Stir-Fried Thai Basil Chicken with Fresh Chilies

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-25 · Updated 2026-04-25

A classic Thai street food dish featuring ground chicken stir-fried with fragrant holy basil and spicy fresh red chilies. This Thai recipe, ready in about 20 minutes, pairs ground chicken, vegetable oil, garlic cloves, minced for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground chicken
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 fresh red Thai chilies, sliced
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp palm sugar
• 1 cup fresh holy basil leaves
• 3 cups white rice, cooked

The wok we’d stir-fry this in → Best Woks for 2026: Carbon Steel, Nonstick & Flat-Bottom Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok over high heat until shimmering. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and 3 sliced fresh red Thai chilies, stir-frying for 30 seconds until aromatic but not burnt.
2. Step 2: Add 1 lb ground chicken, breaking it apart with a spatula, and stir-fry for 5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and begins to brown.
3. Step 3: Stir in 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp dark soy sauce, and 1 tsp palm sugar, mixing thoroughly until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the chicken.
4. Step 4: Remove from heat and fold in 1 cup fresh holy basil leaves, stirring until the basil wilts and releases its fragrance.
5. Step 5: Serve immediately over 3 cups cooked white rice for a complete meal.