• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • ABOUT
  • RECIPES
  • INDIAN 101
  • CONTACT
  • COOKBOOKS

Hooked on Heat logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • ABOUT
  • RECIPES
  • INDIAN 101
  • CONTACT
  • COOKBOOKS
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • ABOUT
    • RECIPES
    • INDIAN 101
    • CONTACT
    • COOKBOOKS
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    YOU ARE HERE: HOME » 30-Minutes or Less!

    May 14, 2014 | 26 Comments | THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. THIS BLOG GENERATES INCOME VIA ADS.

    Thai Basil Chicken

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    This recipe for Thai Basil Chicken is a perfect candidate for a quick weeknight meal served with some plain steamed rice and sliced fresh cucumbers on the side. The flavour comes from the fresh Thai basil, so if you’re using Italian or any other kind of basil keep in mind that it will change the flavour of the dish.

    A bowl of Thai Basil Chicken.

    I remember the very first time I was introduced to Thai food, and this Thai Basil Chicken in particular. I was about 13 and on our family vacation in Bangkok. I have fond memories of those five days; most of which revolve around the culture and shopping in Thailand and none, unfortunately of its cuisine. You see, my Dad is not in the least adventurous when it comes to his food. The man wants his Dal-Roti-Sabzi no matter where he is, and will stop at nothing to find it! So needless to say, while in Thailand we religiously avoided all the street food and ate a lot of meals of our meals at Mrs. Balbir's. The food there, from what I remember was absolutely delicious. Authentic north Indian cuisine in the heart of Bangkok.

    It was on one such visit that my Mom decided she wanted to try something representative of the country we were visiting and opted for a bowl of Tom Yum Soup and some Thai Basil Chicken, while the rest of us dug into our Chicken Curry and Dal Makhani. Now, for those of you who've followed my blog since the very beginning, know that my Mom is a Malaysian. And Malaysians are nothing if not known for their lip-smacking spicy food - for the most part at least.

    So my Mom, like a true-bred Malay took and big slurp of the piping hot soup and almost cried in pain! I couldn't resist and HAD to see what the hoopla was all about. But I wanted to be careful, so only took about a third of the spoon. Boy, were my ears on fire! It was probably the spiciest thing I've eaten my entire life!! But that was years ago in Thailand. Thai food in other countries is much more tamed in spice level but just as authentic and delicious in flavour.

    Hubby Dear and I have always been huge fans of Thai food and love to try out any new establishment that opens near to where we are. Over the years, we've settled on our favourites and are now quite critical on how the dishes we prefer taste. Baby Dear, being the budding food connoisseur that he is, is a die-hard fan of Pad Thai - the tangier, the better. I love my Green Curry with tons of gravy and veggies, and Hubby Dear often shuttles between Pad Thai loaded with peanuts (at times even more nuts than noodles!) or a spicy Cashew Chicken. But one dish that we MUST always order for the table is Thai Basil Chicken. That is, of course, until I tried my hand at making it this week. I can now honestly say that we can cross out Thai Basil Chicken from our future orders and substitute it with an extra plate of Papaya Salad.

    A bowl of Thai Basil Chicken.
    Print Recipe

    Thai Basil Chicken

    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time15 mins
    Total Time25 mins
    Servings: 4
    Author: Meena, www.hookedonheat.com

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoon light cooking oil
    • 6 boneless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
    • 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
    • 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
    • 1 large onion thinly sliced
    • 1 medium red pepper çut into bite-sized pieces
    • 1 medium yellow pepper, çut into bite-sized pieces
    • ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
    • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
    • 1 teaspoon white pepper powder
    • salt to taste
    • 2 tablespoon light soya sauce
    • a big handful of fresh Thai basil

    Instructions

    • Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large wok on high heat, add stir-fry the chicken for 2-3 minutes till lightly browned along the edges. Remove from wok and set aside.
    • Add in the remaining oil, and add ginger and garlic, and fry for a few seconds till fragrant. Add in onions and peppers and stir-fry for a minute or two till onions become transparent.
    • Add in the browned chicken, spices and salt, and stir fry to mix everything well. Add in soy sauce and fresh basil and stir-fry for another minute or two.

    Notes

    The flavour comes from the fresh Thai basil, so if you’re using Italian or any other kind of basil keep in mind that the taste may vary.

    Tried this recipe? Leave a Comment and let me know, also Rate it by clicking the number of stars on the recipe card. Want to share your version with me? Tag me on Instagram @hookedonheat

    Related Posts:

    • Sweet Potato & Chicken Thai Coconut Curry
      Sweet Potato & Chicken Thai Coconut Curry
    • Thai Curry Noodle Soup with Tofu & Veggies
      Thai Curry Noodle Soup with Tofu & Veggies
    • Kadhai Chicken (Stir-fried Chicken with Peppers)
      Kadhai Chicken (Stir-fried Chicken with Peppers)
    • Dahiwali Chicken Curry: Chicken Curry with Yogurt
      Dahiwali Chicken Curry: Chicken Curry with Yogurt
    « Quick Dinner Ideas: Shrimp & Greens Curry
    Indian Cooking 101: Quick Indian Dinner Ideas »

    Filed Under: 30-Minutes or Less!, Gluten-free, Popular Recipes, Recent Posts, Recipes: Chicken/Turkey

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Nikita says

      January 13, 2016 at 7:44 am

      5 stars
      Thai is my favorite cuisine, and this Thai Basil chicken looks yummy as the basil leaves give an additional flavor to the dish so gonna try this for sure, Thanks for sharing an Awesome recipe

      Reply
    2. Emily Smith @ The Best of this Life says

      July 25, 2015 at 3:00 pm

      5 stars
      Mmm, that looks so good, what a nice meal! I love the addition of basil for the flavour.

      Reply
    3. Alyssa says

      July 24, 2015 at 6:51 pm

      5 stars
      That looks so so tasty! I must try this! Thanks for sharing 🙂

      Reply
    4. Deborah says

      July 24, 2015 at 1:11 pm

      5 stars
      That looks so amazing! Totally will have to try!

      Reply
    5. Lauren says

      July 24, 2015 at 9:48 am

      5 stars
      You literally just made my stomach growl. I'm gonna have to save this recipe

      Reply
    6. Jody @EasyPeasyMom says

      July 24, 2015 at 9:23 am

      5 stars
      Yum, I love Thai food as well and this dish looks so delicious! I'm definitely going to have to give it a try! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    7. J @ A Hot Southern Mess says

      July 24, 2015 at 9:05 am

      5 stars
      Oh yum! This meal looks delicious! I love any and all thai food, so this is right up my Hubby and I's alley! Thanks for sharing dear!

      Reply
    8. Jann from Newton Custom Interiors says

      July 24, 2015 at 8:44 am

      5 stars
      I've never eaten Thai food, but this looks delicious. May have to branch out and try it!

      Reply
    9. Kristin says

      March 13, 2015 at 7:22 pm

      5 stars
      I loved the story about your family vacationing in Thailand. Most of my family is like your dad, only eating familiar foods, but my hubby and I are adventurous eaters. Will try this recipe soon. Thanks!

      Reply
    10. Jennifer @ The Jenny Evolution says

      March 13, 2015 at 5:29 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my goodness this looks amazing! Love Thai Basil Chicken... but honestly never thought of making it at home.

      Jennifer @ The Jenny Evolution

      Reply
    11. Ayngelina says

      March 13, 2015 at 2:31 pm

      5 stars
      This has to be one of my favourite Thai dishes, I had no idea it was so easy to make.

      Reply
    12. Hollie says

      March 13, 2015 at 1:54 pm

      5 stars
      I've got all those ingredients here! I think I know what's for dinner tonight!

      Reply
    13. Meaghan says

      March 13, 2015 at 1:22 pm

      5 stars
      Yum! I love Thai Basil Chicken. It's a favourite of mine when dining at our local Thai restaurant. I will definitely try your recipe! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    14. Gwen says

      March 13, 2015 at 1:11 pm

      5 stars
      This looks fantastic, we love Thai Basil Beef & Chicken at restaurants but I've never made it at home. I'd be curious about the results with dried thai basil too, fresh thai basil is hard to source here in the winter.

      Reply
    15. Kareema says

      March 13, 2015 at 11:20 am

      5 stars
      We love Indian food in our house! I love the simplicity of this recipe, but it looks extremely flavorful. Nice recipe

      Reply
    16. Briana says

      December 18, 2014 at 12:17 pm

      Can you use dried thai basi?

      Reply
      • Meena says

        December 18, 2014 at 10:27 pm

        You Briana, but it won't give you the same flavour as using fresh - so keep that in mind.

        Reply
    17. Melissa says

      October 03, 2014 at 7:38 pm

      5 stars
      This is going on my "to make" list. Huge Thai food lover and I always, for some reason, think it will be difficult to make from scratch but this looks so quick and easy.

      Reply
    18. Krissy Allori {self proclaimed foodie} says

      October 03, 2014 at 12:53 pm

      5 stars
      My husband would love this! It looks fantastic!!!

      Reply
    19. Karen Ahmed says

      October 03, 2014 at 12:22 pm

      5 stars
      ONE of my faves!!!

      Reply
    20. Meagan says

      October 03, 2014 at 11:04 am

      5 stars
      yum yum yum yum yum. I love Thai food!! I love Thai food in 10 minutes even more! Thank you!

      Reply
    21. Meenakshi says

      June 23, 2014 at 3:38 am

      5 stars
      where can we find Thai Basil in India?

      Reply
      • Meena says

        June 24, 2014 at 10:57 pm

        I'm sure you can find it at many grocery stores, Meenakshi. I've seen many food bloggers in India use them in recipes too.

        Reply
    22. Maria says

      June 09, 2014 at 11:33 am

      5 stars
      This looks so delicious and sounds so flavorful!

      Reply
    23. Shareba @ In Search Of Yummy-ness says

      May 19, 2014 at 12:29 pm

      This looks like a restaurant-quality dish! Thanks for sharing this recipe at the Good Food Friday link party 🙂

      Reply
    24. Ventair says

      May 17, 2014 at 7:54 am

      5 stars
      Awesome recipe! A great hit at any dinner party...
      Thanks for sharing such great post... 🙂

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    I would love to show you how simple, delicious and quick family-friendly meals can be created in a heart beat. Read more about me here ...

    LET’S CONNECT

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    New to Indian Cooking?

    Need Inspiration?

    Need Easy Dinner Ideas? Try these!

    Mushroom & Peas Pulao
    Mushroom & Peas Pulao
    Alu Chana
    Alu Chana
    Tofu Garlic Noodles
    Tofu Garlic Noodles
    Sweet Potato & Chicken Coconut Curry
    Sweet Potato & Chicken Coconut Curry
    Ginger Shrimp Stir-fry
    Ginger Shrimp Stir-fry
    Everyday Instant-Pot Dal
    Everyday Instant-Pot Dal

    Footer

    Welcome to Hooked on Heat!

    Hi! I'm Meena, the recipe developer and food photographer behind Hooked on Heat. I am also a cookbook author and cooking instructor. You can find all of my published cookbooks here.

    I would love to show you how simple, delicious and quick family-friendly meals can be created in a heartbeat.

    Learn more about me ->

    MOST POPULAR RECIPES

    A bowl of Palak Paneer

    Palak Paneer (Paneer with Spinach)

    Recipe for Chilli Chicken taken from www.hookedonheat.com. Visit site for detailed recipe.

    Chilli Chicken - Hakka-style

    A bowl Jeera Aloo (Potatoes with Cumin).

    Indian Cooking 101: Know your Spice (Jeera Aloo)

    Recipe for Minty Potato Samosas taken from www.hookedonheat.com. Visit site for detailed recipe.

    Crispy Minty Potato Samosas

    More Popular Recipes

    Need SCHOOL LUNCH IDEAS? Look NO Further!

    Recipe for Spinach & Beet Cutlets, taken from www.hookedonheat.com. Visit site for detailed recipe.

    School Lunch Idea: Spinach & Beet Cutlets

    Recipe for Paneer Croissants taken from www.hookedonheat.com. Visit site for detailed recipe.

    Kids LunchBox Idea: Paneer Croissants

    Recipe for Spinach & Cheese Croissants taken from www.hookedonheat.com. Visit site for detailed recipe.

    Easy Spinach & Cheese Croissants and At-Home New Year's Eve Ideas

    Recipe for Keema-Matar Pulao (Ground Meat & Peas Pilaf) taken from www.hookedonheat.com. Visit site for detailed recipe.

    Keema Pulao (Ground Meat & Peas Pilaf)

    MORE LUNCHBOX IDEAS

    INSTANT POT RECIPES

    A bowl of Panchmel Dal, also known as Mixed Dal, cooked in an Instant Pot

    Instant Pot Panchmel Dal: Mixed Dal

    A bowl of Bhaji topped with onions and cilantro, served with buttered buns or Pav.

    Instant Pot Pav Bhaji: Vegan Indian-style Sloppy Joes

    Recipe for Palak Dal (Lentils with Spinach) taken from www.hookedonheat.com. Visit site for detailed recipe.

    Palak Dal in an Instant Pot: Lentils with Spinach

    Recipe for Instant Pot Tomato Rice taken from www.hookedonheat.com. Visit site for detailed recipe.

    Instant Pot Tomato Rice

    MORE INSTANT POT RECIPES

    ALL CONTENT INCLUDING IMAGES © 2020 · HOOKED ON HEAT by MEENA AGARWAL.
    Hooked on Heat contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase through these links Hooked on Heat receives a small commission that helps support this site at no additional cost to you.