5best2buy
The Recipe · No.582 · Thai Basil Chicken

Thai Basil Chicken, and where to source it

Thai Basil Chicken — 5best2buy.com 5BEST2BUY.COM Thai Basil Chicken Thai 5best2buy.com

Pad krapow is a five-minute dish once the wok is hot, so mince the garlic and chiles first and have the sauce measured. Holy basil is the whole point — its peppery, clove-like edge is different from sweet Thai basil, and it goes in at the very end.

By Vince Gonzalez · Published July 2026 · Sourcing verified 5 Jul 2026

Prep10 min
Cook10 min
Makes2 servings
CuisineThai
Cost$$
Dairy-free
Contains  eggs · gluten · fish · soy
Make it gluten-free: swap in tamari instead of soy sauce (check the other labels too).
The Ingredients — and where to get them
Cook for 2 servings
Ground chicken
Ground thigh stays moist; leave some texture rather than mincing it to paste.
1 lb
Source it →
Fish sauce
Plus a splash of oyster sauce; this is the salt and depth of the dish.
2 tbsp
Source it →
Soy sauce
A little dark soy for color alongside the fish sauce.
1 tbsp
Source it →
Eggs
Fried crisp-edged in hot oil, one per plate, to set on top.
2
Source it →
Thai chiles and garlic
Pounded together into a rough paste for the aromatic base.
5 chiles
Garlic →
Holy basil
Holy basil (or Thai basil) folded in off the heat so it just wilts.
1 cup
Source it →
The Rundown
Greedometer ●●●●● Barely a splurge
A light hand — your arteries say thanks.
EffortEasy
Cook it with
Air fryer
The Method
  1. Pound the baseCrush garlic and Thai chiles into a rough paste with a mortar and pestle.
  2. Fry the eggFry an egg in hot oil until the edges blister and crisp; set aside.
  3. Stir-fryFry the chile-garlic paste 30 seconds, add chicken, and cook hard until browned and slightly crisp.
  4. Sauce and finishAdd fish sauce, soy, and a splash of water; toss, then fold in the basil off the heat.
The Toolkit

Wok · Mortar and pestle · Wok spatula · Nonstick pan · Chef knife

Straight Answers
Can you make Thai Basil Chicken in an air fryer? — Yes

Yes — this is exactly what an air fryer does well. Work in a single layer so the air can move, and shake or flip halfway for even crisping. It runs a touch faster than the oven, so check early.

Can you freeze Thai Basil Chicken? — Yes

Yes — it freezes well. Cool it fully, portion into airtight containers, and it keeps a few months; thaw in the fridge and reheat gently.

Can you make Thai Basil Chicken ahead of time? — Prep ahead

Best fried to order — the crunch fades if it sits. Do the breading or shaping ahead and cook it fresh when you serve.

Is Thai Basil Chicken gluten-free? — Not as written

Not as written — it contains gluten. Make it gluten-free: swap in tamari instead of soy sauce (check the other labels too).

Is Thai Basil Chicken vegan? — No

No — it contains meat, so it isn’t vegetarian or vegan.

Community Notes

Cooked it? Changed something that worked? Leave a note for the next person — first-name basis, no account.

Loading notes…

Notes are public and posted as written. Be kind, no links. Spam and abuse get removed.

More Thai recipes
Papaya SaladThai Fried RiceThai Iced TeaThai Green Curry PasteThai Peanut SauceThai Pineapple Fried Rice
All Thai recipes →  ·  Browse all 1433 →
One list, with a link to where to buy each one.

Some ingredient and tool links are affiliate links — if you buy through one, 5best2buy may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never costs the maker anything, and it never decides who we recommend. The list is the list.
© 2026 5best2buy.com · Recipe No.582

Open data. Every maker on this site is published as a free dataset under CC BY 4.0 — use it in anything, commercial or not, as long as you credit 5best2buy. Browse the datasets →