Thai Basil Chicken Fried Rice (Printable)

Fragrant and spicy Thai fried rice featuring tender chicken, holy basil, and chilies. A quick, aromatic main dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 14 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, thinly sliced

→ Rice

02 - 4 cups cooked jasmine rice, preferably day-old

→ Vegetables & Herbs

03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 to 3 Thai red chilies, finely sliced
06 - 1 cup holy basil leaves
07 - 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced

→ Sauces & Seasonings

08 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
09 - 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
10 - 1 tablespoon fish sauce
11 - 1 teaspoon sugar
12 - ½ teaspoon white pepper
13 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

→ Garnish

14 - Lime wedges
15 - Sliced cucumber

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the minced garlic and sliced chilies, stir-frying for 30 seconds until fragrant.
02 - Add the sliced chicken to the wok and cook until it turns opaque and is cooked through, approximately 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
03 - Stir in the chopped onion and sliced bell pepper, cooking for an additional 2 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
04 - Add the cooked jasmine rice to the wok, breaking up any clumps with a spatula to ensure even distribution.
05 - Pour in the soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and white pepper. Toss all ingredients together until the rice is evenly coated and heated through, approximately 2 minutes.
06 - Remove from heat and fold in the holy basil leaves, stirring gently until just wilted.
07 - Transfer to serving plates immediately and garnish with lime wedges and sliced cucumber.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It turns yesterday's plain rice into something that smells like a Bangkok alley in the best possible way.
  • The holy basil wilts into the hot rice and releases this peppery, almost licorice-like aroma that no other herb can match.
  • You can have dinner on the table faster than any delivery app, and it tastes like you actually know what you're doing.
02 -
  • If you use fresh rice instead of day-old, it will turn mushy and sticky no matter how high your heat is.
  • Holy basil wilts in seconds, so add it off the heat or it will taste bitter and look like burnt spinach.
  • Your wok must be hot enough that the rice sizzles the moment it hits the pan, otherwise you're steaming, not frying.
03 -
  • Toast the white pepper in a dry pan for 30 seconds before adding it, the flavor blooms and gets more complex.
  • If you can't find holy basil, use Thai basil, but add it earlier so it has time to release its anise notes.
  • Keep a small bowl of water next to the stove to splash into the wok if things start to stick or burn.
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