more practice with my wok. 🙂
DO IT Carlos!!! 🙂
I LOVE thai food, so this recipe is making me drool! I bet the chicken is sooooo tender and flavorful!
This is one of my fave Thai recipes! I love the fresh flavours in this!!
Yummy stir fry ! 15 minutes, this is another winner for me !
I love basil but never used it in stir fries !
I am planning to plant some basil seeds tomorrow. I usually buy Genovese Basil especially for Pesto. Now you got me thinking about buying Holy and Thai basil, which I didn’t even know they existed. I hope they use the same names here in California.
Great Nagi, thank you!
Hi Malika! Thai and Holy basil are brilliant additions to a herb garden! They make the most amazing addition to stir fries and in Asian salads! *Jealous – I can’t grow herbs, they just die in the salty air!*
Poor Dozer!! What did you do to him to wear him out so much? Poor puppy!! I can’t believe isn’t sniffing around looking for something good to nibble. I can’t wait to try out this new recipe. I finally got my set of chopsticks to try out. My Marisa’s chopstick diet is going to be fantastic. Once I get it published I’ll make a fortune. Only problem with that is I don’t know what happens when I learn how to use them. ?
Ha! He wore himself out, chasing rabbits and birds in the backyard!!!
I am definitely going to try this, it looks wonderful. I might be a little confused about the scallion/shallot. To me a scallion is a small white bulb with long green stems, and a shallot is only a bulb, with no stems, looks more like a very small onion. Does it matter which one is used?
Hi Barb! I know, it’s so annoying!!! scallion / shallots are the long green stems, no bulb on the bottom. They are also called spring onions and eshallots here in Australia which is so confusing because eschalots are baby onions! Whenever shallots / scallions are a key ingredient in a recipe, like in this one, not just a garnish, I try to remember to include an ingredients photo (it’s midway through the post). Hope that helps! N xx
Wow, thanks for the prompt reply!
Another winner recipe, Nagi. Thank you.
Thanks Victoria! N xx
This is going to be on my menu pretty soon 🙂 Love Dozer’s worry-free life! 🙂 🙂
He has a hard, hard life…… ?
I just make a vegetarian version of this, it was delicious! what an easy recipe this is, Ill be making it again. Thank you
Oh wow! I’m so happy that you tried and enjoyed this Kyla, thanks so much for letting me know! N x
Sorry i meant to write ‘made’
How spicy is this? Do you think it would be too spicy for a 2 & 4 year old? I always order a similar dish from my local Thai restaurant but their version is pretty darn spicy. Thanks!
Hi Melissa – yes this is spicy. 🙂 I would basically cut out all the chilli for the kids, then just stir through the chilli for the grown ups.
After I originally left a comment I seem to have clicked on the -Notify me when new
comments are added- checkbox and from now on each time a comment is added I recieve four emails with the exact same
comment. Is there a means you can remove me from that service?
Appreciate it!
I’ve tried to make this dish many many times! I, in particular, LOVE the flavor of Thai basil! If a thai restaurant doesn’t use Thai basil, I don’t go back. Also, all the recipes I’ve tried use fish sauce! Haven’t tried your recipe yet; why no fish sauce? The Thai hot basil at my local favorite Thai restaurant , a hole in the wall, is so redolent of anisey basil that I could drink the sauce!!
Hi there! I find that oyster sauce has enough “fishiness” in it that fish sauce is not required, I feel like this is as close as I can get to what Thai restaurants serve here in Sydney. You can substitute the soy sauce with fish sauce if you wish. I don’t think you’ll find this recipe lacking in flavour though! 🙂
Hi, need your help. For basil leave is fresh type or bottle type?
Hi! Fresh 🙂 Definitely fresh!
Hi Nagi, if I don’t have fresh basil, can the dried basil be used as substitute? If yes, how much of the dried basil to use in place of the fresh one?
Hi Bernie! Unfortunately for this recipe, because it’s an Asian one, I don’t recommend using dried basil. What about coriander / cilantro? You could sub that – still DELISH!
Thanks for the recipe, it was super easy and that dash of sugar with the thai basil gave it that aromatic flavour 🙂
I’m so glad to hear that Joshua! Thank you for letting me know! N x
I tried this today and it turned out delicious! Very flavourful and tastes just like a dish from a Thai restaurant. Not to mention it was super easy and quick to prepare.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Aarti! Thanks for letting me know! N x
Yum! This turned out delicious! So simple, yet so flavorful. Used fresh basil from the garden. Will definitely be making this again!
Oooh! An oldie but a goodie, thanks for reminding me of this, I must make it soon myself!! 🙂
There looks like theres another veggie in there, its kinda green/White stick? Spring onion? What is it, thanks!
Gosh that was a miss! 🙂 I’ve updated the recipe – it’s a scallion / shallot 🙂
Hi Nagi,
I tried your Thai basil chicken stir fry, but I used Indonesian basil or lemon basil instead of Thai holy basil and put more birds eye chilli. You know what, I really loved it.
I really love you blog, I have tried some of your recipes and always posted on my blog and link back to your blog.
Thanks for sharing, every time I visit your blog, always followed by bookmarked page.
I said in my mind, I want to try this, then bookmarked, and this one too, bookmarked…ha ha ha..
Hi Monica! Thanks so much for your wonderful message! I’m so glad you enjoyed it…and YES put in as much chili as you want!! I love this stir fry, it’s one of my faves. Popping over to check out if you posted this on your blog! N x
Hi Nagi,
Thanks for replying my comment, I forget to tell you that my blog written in Indonesian language, you may get confused if you popping over to my blog. You can check your recipes that I get from your blog by typing recipe tin eats or just Nagi on the search this blog.
Thank you Nagi
I did get confused! I tried to Google translate too 🙂 I’ll try again!
I don’t know what a birds eye chili is – is there something to sub in or should I hunt down this chili?
Hi Heather! Any type of fresh hot chilli is fine. And if you can’t find fresh chilli, then just add some chili sauce in when you add the sauce ingredients in! 🙂
Hey Nagi! This recipe sounds really good but I was wondering, are the strong flavors enough to be able to use beef instead of chicken? I have been looking for a Thai beef and basil recipe and this one sounds really good!
Hi Alan! You can definitely use beef instead of chicken. The flavour of this is very strong and beef would work fabulously with this! Just make sure to cut fairly thin slices, against the grain (i.e. 90 degrees to the fibres). That will work better than cubes of beef.
Definitely! Just make sure to cut the beef across the grain (i.e. 90 degrees to the fibres) and it will work perfectly! I’ve done it before a number of times!