Pad Krapow Gai
Thai stir-fried chicken with holy basil
Ingredients
- 300 g Chicken thighs
- 1 bunch Holy basil
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 4 Thai chilies
- 2 tbsp Fish sauce
- 1 tbsp Oyster sauce
- 1 tsp Dark soy sauce
- 400 g Jasmine rice
- 2 tbsp Neutral oil
- 1 tsp Sugar
Method
- Rinse the jasmine rice and cook it in twice its volume of water, covered, until tender and the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
- While the rice cooks, mince the chicken roughly and pound the garlic and chilies to a coarse paste.
- Stir-fry the garlic and chili in hot oil for a few seconds until fragrant, then add the chicken and stir-fry over high heat until cooked through and lightly browned.
- Season with the fish sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy, and sugar and toss to coat.
- Fold in the holy basil off the heat so it just wilts.
- Serve over the jasmine rice, ideally with a crispy fried egg.
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About Pad Krapow Gai
Pad krapow gai is one of Thailand's most-ordered quick meals, a fiery stir-fry of minced chicken with holy basil that is street-food and home-kitchen staple in equal measure. Its identity rests on holy basil, or krapow, a peppery, almost clove-like herb quite distinct from the sweet basil of Italian cooking, folded in off the heat so it just wilts and releases its aroma. Garlic and Thai chilies are pounded to a coarse paste and fried until fragrant, then the chicken is stir-fried hard over high heat and seasoned with fish sauce, oyster sauce, and dark soy.
The eating experience is punchy and direct: salty, savory, and hot, with the basil cutting a sharp herbal line through the rich, browned meat. It is unapologetically spicy, and the classic serving is over jasmine rice, ideally crowned with a crispy fried egg whose runny yolk tempers the heat. The whole dish takes under twenty minutes, most of it hands-on at the stove, so a ripping-hot pan and everything prepped in advance are what make it work. In Thailand it is the definition of fast, satisfying single-plate food, the thing you order when you want dinner now.
Pad Krapow Gai: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Pad Krapow Gai?
A serving has about 374 calories — 16.5g protein, 31.7g carbs, 19.7g fat, 0.8g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Pad Krapow Gai gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Oyster sauce, Dark soy sauce. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for those ingredients to make it gluten-free.
How many servings does Pad Krapow Gai make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.