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This delicious and easy Thai basil chicken fried rice allows you to recreate your favorite Thai restaurant takeout at home in just 20 minutes. Leftover rice is pan-fried with an easy homemade stir-fry sauce, veggies, chicken, crispy fried egg, and lots of fresh Thai basil.
What is Thai Basil?
Thai basil is also known as Thai holy basil or Thai sweet basil. It’s native to Southeast Asia and it has a distinct flavor profile compared to Italian basil, with hints of anise and licorice.
This basil variety is often used in Thai cuisine to add a fresh, aromatic flavor, hence, this amazing fried rice dish we’re making today!
What Makes This Recipe Great
This authentic Thai Basil Fried Rice is one of my favorite dishes at Thai food restaurants. Chicken, vegetables, and rice are stir-fried together in the most delicious sauce, then combined with lots of Thai basil for an amazing aromatic flavor.
It can be made spicy or mild depending on your taste preference, but I highly recommend the chili pepper. Even my toddler loved the spicy kick in this rice dish!
Gluten-free and super easy, this delicious recipe can be served as an easy weeknight dinner meal or a side dish and comes together in just 20 minutes!
Watch a Short Video of This Recipe
Ingredient Notes
Stir Fry Sauce
- Oyster Sauce
- Soy Sauce: Or tamari sauce, for gluten-free.
- Fish Sauce
- Brown Sugar
Fried Rice
- Avocado Oil: Or any neutral flavored oil.
- Garlic Cloves
- Thai Bird’s Eye Red Chili: Minced – add more or omit depending on your spice level.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs: Or chicken breast – cut into thin pieces.
- Red Bell Peppers
- Onion
- Eggs
- Cooked Rice
- Fresh Thai Basil Leaves: Our star ingredient! This variety of fresh basil can usually be found at your local Asian market. If you can’t find it, you can substitute it with regular Italian basil – although the flavor profile will be a bit different.
- Lime Wedges and/or Cucumber Slices
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Step 1: Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- Step 2: Heat avocado in a wok or a large skillet over medium-high heat until sizzling. Add garlic and Thai chili pepper and stir for 1 minute.
- Step 3: Stir in the sauce mixture, then immediately add chicken, red bell pepper, and onion. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Step 4: Push all the contents to the side, then crack 2 eggs on the other side of the pan. Break the yolk, and scramble until halfway cooked.
- Step 5: Add the rice then stir to combine, breaking up the rice as you go.
- Step 6: Remove from heat and stir in Thai basil leaves.
- Step 7: Serve hot, garnished with more Thai basil, cucumber slices, and/or lime wedges – if using.
Expert Tips
- Thai basil can usually be found at Asian grocery stores. If you can’t find it, you can substitute it with regular basil – although the flavor profile will be a bit different.
- Thai Bird’s Eye red chili peppers are small but very spicy. You can omit it if you want a milder flavor. However, I used just one in this recipe and it gave a delicious kick that’s not too spicy. Even my 1-year-old ate it! If you can’t find Thai chili peppers, you can use another chili pepper.
- Feel free to use another protein if you want, like beef (I recommend flank steak), tofu, pork, or shrimp. For a vegetarian version, use tofu or omit the meat.
- For best results, use leftover day-old rice. You can also use fresh rice and chill it in the refrigerator. I recommend long-grain jasmine rice for this recipe.
Storage Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat over the stovetop in a large pan or skillet.
More Asian-Inspired Recipes
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Thai Basil Chicken Fried Rice
Video
Ingredients
Stir Fry Sauce
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce, this one is gluten free
- 2 tbsp soy sauce, or tamari sauce, for gluten free
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp brown sugar
Fried Rice
- 1/4 cup avocado oil, or any neutral flavored oil
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Thai Bird's Eye red chili, minced – add more or omit if you don't want spicy
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, or breasts – cut into thin pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 2 eggs
- 4 cups cooked rice, chilled
- 1 cup Thai basil leaves, plus more for garnish
- Optional: lime wedges and/or cucumber slices, for garnish
Instructions
- Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat avocado in a wok or a large pan over medium high heat until sizzling. Add garlic and Thai red chili and stir for 1 minute.
- Stir in the sauce mixture, then immediately add chicken, red bell pepper, and onion. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Push all the contents to the side, then crack 2 eggs on the other side of the pan. Break the yolk, and scramble until halfway cooked.
- Add the rice then stir to combine, breaking up the rice as you go.
- Remove from heat and stir in Thai basil leaves.
- Serve hot, garnished with more Thai basil, cucumber slices, and/or lime wedges – if using.
Notes
- Add the Thai basil at the very end. Toss it in after removing the pan from heat to keep it bright, fragrant, and vibrant instead of wilted and dull.
- Use day-old jasmine rice whenever possible. Freshly cooked rice holds too much moisture, which can cause it to steam instead of fry. When rice is overly moist, the grains stick together and turn soft instead of being lightly crisp.
- If using fresh rice, chill it first. Spread it out on a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least an hour to help dry the surface moisture so it fries properly.
- Cook over fairly high heat. A quick stir-fry gives the rice better texture and helps create that slightly smoky, restaurant-style flavor.
- Adjust the spice level to your preference. Use one Thai chili for moderate heat, add more for extra spice, or omit it entirely for a milder, kid-friendly version.
- Use the right pan for best results. A wok is ideal for high-heat stir-frying, but a large cast-iron or stainless steel skillet will also give you great texture and caramelization.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in a large skillet over medium heat until warmed through. You can add a splash of water to loosen the rice if needed.
- This dish can be frozen for up to 2 months, though the basil flavor is best fresh.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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