Rachel Kim
There’s a dish I come back to every single week when I need dinner on the table in fifteen minutes flat — Thai basil chicken. I first tried it at a tiny street-food stall in Queens years ago, standing on the sidewalk with a plastic fork, and I remember thinking: how can something this fast taste this incredible? Now it’s my go-to Tuesday night rescue. The kids devour it over rice, my husband asks for extra chili flakes on his, and I get to feel like a weeknight hero without breaking a sweat.
aka The Tuesday Night Rescue Bowl
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs ground chicken
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 Thai chilies, thinly sliced (adjust to taste)
- 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 3 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon raw honey
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 cups packed fresh Thai basil leaves
- Juice of 1 lime
- Jasmine rice, for serving
Instructions
- Prep the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut aminos, fish sauce, raw honey, and sesame oil. Set aside.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat avocado oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the ground chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes, breaking it into small pieces, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- Cook the Aromatics: In the same pan, add the garlic, Thai chilies, and shallot. Stir-fry for 30-45 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the Veggies: Toss in the red bell pepper and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until slightly softened but still crisp.
- Combine Everything: Return the chicken to the pan. Pour the sauce over and toss to coat evenly. Cook for 1 minute until the sauce is bubbling and glossy.
- Finish with Basil: Remove from heat. Fold in the Thai basil leaves and squeeze the lime juice over the top. The basil will wilt beautifully from the residual heat.
- Serve: Spoon over steamed jasmine rice and enjoy immediately.
Tips
- If you can’t find Thai basil, regular Italian basil works — you’ll miss the slight anise flavor but it’s still delicious.
- For extra heat, leave the seeds in the Thai chilies or add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Ground turkey is a great swap for the chicken if that’s what you have on hand.
- This stir-fry is best served immediately — the basil loses its vibrant color if it sits too long.
- Make it a bowl: top with a fried egg, sliced cucumber, and a drizzle of chili crisp.
