🌶️ Thai basil chicken (pad kra pao)

Name: Thai basil chicken (pad kra pao)
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Thailand
Ingredients: 400 g chicken thigh, finely chopped or minced; 4 garlic cloves; 3–5 bird's eye chilies; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tsp sugar; 2 large handfuls holy or Thai basil leaves

Origin: Thailand

630kcal

per serving · 350 g

180kcal

per 100 g

60 gProtein17 g / 100 g

32 gFat9 g / 100 g

21 gCarbs6 g / 100 g

Pad kra pao is a fast, fiery stir-fry of minced or chopped chicken with holy basil, garlic and bird's eye chilies, seasoned with soy sauce and fish sauce. The chicken turns savoury and slightly caramelised while the basil wilts at the end and releases a peppery aroma. It is one of Thailand's most popular everyday lunches, usually eaten over steamed jasmine rice.

Diets

✓

No porkfor halal, the meat must be halal-slaughtered

✓

Dairy-freeno milk, cheese, butter or yogurt in a typical recipe

✓

Low-carb6 g carbs per 100 g

✓

High protein17 g protein per 100 g — 38% of the calories

Not vegetarianbecause of: chicken, fish sauce

Not veganbecause of: chicken, fish sauce

Contains glutenbecause of: soy sauce

Allergens

Contains (in a typical recipe):

⚠ Gluten ⚠ Crustaceans ⚠ Fish ⚠ Soy

What it is made of

chickenbasilchili peppergarlicsoy saucefish sauce

Recipe

2 servings20 min

Ingredients

400 g chicken thigh, finely chopped or minced
4 garlic cloves
3–5 bird's eye chilies
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp sugar
2 large handfuls holy or Thai basil leaves

Method

Pound the garlic and chilies into a rough paste.
Heat the oil in a wok over high heat and fry the paste for 20 seconds.
Add the chicken and stir-fry for 4–5 minutes until cooked and lightly browned.
Season with soy sauce, fish sauce and sugar, add a splash of water and toss.
Turn off the heat, stir in the basil until wilted and serve with rice.

How to make it lighter

Use skinless chicken breast instead of thigh to cut the fat.
Measure the oil: 1 tbsp oil ≈ 120 kcal, and a non-stick wok needs less.
Serve with a smaller portion of rice and a side of sliced cucumber.

History

Pad kra pao is a staple of Thai street food stalls and home kitchens, and is commonly ordered as a quick one-plate meal. Holy basil (kra pao) gives the dish its name, though sweet Thai basil is often used outside Thailand.

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Values are estimates per 100 g for a typical recipe; home and restaurant versions vary. Diets and allergens are worked out from the ingredients of a typical recipe — always check with whoever cooked the dish. Not medical advice. Nutrition data: Me Nutrition dish database v13. How we count →