Thai Basil Chicken Bowls (Printable version)

Tender chicken and holy basil stir-fried with garlic and chilies, served atop jasmine rice with flavorful sauce.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Protein

01 - 1.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, thinly sliced

→ Sauce

02 - 3 tbsp soy sauce
03 - 2 tbsp oyster sauce
04 - 1 tbsp fish sauce
05 - 1 tbsp brown sugar
06 - 2 tbsp water

→ Aromatics

07 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 to 3 Thai chilies, thinly sliced (adjust to taste)
09 - 1 small onion, thinly sliced

→ Vegetables & Herbs

10 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
11 - 1 cup packed fresh holy basil leaves (or Thai basil if unavailable)

→ To Serve

12 - 4 cups cooked jasmine rice
13 - Lime wedges, optional

# Directions:

01 - Combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, and water in a small bowl; set aside.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add garlic and chilies, stir-frying for 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add sliced onion to the skillet and cook for 1 minute until slightly softened.
04 - Add the thinly sliced chicken and stir-fry for 4 to 5 minutes until starting to brown and cooked through.
05 - Incorporate red bell pepper slices and stir-fry for an additional 2 minutes until just tender.
06 - Pour the prepared sauce into the skillet, stirring to coat the chicken, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce bubbles.
07 - Remove from heat and immediately fold in fresh holy basil leaves until wilted.
08 - Spoon the mixture over bowls of jasmine rice and garnish with lime wedges if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Holy basil adds a complex peppery-sweet kick that tastes like you've cooked for hours when you've really just spent fifteen minutes.
  • The sauce clings perfectly to the chicken without being heavy or overly sweet, which makes you feel genuinely good eating it.
  • You can prep everything in advance and finish it faster than most takeout delivery arrives at your door.
02 -
  • Holy basil loses its personality if you cook it for more than 10 seconds, so add it at the absolute last moment and stir gently—it's delicate, not robust like Italian basil.
  • Don't slice your chicken too thick or it'll take forever to cook and might dry out; aim for about a quarter-inch thickness so it cooks quickly and stays tender.
  • The sauce should look dark and glossy, not thin and watery; if yours looks watery after cooking, you either used too much water or your pan wasn't hot enough to evaporate it quickly.
03 -
  • Make the sauce ahead of time and store it in a jar in the fridge—this dish becomes truly weeknight-friendly when half the work is already done.
  • If you can only find regular basil at the last minute, add it early and let it cook into the sauce rather than expecting it to provide that peppery punch that holy basil does.
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