Description
Savory Thai pad kra pao delivers explosive flavor combinations with fragrant basil and chili-infused chicken. Authentic street-style preparation promises quick satisfaction for home cooks seeking bold Southeast Asian cuisine.
Ingredients
Scale
- 350 g (12 oz) chicken mince (thigh/breast)
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup basil leaves (Thai Holy Basil/Sweet/Italian Basil)
- 4–5 cloves garlic
- 4–5 bird’s eye chilies
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp brown/white sugar
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- ½ tsp dark soy sauce
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preparation: Finely dice garlic cloves and Thai bird’s eye chilies to establish a robust flavor foundation.
- Sauce Preparation: Blend sauce ingredients in a mixing bowl, ensuring a balanced and harmonious flavor profile that will elevate the chicken’s taste.
- Pan Heating: Warm a pan over medium heat, introducing vegetable oil to create a perfect sizzling cooking surface.
- Aromatic Base: Sauté garlic until fragrant, quickly adding chilies to infuse the oil with intense heat and depth of flavor.
- Chicken Transformation: Add minced chicken to the pan, stirring vigorously to cook thoroughly and achieve a golden, appetizing color.
- Flavor Infusion: Drench the chicken with prepared sauce, allowing it to caramelize and thoroughly coat each morsel with a complex, spicy essence.
- Final Touch: Incorporate fresh basil leaves and a sprinkle of black pepper, creating a vibrant and aromatic culmination to the dish.
- Plating: Serve the spicy basil chicken over steamed jasmine rice, crowning with a crispy fried egg to provide textural contrast and visual appeal.
Notes
- Prep Like a Pro: Finely dice garlic and chilies before cooking to ensure even flavor distribution and prevent burning.
- Sauce Synergy: Mix sauce ingredients thoroughly to balance sweet, salty, and spicy notes for an authentic Thai taste experience.
- Heat Management: Cook chicken over medium-high heat to achieve perfect golden color and prevent moisture buildup that leads to steaming.
- Basil Brilliance: Add fresh basil leaves at the very end of cooking to preserve their vibrant color and intense aromatic qualities.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3
- Calories: 367
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 1132 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 186 mg