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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
- Heat the oil in the wok over high heat and add the chopped onion.
- Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
- Toss the chicken in cornstarch and add to the wok.
- Once the chicken is almost cooked through, add the chopped chile, curry paste, sherry, fish sauce, and brown sugar.
- Whisk in the chicken stock and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened.
- Stir in the basil and serve.
Tips for success
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
Thai basil chicken is spicy, sweet, and savory and oh so easy! The quick and tasty one dish meal perfect for weeknights!
- 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
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Heat the oil in a wok over high heat.
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Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
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Toss the chicken with cornstarch to coat and add to wok. Cook for about 5 minutes until almost cooked through, stirring frequently.
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Add chile, curry paste, sherry, fish sauce, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Stir and cook until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes.
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Add chicken stock and cook an additional 3 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly.
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Stir in the basil. Serve immedidately over jasmine rice if desired.
Update Notes: This post was originally published in January 2016 but was republished with tips and step by step photos in September 2019.
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Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
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!
Cathy says
Thanks Mary Ann! Off to a great start with this gorgeous sunshine! Cheers!
Annemarie @ justalittlebitofbacon says
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.
Cathy says
Thanks Annemarie! Agreed – if you can muster the energy on a Friday night, homemade is always better!
Ea says
Is there anything you can recommend to substitute for the cherry? I just don’t want to buy cherry just for this recipe. TIA
Cathy Roma says
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.
Michelle says
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?
Cathy Roma says
Any fresh basil can be substituted in a pinch!
Karen says
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.
Cathy Roma says
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!
Kim says
Everyone loved it!
Cathy Roma says
Makes my heart sing!
GiGi says
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.
Shannon says
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!
Nandini parikh says
Where do I find sherry or sherry vinegar. Look for it in Hmart and Wholefood. No one has it
Cathy Roma says
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.
Susan says
Made this last night per recipe EXCEPT. cut down amount of fish stauce and soy sauce. To me that was a bizarre amount. I have done a fair amount of stir frying and have never seen such a large amount. At very end I added Udon noodles. Was a very tasty meal.
Thanks.
Cathy Roma says
As I always say, most recipes (outside of baking) should be used as a guide and can/should be adapted to your tastes and/or dietary restrictions. For me, this is the perfect amount of fish and soy sauce, but of course you should adapt to your liking. Glad you did and enjoyed your meal!