Thai Basil Chicken

This recipe is adapted from a very old cookbook (remember those?!) that I’ve continued to make over the years because it is flavorful and easy, I almost always have all ingredients on hand, and it goes great with rice or Asian noodles.

Ingredients include fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, crushed red pepper, onions & garlic, oil and basil leaves.

You can usually find fish sauce in the international aisle of your local grocery store. I buy mine from my local Asian market (Lotte).

And while fresh basil is preferred, I don’t always have it on hand, so I’ve used dried basil in a pinch and it’s a great substitute.

The sauce is water, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar and red pepper.

Stir frying the onions in the oil and garlic is when things start smelling real good.

I like using boneless, skinless chicken thighs that I cut into smaller pieces, but I have also used boneless, skinless chicken breast.

Here I wanted more basil than the fresh basil I had on hand, so I sprinkled in some dried basil as well.

This chicken goes great with Asian noodles or jasmine rice (see how to cook the perfect jasmine rice). I like these noodles I get from Costco:

It’s such an easy recipe and everyone in my family likes it. I hope you enjoy it too!

Stay Healthy!

Print Recipe

Thai Basil Chicken

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 Tbs fish sauce
  • 2 Tbs soy sauce
  • 4 tsp sugar
  • 2 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 3 Tbs vegetable oil
  • 1/2 onion thinly sliced
  • 1/2 onion diced
  • 8 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 pkg chicken thighs boneless, skinless
  • 1 cup basil leaves torn

Instructions

  • In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine water, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar and red pepper. Stir until sugar is dissolved and set aside.
  • Heat 2 Tbs of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add onions and garlic and stir fry for about 2 minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
  • Add remaining oil and heat for about a minute.
  • Add chicken and cook for about 5 minutes until browned.
  • Lower to medium heat. Add the reserved sauce and onions to chicken and cook, tossing occasionally, until chicken is cooked through.
  • Remove from heat and stir in torn basil leaves.
  • Serve chicken over rice or Asian noodles.