Description
Spicy Thai Basil Chicken Fried Rice combines tender chicken thighs, day old rice, hot chilies, garlic, and fragrant Thai basil in a rich savory sauce. Ready in 27 mins, this quick fried rice is ideal for a spicy weeknight dinner with cool cucumber slices on the side.
Ingredients
For the Chicken Marinade
- 250 grams boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
For the Sauce
- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon sweet dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1 tablespoon water or chicken broth
For the Spicy Thai Basil Chicken Fried Rice
- 6 to 7 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 6 to 10 small hot red chilies, preferably Bird’s eye, cut into pieces
- 4 to 10 small hot green chilies, preferably Bird’s eye
- ¾ yellow onion, sliced ¼ inch thick
- 1 large red chili, thinly sliced, with a few slices reserved for serving
- 1½ cups Thai holy basil leaves, washed and dried
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 3 cups cooked long grain Thai rice, preferably day old
- Cucumber slices, for serving
- Fish sauce with chopped chilies, for serving
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: Combine the chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon fish sauce, and white pepper. Mix well and set aside while preparing the remaining ingredients.
- Prepare the chilies: Crush the garlic and small red and green chilies together into a coarse paste using a mortar and pestle.
- Mix the sauce: Stir the oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, sweet dark soy sauce, sugar, and water or chicken broth together until combined.
- Brown the chicken: Heat the canola oil in a large wok over high heat. Add the chicken and stir fry for 1 to 2 mins, until no longer pink and beginning to brown.
- Cook the aromatics: Add the onion and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add the garlic and chili paste along with the sliced large red chili and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Fry the rice: Add the cooked rice and prepared sauce. Stir fry for about 1 min, breaking apart any clumps and tossing until the grains are evenly coated.
- Add the basil: Toss in the Thai holy basil and stir fry for about 30 seconds, just until wilted. Turn off the heat and serve immediately with cucumber, reserved red chili slices, and chili seasoned fish sauce.
Notes
- Day old chilled rice gives the fried rice a firmer, more separated texture.
- Reduce the small red and green chilies for a milder version without changing the other seasonings.
- Thai sweet basil or Italian basil can replace Thai holy basil when necessary.
- Refrigerate cooled leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days and reheat until thoroughly steaming.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 12 mins
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 455 kcal per serving
Keywords: Thai Basil Fried Rice