Thai Basil Chicken Bowls (Printable Version)

Tender chicken stir-fried with holy basil and peppers, served atop fragrant jasmine rice.

# What You 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 - 2–3 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

→ To Serve

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

# How To Make It:

01 - Combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, and water in a small bowl; set aside.
02 - Warm 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
03 - Add minced garlic and sliced Thai chilies; stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add thinly sliced onion and cook for 1 minute until slightly softened.
05 - Add the sliced chicken and stir-fry for 4 to 5 minutes until browned and cooked through.
06 - Include the red bell pepper; stir-fry for 2 minutes until just tender.
07 - Pour in the prepared sauce; stir continuously as it bubbles and coats the chicken, about 1 to 2 minutes.
08 - Remove from heat and immediately fold in holy basil leaves until just wilted.
09 - Serve the mixture hot atop jasmine rice; garnish with lime wedges if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It delivers restaurant-level flavor with just one pan and ingredients you can find at any Asian grocery.
  • The sauce clings to every piece of chicken without being gloopy or sweet, just savory and bright.
  • You can dial the heat up or down without losing the soul of the dish.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day when the flavors have married.
02 -
  • If you add the basil too early, it turns black and loses that bright, peppery punch—always wait until the pan is off the heat.
  • Using low heat will leave you with rubbery chicken and a watery sauce, so crank the burner and work fast.
  • Tasting the sauce before it hits the pan saves you from a too-salty or too-sweet disaster—adjust the balance while you still can.
03 -
  • Prep everything before you turn on the stove—this dish moves too fast to chop garlic mid-stir-fry.
  • If your basil wilts before you even add it, run the leaves under cold water and spin them dry to perk them back up.
  • Leftover sauce freezes beautifully in ice cube trays, so you can pop out a portion anytime you need a quick weeknight win.
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