Name: Pad Kra Pao Gai
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1½ pounds ground chicken (or finely chopped chicken breast/thigh); 6 cloves garlic (minced); 3–5 Thai bird’s eye chilies (finely chopped (adjust to your preferred spice level)); 2 tablespoons neutral oil ((like vegetable or canola)); 1 small onion (sliced (optional but adds texture)); 2 tablespoons fish sauce; 2 tablespoons oyster sauce; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce ((for color; optional)); 1 teaspoon sugar ((palm sugar or brown sugar preferred)); 1 tablespoon water ((to loosen if needed)); 2 cups Thai holy basil leaves (loosely packed, (kra pao)); 4 fried eggs ((one per serving)); Steamed jasmine rice ((to serve))

Pad Kra Pao Gai

Pad Kra Pao Gai (sometimes spelled Phat Kaphrao Gai) is a super popular Thai street food dish — flavorful, spicy, and incredibly aromatic.

Here’s what it’s all about:

“Pad” means stir-fry.

“Kra Pao” (also written as Kaprao) refers to Thai holy basil — a key ingredient that gives the dish its signature fragrance and slightly peppery taste.

“Gai” means chicken.

So, Pad Kra Pao Gai = Thai Stir-Fried Chicken with Holy Basil.

Typical ingredients include minced or thinly sliced chicken, garlic, chilies (often bird’s eye chilies for that punch), fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and a handful of holy basil leaves tossed in at the end. It’s usually served over jasmine rice and topped with a crispy fried egg (kai dao), whose runny yolk mixes perfectly with the spicy-salty stir-fry.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Asian, Thai

Servings servings

Calories 411 kcal

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Ingredients

For the stir-fry

1½ pounds ground chicken or finely chopped chicken breast/thigh
6 cloves garlic minced
3–5 Thai bird’s eye chilies finely chopped (adjust to your preferred spice level)
2 tablespoons neutral oil (like vegetable or canola)
1 small onion sliced (optional but adds texture)

For the sauce

2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce (for color; optional)
1 teaspoon sugar (palm sugar or brown sugar preferred)
1 tablespoon water (to loosen if needed)

Finishing

2 cups Thai holy basil leaves loosely packed, (kra pao)
4 fried eggs (one per serving)
Steamed jasmine rice (to serve)

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Instructions

Prepare your ingredients: Have everything ready — Pad Kra Pao cooks very fast once you start stir-frying.
Make the sauce: In a small bowl, stir together fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauces, and sugar. Set aside.
Stir-fry the aromatics: Heat the oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and chilies; stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant (don’t let the garlic burn).
Cook the chicken: Add the ground or chopped chicken. Stir-fry until it’s mostly cooked through and starting to brown, about 3–5 minutes.
Add the sauce: Pour in your prepared sauce mixture, stirring well to coat the chicken evenly. Continue cooking for another 2–3 minutes until the liquid reduces and the flavors concentrate.
Add the basil: Turn off the heat and toss in the holy basil leaves. Stir until wilted and beautifully aromatic.
Serve: Spoon the chicken over warm jasmine rice, and top each portion with a crispy fried egg.

If you can’t find Thai holy basil, you can substitute with Thai sweet basil (horapha) — still delicious, though slightly different in fragrance.

For extra depth, splash a teaspoon of water into the hot wok right before adding basil to create a bit of steam that helps blend flavors.

Want it saucier? Add a tablespoon of water or chicken stock near the end.

Start Cooking

Disclaimer

Some parts of recipe maybe AI-generated.

Nutrition

Calories: 411kcal (21%)Carbohydrates: 9g (3%)Protein: 38g (76%)Fat: 25g (38%)Saturated Fat: 6g (38%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 310mg (103%)Sodium: 1457mg (63%)Potassium: 1180mg (34%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 4g (4%)Vitamin A: 1194IU (24%)Vitamin C: 53mg (64%)Calcium: 81mg (8%)Iron: 3mg (17%)

Disclaimer

Nutritional information for this recipe is an approximation and is not to be construed as medical advice.

Keyword chicken, quick, spicy, stir fry

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Pad Kra Pao Gai