Let’s make restaurant-quality Thai basil fried rice straight from your kitchen in under 20 minutes! This fried rice is made with steamed jasmine white rice, juicy chicken thighs, eggs, Thai basil, Thai bird’s eye chilis, and my special sauce, resulting in an irresistible dish.

We always cook this deliciously spicy fried rice at least once a month for our weeknight dinners because it is so good and a great healthy option. Trust me, this Thai recipe delivers the most flavorful, spicy fried rice you will ever enjoy.

Ingredients

You can find all of the ingredients for this Thai basil chicken fried rice recipe at your local Asian grocery store. Full measurements and links to everything that I used are in the recipe card below.

Chicken Marinade

• Chicken thigh: I used boneless, skinless thighs for the juiciest, most forgiving cut.
• Soy Sauce: to marinade the chicken
• Sugar: to sweeten the soy sauce.
• White Pepper: adds a bright, earthy flavor.
• Water: dilutes the soy sauce so it is not overly salty and overpowering.

Stir Fry

• Garlic: adds a rich aromatic flavor to the rice.
• Thai Chilis: add the heat! Adjust the amount of Thai chilis based on your heat tolerance level. I recommend de-seeding the chilis before using them to reduce the heat.
• Oyster Sauce: adds a sweet, salty, umami-rich flavor.
• Fish Sauce: adds a complex sweet, savory, and earthy flavor.
• Soy Sauce: Use a light Thai soy sauce, such as Golden Mountain Sauce, for a more authentic Thai recipe. I use this soy sauce for almost all my Thai recipes, like my pad see ew (Thai stir-fried noodles), and Pad kra pow (Thai basil minced pork).
• Sweet Soy Sauce: or kecap manis is a sweet, syrupy soy sauce that adds mostly sweetness with a hint of soy sauce flavor. It is what creates the dark, rich brown color.
• Granulated Sugar: balances out the highly salty flavors and lightly sweetens the rice.
• Eggs: add another layer of protein.
• Yellow Onion: for another sweet aromatic layer.
• Day-Old Jasmine Rice: Use cold, day-old steamed jasmine rice so the rice won’t get mushy or clumpy.
• Thai Basil: is the star of the dish! It adds a strong peppery, herbaceous, aromatic flavor. I love pairing this herb with my Taiwanese fried chicken as well!

Substitutions and Additions

Substitutions

• Protein: swap the protein for beef, pork, shrimp, or tofu.
• Vegetarian/Vegan: swap the oyster sauce with vegan oyster sauce and use tamari instead of soy sauce.
• Noodles: instead of jasmine rice, you can alternatively use vermicelli noodles.

Additions

• Vegetables: bell peppers, carrots, bean sprouts, broccoli, and mushrooms.
• Pineapple: You can add pineapple for added freshness and sweetness, or check out my Thai pineapple fried rice.
• Nuts: toasted cashews or peanuts.

How to Make Thai Basil Fried Rice

Here are the step-by-step instructions for making this Thai basil fried rice recipe.

1. In a small mixing bowl, marinade the chicken with the marinade ingredients.

2. In a mortar and pestle, crush the roughly chopped garlic and Thai chilis until it turns into a paste.

3. In a small mixing bowl, combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, sweet soy sauce (Kecap Manis), and sugar.

4. Heat vegetable oil in a wok over high heat until hot. Then add the chicken and sear on both sides until cooked. Remove and set aside.

5. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the eggs and gently scramble until cooked. Remove and set aside.

6. Add oil to the wok on medium-high heat. Then add the onions and garlic chili paste and saute until fragrant. Then add the rice and sauce. Toss until combined.

7. Add back the chicken, eggs, and Thai basil and toss until the basil has wilted.

8. Serve with more fresh Thai basil, more chilis if needed, lime wedges, fried egg, and fresh cucumbers. Enjoy!

Storage Instructions

This Thai basil fried rice recipe is best served immediately when hot. You can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Reheat: You can reheat your spicy fried rice on the stove in a skillet over medium-high heat or cover it in the microwave until warm.

Freeze: You can also freeze the fried rice, once it’s cooled to room temperature, in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

FAQ

What type of rice do I use for this recipe?

The best rice to use for this recipe is day-old white Jasmine rice. Make sure to use day-old rice to prevent the rice from becoming overly mushy and wet when you toss everything together.

Can I make this fried rice vegetarian or vegan?

Yes! You can easily make a vegetarian or vegan fried rice by omitting the chicken and using tofu or other vegetables instead. Also, be sure to use vegan-friendly sauces.

How spicy is this fried rice?

The spice level of this fried rice depends on how many chilies you use! I like to remove all the seeds from Thai chilis for a subtler level of spice. Or you can eliminate the Thai chilis for non-spicy Thai fried rice.

Why is my fried rice mushy?

If your rice is mushy and clumpy, it could be because 1) you did not use cold, slightly dried-out rice, or 2) your wok or skillet was not hot enough. Fresh rice is already soft, and adding it to a wok with more sauce will only make it softer and clumpier. Also, if your wok is not hot, the longer the rice sits on the wok, the softer it will get.

Recipe