Thai Basil Chicken Stir-Fry
Minced chicken stir-fried hard with garlic and bird chiles, seasoned with fish sauce and oyster sauce, then finished with a heap of holy basil that wilts into the pan. Twenty minutes start to finish.
- 1
Pound the garlic and chiles to a coarse paste in a mortar, or chop them together very finely. Stir the oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar together in a small bowl.
- 2
Heat the oil in a wok or wide skillet over high heat until it shimmers. Add the garlic and chiles and stir for about 15 seconds, until fragrant but not browned.
- 3
Add the ground chicken and stir-fry, breaking it apart with the spatula, until it is no longer pink and registers 160°F, about 5 minutes.
- 4
Pour in the sauce mixture and the water. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the liquid reduces to a glossy coating.
- 5
Turn off the heat, add the holy basil, and toss until the leaves just wilt. Serve immediately over the rice.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 4 Thai bird chiles, roughly chopped
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 cups holy basil leaves, loosely packed
- 4 cups cooked jasmine rice, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Pound the garlic and chiles to a coarse paste in a mortar, or chop them together very finely. Stir the oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar together in a small bowl.
- 2
Heat the oil in a wok or wide skillet over high heat until it shimmers. Add the garlic and chiles and stir for about 15 seconds, until fragrant but not browned.
- 3
Add the ground chicken and stir-fry, breaking it apart with the spatula, until it is no longer pink and registers 160°F, about 5 minutes.
- 4
Pour in the sauce mixture and the water. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the liquid reduces to a glossy coating.
- 5
Turn off the heat, add the holy basil, and toss until the leaves just wilt. Serve immediately over the rice.