Thai Basil Chicken
Quick and simple eats has been an ongoing theme in terms of meal planning, and this one does not disappoint. This Thai basil chicken is such a simple asian stir-fry that takes less than 30 minutes, making it perfect for a weeknight dinner, followed by leftovers for lunch.
What I love is that this dish is packed with lots of flavor including garlic (great functional food to support your immune system), shallots, and chili’s (as much or as little as you prefer for heat). Pair it with some basmati or long-grain white rice, and a green — steamed bok choy is my personal favorite, and you’ve got yourself a healthy and balanced meal.
If you’ve caught on by now or follow me on instagram, you’ll know or learn that I’m a big sucker for Asian food. I’m half Vietnamese so it’s my kind of comfort food. Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai, and Indian are some of my favorite dishes and tend to be the meals I choose when I’m in charge of dinner. I just love the way Asian cuisine has a way of hitting the flavor notes — bitter, sour, sweet, savory, spicy.
That said, it’s been a while since I’ve had this dish, and the first time I’ve made it myself, but this thai basil chicken brings me back to my travels in Chiang Mai, Thailand years ago. It also brings me back to days working at the office when we’d order Thai for takeout. And let me just say this is WAY better than takeout knowing the real food ingredients you’re putting into it and the fact that it’s made with lots of love.
The ingredients are fairly simple, especially if you’re familiar with cooking Asian cuisine. You can also use any ground meat that you can find laying around or get creative and grind your own. I must say grinding your own meat can make a difference since you know exactly what kind of meat and cut you’re putting into it, and it’s fresh. A little more effort can equate to better results, but sometimes we’re limited on times and need simplicity.
So let’s get down to the recipe, shall we?
Thai Basil Chicken Recipe (Serves 4)
Ingredients
1.5 pounds ground chicken (or ground meat of choice)
8 large garlic cloves, finely minced
1 large shallot about 1 oz, finely minced
3-5 bird’s eye chili’s, finely minced (I substituted with serrano and fresno)
2 tablespoons avocado oil (Primal Kitchen is a favorite)
2 tablespoons fish sauce (Red Boat is a favorite)
2 tablespoons soy sauce (Ohsawa Nama is a favorite that’s raw, has probiotics, and well worth the $$)
1 tablespoon dark sweet soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce (Wok Mei is a favorite that’s gluten free)
1 cup or 8 ounces of Thai holy basil or regular basil
4 eggs
4 cups of steamed long-grain white rice (Lundberg Farm is a favorite)
Instructions
Using a mortar, chopper, or food processor/blender combine the garlic, shallot, and chilies and grind until the texture becomes a course paste. An an alternative, you could just keep these ingredients finely minced with a sharp knife, but the flavor really comes together well using more of a paste.
In a large frying pan or wok, heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil and pan fry the eggs one at a time so that the bottoms and ends become crispy. Transfer the fried eggs to a plate and set aside.
Using the same frying pan or wok, return the pan to a medium-high heat. When the oil gets hot, add in the paste, staring gently for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the ground chicken to the pan, breaking apart with a spatula in small pieces.
Add the fish sauce, soy sauces, and oyster sauce, stirring together until the chicken is cooked through for about 2-3 minutes. If the liquid is drying up (there should be about 3/4 a cup), add some low sodium chicken stock or water.
Remove the pan from the heat, add the basil, and story until the basil begins to wilt from the heat. Divvy the rice up in to 4 servings, add the stir-fry, and top it with the fried egg.
Recipe Credit: Simple Thai Food by Leela Punyaratabandhu