Thai Basil Rooster (Pad Krapow Gai) – Takes Two Eggs

April 20, 2025

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Thai basil rooster or pad krapow gai is a scrumptious, fast, and straightforward Thai recipe that comes collectively in lower than quarter-hour. Serve this Thai basil rooster stir fry with a fried egg and steamed rice for the last word simple weeknight meal.

This tremendous simple Thai basil rooster recipe is so a lot better than your native Thai takeout spot and solely wants one wok and a handful of easy-to-find elements. It is usually actually flavorful, wholesome, and full of protein, making it supreme for meal prepping for the week.

What’s Thai Basil Rooster?

Thai basil rooster or pad krapow gai is a well-liked Thai avenue meals dish that’s deeply savory, spicy, and fragrant. It’s made with minced or chopped rooster, garlic, shallots, Thai hen’s eye chili peppers, oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, darkish soy sauce, sugar, rooster broth, and Thai Holy basil that’s shortly stir-fried in a wok and served with steamed white rice and a fried egg. It’s mostly offered as avenue meals or served in most Thai eating places for lunch or dinner.

Pad krapow interprets to “holy basil stir-fry.” It additionally is available in a pork pad kra pao or beef model. On this simple Thai basil rooster recipe, I opted to make use of common Thai basil which is an efficient substitute for holy basil if you happen to can’t discover it in your native grocery retailer.

Substances

You could find the elements for this Thai basil rooster recipe at your native Asian grocery retailer. Full measurements and hyperlinks to the whole lot I used are listed within the recipe card beneath.

Floor Rooster: floor rooster is the primary protein, you may also use different cuts of rooster lower into small bite-sized items.
Garlic and Shallots: garlic and shallots add a deep fragrant taste.
Thai hen’s eye chili pepper: Thai chili peppers are very spicy. Regulate the warmth stage of your dish by including roughly chili peppers.
Vegetable Oil: use vegetable oil or any impartial oil with a excessive smoke level like canola oil, peanut oil, or avocado oil.
Inexperienced onion: provides one other fragrant natural taste.
Thai Basil or Holy Basil: Holy Basil has an intense peppery taste with hints of licorice and mint. It might be troublesome to seek out. For this recipe, I used Thai basil as an alternative.

Stir Fry Sauce

Oyster Sauce: provides a deep, savory, tangy taste to the pad krapow gai.
Fish Sauce: provides a posh pungent, salty, briny, umami taste to the Thai basil rooster sauce.
Soy Sauce: provides a salty umami taste. For an genuine Thai taste, use Golden Mountain seasoning sauce.
Darkish Soy Sauce: provides a candy soy taste and contributes to the wealthy darkish brown coloring of the minced rooster.
Sugar: sweetens and balances out the opposite salty flavors.
Low Sodium Rooster broth: lightens the deep salty flavors and creates a scrumptious savory.

Substitutions and Additions

Substitutions

Protein: as an alternative of floor rooster, you’ll be able to alternatively use floor beef, floor pork, or floor turkey.
Vegetarian: for a vegetarian model, you should utilize tofu, mushrooms, or floor vegan meat. Additionally, substitute the oyster sauce and fish sauce for vegan alternate options.
Basil: Holy Basil could also be very exhausting to seek out. I like to recommend utilizing Italian basil for an in depth second.

Additions

Peppers: for added pepper flavors, you’ll be able to add candy chilis, bell peppers, or gentle peppers.
Inexperienced beans: Toss in chopped inexperienced beans for added vegetable content material.

Learn how to Make Thai Basil Rooster

Listed here are the step-by-step directions for the way to make this Thai basil rooster recipe.

In a mixing bowl, add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, darkish soy sauce, and sugar. Combine till mixed.
Warmth 1 1/2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a wok over medium-high warmth. Add garlic, shallots, and chili peppers and saute for 1 minute or till aromatic.

Subsequent, improve the warmth to excessive, add the bottom rooster, break it up into smaller items, and toss to mix with the aromatics. Unfold the rooster out right into a single layer and let it sear. Then toss and proceed cooking till the rooster is cooked by and flippantly charred and all of the liquid has evaporated, about 4 minutes.

Add the sauce and toss till mixed. Then deglaze the pan with rooster inventory. Cook dinner till the rooster inventory renders down, about 2-3 minutes.

Then, add the inexperienced components of the inexperienced onions and Thai basil leaves. Toss till simply wilted.

Serve the Thai basil rooster with steamed rice, cucumber, tomatoes, and a fried egg and revel in!

Knowledgeable Suggestions

Have the whole lot measured and prepped. As soon as you start cooking, the whole lot will transfer shortly, so have the whole lot prepared and subsequent to your cooking station.
For a spicier taste, smash the Thai chili and garlic in a mortar and pestle till mixed to launch extra fragrant oils within the chilis.
For much less spice, use much less Thai chilis and de-seed them. The seeds are the supply of the chili’s fireplace.
Use excessive warmth when including minced pork. Earlier than including the rooster, use excessive warmth to offer the rooster a pleasant sear and caramelize the feel for the most effective taste.
Style and modify. As soon as the whole lot is mixed, style and modify the seasoning primarily based in your preferences. Add extra sugar or water whether it is too salty, or use fewer Thai chili peppers if you happen to desire much less spice, and many others.

Storage Directions

You may retailer any leftover Thai basil rooster in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 5 days.

Reheat: Place the pad krapow gai in a wok or pan on the range and reheat over medium warmth till heat. Alternatively, microwave coated till heat.

Freeze: You may freeze the cooled to room temperature rooster in a freezer-safe, hermetic container for as much as 3 months. Defrost within the fridge in a single day earlier than reheating.

Pairing Solutions

This Thai basil rooster is greatest served with a facet of steamed white rice, however you may also serve it with the next pairing ideas.

FAQ

Can I take advantage of totally different cuts of rooster?

Sure! As a substitute of floor rooster, you should utilize small, bite-sized items of rooster thighs or rooster breast. The cooking time could also be barely longer.

Can I take advantage of different floor protein for pad kra pow?

Sure! As a substitute of floor rooster, you’ll be able to alternatively use pork or beef as an alternative.

What are good alternate options to Holy Basil?

Historically, pad krapow gai makes use of a selected kind of basil referred to as holy basil that may be very exhausting to seek out in grocery shops. Good alternate options to holy basil, embody Italian basil or common Thai basil.

Extra Rooster Recipes to Attempt

Thai Basil Rooster Recipe