Thai basil chicken fried rice is a savory, protein-packed stir-fry that combines lean chicken, fresh basil, and colorful vegetables in under 30 minutes. The standout technique is stirring the pan juices from cooked chicken back into the rice, creating rich depth with minimal oil and salt.
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Mix together in a small bowl: 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 1½ tablespoons light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 2 teaspoons fish sauce and 1 teaspoon palm sugar.
Stir until the palm sugar is dissolved in the liquid.
Mince 500 grams (1.1 pounds) boneless chicken thighs or breasts using a food processor or a sharp knife.
Look up this recipe to learn how to easily mince chicken at home.
Add 1 tablespoon of the stir fry sauce to the minced chicken and mix well.
Allow it to marinate for a few minutes until you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Mince or pound 5 Bird's eye (Thai) red chilies and 5 cloves garlic with a knife or mortar and pestle.
Heat ½ tablespoon of peanut oil in a wok. Stir-fry the marinated chicken mince until it turns opaque.
Remove immediately and keep aside.
You will have some pan juices collected at the bottom. Reserve it in a bowl separately.
In the same pan, add ½ tablespoon of peanut oil and scramble 2 eggswith a pinch of salt and pepper.
Once the eggs are set, remove and keep aside. Remove any bits of egg stuck at the bottom of the wok.
Finely dice 1 onion and 1 red bell pepper.
Heat ½ tablespoon of peanut oil in the wok and add the chopped onions.
Stir until they are translucent. Add the chili-garlic paste. Sauté for a couple of minutes.
Stir in the chopped bell peppers.
HERE'S THE UNIQUE TWIST OF THE RECIPE: add the reserved pan juices from the cooked chicken.
Let it boil until the veggies absorb the aromatic juices.
When most of the liquid has evaporated, add 5 cups cooked rice and stir on high flame for a few minutes.
Continue stirring the rice on high heat until it starts sticking to the bottom.
(Of course, it won't happen if you're using non-stick cookware. In that case, stir until all the liquid has been absorbed.)
Add the remaining stir-fry sauce and keep stirring on high flame until the rice absorbs the sauce completely.
Add the chicken and eggs back to the wok. Stir briefly and remove from heat.
Garnish with a handful of Thai basil leaves.
Serve the fried rice with cucumber slices and lime wedges.
Store leftovers in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a wok or skillet over medium heat with a splash of water to restore moisture.
Yes. Thighs stay moister, but breasts work—slice thinner and watch carefully to avoid overcooking.
Day-old cooked rice, cooled completely. Fresh rice will clump. If using same-day rice, spread it on a tray to cool and dry out.
Fried rice keeps refrigerated for 3 days. Reheat gently in a wok or skillet over medium heat with a splash of water to restore moisture.
Medium heat from 5 Thai chilies. Remove seeds for mild, or add whole for more burn. Adjust to your tolerance.
Soy sauce can partially replace it (use extra light soy), but fish sauce adds umami depth that's hard to fully replicate.
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