Thai Basil Chicken Bowls (Printable Version)

Tender chicken paired with holy basil and savory sauce over jasmine rice, inspired by Thai flavors.

# What You Need:

→ Protein

01 - 1.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, thinly sliced

→ Sauce

02 - 3 tbsp soy sauce
03 - 2 tbsp oyster sauce
04 - 1 tbsp fish sauce
05 - 1 tbsp brown sugar
06 - 2 tbsp water

→ Aromatics

07 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 to 3 Thai chilies, finely sliced
09 - 1 small onion, thinly sliced

→ Vegetables & Herbs

10 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
11 - 1 cup packed fresh holy basil leaves

→ To Serve

12 - 4 cups cooked jasmine rice
13 - Lime wedges (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, and water in a small bowl; set aside.
02 - Warm 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add garlic and chilies; stir-fry 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add sliced onion to skillet and cook for 1 minute until slightly softened.
04 - Add chicken slices and stir-fry 4 to 5 minutes until browned and cooked through.
05 - Incorporate red bell pepper and stir-fry for 2 minutes until tender-crisp.
06 - Pour sauce mixture over chicken and vegetables. Stir well and cook 1 to 2 minutes until sauce thickens and coats ingredients.
07 - Remove skillet from heat and immediately fold in holy basil leaves until wilted.
08 - Spoon chicken and sauce over jasmine rice. Garnish with lime wedges if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The chicken stays tender and soaks up every drop of that punchy, savory sauce—no dry bites.
  • You can have dinner on the table in 30 minutes, which means weeknight cooking that tastes genuinely impressive.
  • That spicy-floral basil kick is addictive in a way that keeps you reaching for another bite.
02 -
  • Add the basil after you turn off the heat—cooking it directly in the sauce turns it into a sad, dark shadow of itself.
  • If you can't find holy basil, Thai basil works beautifully; regular Italian basil is sweeter but still adds a nice green note.
  • The fish sauce smells like the ocean floor, but it disappears into the dish and makes everything taste more intensely itself.
03 -
  • Keep your ingredients prepped and within arm's reach before you start cooking—this whole dish happens fast, and you won't have time to slice peppers mid-stir-fry.
  • The moment the sauce hits the hot chicken, watch it closely; the glossy coat forms in seconds, and that's your cue to stop.
  • A squeeze of lime at the very end isn't optional—it brightens everything and makes the basil sing.
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