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Thai Basil Chicken Recipe

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4.4 from 8 reviews

This Thai Basil Chicken recipe is a flavorful and quick stir-fry dish featuring tender chicken thighs cooked with aromatic garlic, onions, red bell peppers, and fresh Thai basil leaves in a savory sauce made from soy sauce, oyster sauce, palm sugar, and crushed red pepper. Perfect for a weeknight dinner, it combines sweet, salty, and spicy flavors that pair wonderfully with steamed white or brown rice.

Ingredients

Sauce Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons light or low sodium soy sauce
  • 4 tablespoons Asian oyster sauce
  • 2 tablespoons palm sugar
  • 2 teaspoons dry crushed red pepper

Main Ingredients

  • 4-6 tablespoons olive oil (or cooking oil of your choice)
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 8 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
  • 4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, pat-dried and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
  • 2 cups fresh Thai basil leaves (no stems)
  • Lime slivers, for garnish
  • Sriracha sauce, for serving

Instructions

  1. Make the Sauce: In a bowl, hand-whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, palm sugar, and crushed red pepper until well combined. This sauce can be made ahead, covered, and refrigerated until ready to use.
  2. Sauté Onions: Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pan or wok over medium-high heat until hot. Add the chopped onion and stir continuously until translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  3. Cook Garlic and Chicken: Add the chopped garlic and stir for an additional 1 minute until fragrant. Then add the chicken pieces, stirring frequently for about 2 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink in the center.
  4. Add Red Bell Peppers: Add the sliced red bell peppers to the pan, continue stirring and cooking for another 2 minutes until the peppers start to soften.
  5. Add Sauce: Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Stir well for about 1 minute, allowing the sauce to heat through and fully coat the ingredients. Turn off the heat.
  6. Finish with Basil: Gently fold in the fresh Thai basil leaves until just wilted from the residual heat.
  7. Serve: Serve hot over white or brown rice. Garnish with lime slivers and offer sriracha sauce on the side for added heat according to taste.

Notes

  • Palm sugar can be substituted with brown sugar if unavailable.
  • For a lower sodium version, use low sodium soy sauce and reduce or omit oyster sauce.
  • Adjust crushed red pepper quantity to your preferred spice level.
  • Ensure chicken pieces are patted dry to get a nice sear and prevent steaming.
  • Fresh Thai basil is critical for authentic flavor; if unavailable, sweet basil can be used as a substitute.