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Home » Blog » Main Dish Recipes » Thai Basil Chicken

Thai Basil Chicken

Cathy Roma Published: Sep 15, 2019

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Thai basil chicken is spicy, sweet, and savory and oh so easy! The quick and tasty one dish meal perfect for weeknights.

Nothing beats a wok when you’re trying to get dinner on the table in a hurry and this Thai basil chicken can be cooked in minutes. It’s packed with flavor and has just the right balance of salty, sweet, sour, and spicy.

Here’s the thing, of course it’s easy to order take out when you’re pressed for time. But with this recipe for Thai basil chicken you can pull together a dinner that will rival any of your favorite take-out dishes.

Sure, you might not be in the mood to cook, but a piping hot bowl of deliciousness in a little over twenty minutes sure beats an hour long wait full of groans and whining. Right?!

This is where one of my most prized cooking possessions comes into play.

My trusty, well-seasoned wok. It’s been with me most of my adult life and only improves with time.

It didn’t cost very much, a good wok will only set you back $25-$30 and as long as you take care of it, it will last forever. A carbon-steel wok is my go-to; it’s lightweight, heats up quickly and over time it will develop a completely non-stick surface.

This means clean up doesn’t require scouring the pan or a long soak. Just give it a quick wash and be sure to lightly coat the surface with a little canola or vegetable oil to prevent rust.

So if your house is anything like mine on a busy weeknight and you’re about to order take out for the hungry masses, put down the phone and pull out your wok! You’ll have empty bowls and full bellies in no time.

Let’s make Thai Basil Chicken

  1. Heat the oil in the wok over high heat and add the chopped onion.
  2. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
  3. Toss the chicken in cornstarch and add to the wok.
  4. Once the chicken is almost cooked through, add the chopped chile, curry paste, sherry, fish sauce, and brown sugar.
  5. Whisk in the chicken stock and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened.
  6. Stir in the basil and serve.

Thai Basil Chicken in a wok on a white and blue towel with a spoon.Tips for success

  • The bite-size chunks of chicken are lightly coated in corn starch which creates a velvety sauce. The corn starch also helps to thicken the sauce.
  • This recipe calls for holy basil which has a sharper, more powerful flavor than regular Thai or Italian basil, but it’s often hard to come by. No worries if you can’t find it; Thai or Italian basil are excellent substitutes.
  • Have all of your ingredients prepped before you start as this recipe comes together quickly.
  • Use high heat when cooking with the wok. Just be sure to stir frequently.

More Easy Weeknight Dishes

  • Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry
  • Chicken Breasts with Creamy Spinach Sauce
  • Chicken with Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce
  • Creamy Goat Cheese Pasta with Chicken and Mushrooms
3.43 from 134 votes
Thai Basil Chicken in a black bowl served over rice and garnished with basil.
Print
Thai Basil Chicken
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 

Thai basil chicken is spicy, sweet, and savory and oh so easy! The quick and tasty one dish meal perfect for weeknights!

Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Thai
Keyword: thai basil chicken
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 288 kcal
Author: Cathy Roma | What Should I Make For...
Ingredients
  • 1 Tbsp canola oil
  • 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken (cut into a 1/2 inch dice)
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 1 Thai chile or serrano pepper, minced
  • 1 tsp green curry paste
  • 1/3 cup sherry
  • 3 Tbsp Asian fish sauce
  • 1 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 3 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 1/2 cups Holy basil (Thai basil or Italian basil can be substituted)
  • *Jasmine rice for serving
Instructions
  1. Heat the oil in a wok over high heat.

  2. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.

  3. Toss the chicken with cornstarch to coat and add to wok. Cook for about 5 minutes until almost cooked through, stirring frequently.

  4. Add chile, curry paste, sherry, fish sauce, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Stir and cook until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes.

  5. Add chicken stock and cook an additional 3 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly.
  6. Stir in the basil. Serve immedidately over jasmine rice if desired.

Nutrition Facts
Thai Basil Chicken
Amount Per Serving
Calories 288 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 145mg48%
Sodium 1433mg62%
Potassium 532mg15%
Carbohydrates 14g5%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 33g66%
Vitamin A 353IU7%
Vitamin C 4mg5%
Calcium 38mg4%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Update Notes: This post was originally published in January 2016 but was republished with tips and step by step photos in September 2019.

Thai Basil Chicken
241

Main Dish Recipes, Recipe poultry, quick, stir-fry, thai, thai chicken, wok, quick dinner, asian, basil, chicken

About Cathy Roma

My food philosophy is simple: everything in moderation. Sweet, savory, healthy, decadent…food, like life, is all about balance. I rely on my background as a trained chef/mom to create family-friendly recipes that will inspire you to cook, not complicate your life.

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Previous Post: « Creamy Pasta with Sausage and Mushrooms
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says

    February 1, 2016 at 12:32 pm

    Looks so delicious and so flavorful Cathy! Sweet, sour and spicy is a win-win-win in my book! Hope you have a great week!

    Reply
    • Cathy says

      February 1, 2016 at 5:41 pm

      Thanks Mary Ann! Off to a great start with this gorgeous sunshine! Cheers!

  2. Annemarie @ justalittlebitofbacon says

    February 2, 2016 at 1:35 am

    Yum! This looks so good and flavorful! I love making quick Thai stirfries. As for ordering take-out? I agree that it’s often much better to make something quick than order another tired pizza.

    Reply
    • Cathy says

      February 2, 2016 at 4:21 pm

      Thanks Annemarie! Agreed – if you can muster the energy on a Friday night, homemade is always better!

  3. Ea says

    October 5, 2019 at 2:42 pm

    Is there anything you can recommend to substitute for the cherry? I just don’t want to buy cherry just for this recipe. TIA

    Reply
    • Cathy Roma says

      October 5, 2019 at 3:13 pm

      I think you’re talking about the sherry. You can sub white wine with a splash of rice wine vinegar. I really like the flavor of a fortified wine like sherry, port or Madeira, but you can also use a splash of sherry vinegar.

  4. Michelle says

    March 9, 2020 at 7:50 am

    I can’t find the holy basil, nor the other basil’s that could be substituted for the holy basil. The thai basil & the Italian basil. Any other suggestions?

    Reply
    • Cathy Roma says

      March 9, 2020 at 12:57 pm

      Any fresh basil can be substituted in a pinch!

  5. Karen says

    May 29, 2020 at 3:31 pm

    4 stars
    I was looking for a recipe other than pesto to use for my basil plant – this Thai Basil Chicken fit the bill! Great flavor and super easy to make. I used Korean Gochujang sauce instead of chili or serrano peppers. It’s a sweet and spicy sauce and gave it a great complex flavor. I used about 1-2 tbsp – until it reached the level of heat that I knw would work for my family. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

    Reply
    • Cathy Roma says

      June 11, 2020 at 4:00 pm

      I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! You’re right, a great way to use up extra basil. I’ll have to try the Gochujang sauce next time, sounds delish!

  6. Kim says

    July 28, 2021 at 12:05 am

    5 stars
    Everyone loved it!

    Reply
    • Cathy Roma says

      July 28, 2021 at 3:49 am

      Makes my heart sing!

  7. GiGi says

    January 21, 2022 at 11:47 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe. I added lot of veggies. I substituted the sherry with sherry vinegar (1 tablespoon) and used tofu. I like the fact that it was not too sweet. Love it.

    Reply
  8. Shannon says

    September 26, 2022 at 12:41 am

    5 stars
    It was delicious! I couldn’t find green curry paste so I used cilantro paste with a tsp of garam masala. The only issue I had with the recipe was it took a lot longer than 5 minutes to thicken after adding a cup and a half of chicken broth. I let it boil then simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Then it was saucy and so good!

    Reply
  9. Nandini parikh says

    September 26, 2022 at 8:00 pm

    Where do I find sherry or sherry vinegar. Look for it in Hmart and Wholefood. No one has it

    Reply
    • Cathy Roma says

      September 26, 2022 at 8:54 pm

      Wow I’m surprised by that. Sherry can be found wherever you buy wine, but Sherry vinegar can usually be found in the vinegar section of most markets.

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HEY THERE, I’M CATHY.

My food philosophy is simple: everything in moderation. Sweet, savory, healthy, decadent…food, like life, is all about balance. I rely on my background as a trained chef/mom to create family-friendly recipes that will inspire you to cook, not complicate your life.

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