Thai Basil Fried Rice

This easy Thai basil fried rice is bursting with spicy, savory, and aromatic Thai flavors. Made with jasmine rice, fresh Thai basil, garlic, onion, hot Thai chilis, and an addicting umami sauce, this spicy and irresistible basil fried rice can be yours in under 20 minutes!

Course Appetizer & Sides, Lunch & Dinner, Lunch & Dinner Recipes, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Thai

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Servings servings

Calories 1485kcal

Author Megan

Equipment

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade

8 oz chicken thigh cut into bite-sized pieces
2 teaspoon soy sauce
¼ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon water

Thai Fried Rice

5 cloves garlic roughly chopped
2 Thai chilis chopped
2 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
½ tablespoon soy sauce
½ tablespoon sweet soy sauce Kecap manis
½ tablespoon granulated sugar
2 large eggs beaten
½ yellow onion diced
3 cup cooked Jasmine Rice cold day-old
1 cup Thai basil leaves

Serve

1 Lime wedge cut
1 Cucumber sliced

Instructions

Marinate the chicken. In a small mixing bowl, add the chicken, soy sauce, sugar, white pepper, and water to mix to combine. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.
Create chili paste. In a mortar and pestle, add the roughly chopped garlic and Thai chilis and combine until it turns into a paste. This will release the oils of the chilis and garlic for a more fragrant dish.
Mix the sauce. In a small mixing bowl, combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, sweet soy sauce (Kecap Manis), and sugar. Mix until the sugar is dissolved and everything is combined.
Cook the chicken. In a wok or large pan, heat vegetable oil over high heat until hot. Then add the chicken and spread it out in one even layer across the wok. Sear on both sides until cooked and brown. Then remove from the pan and set aside.
Cook the eggs. In the same wok or pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the scrambled eggs and gently scramble until cooked. Then remove and set aside.
Cook the rice. Next, add oil if needed over medium-high heat. Then add the onions and garlic chili paste and saute until fragrant about 1-2 minutes. Then add the rice and sauce. Toss until thoroughly combined and break apart any rice clumps with a spatula about 2-3 minutes.
Add the chicken, eggs, and Thai basil. Then add back the chicken, eggs, and Thai basil and toss until combined and the Thai basil has wilted, about 1 minute.
Serve. Serve with fresh Thai basil, more chilis if needed, lime wedges, fried egg, and fresh cucumbers. Enjoy!

Notes

Use cold day-old rice! Using cold day-old jasmine rice is ideal since the grains are slightly drier which allows the rice to absorb the sauces and not become overly mushy and clumpy when cooked.
Adjust the spice level. Thai chilis are VERY hot. If you cannot handle the heat, I recommend omitting them completely. For a less spicy Thai basil rice, de-seed the Thai chili before using.
Mise en place. For the easiest, most seamless cooking, have all of the ingredients prepped, measured, and ready to go next to the stove before you begin cooking.
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 5 days.

Nutrition