Modeled after Thai pad kra pao, this simple, speedy chicken stir-fry is wonderful for summer—and beyond. Where the traditional version uses fresh chiles, this recipe replaces them with bottled sambal oelek to keep things pantry-friendly. Combined with oyster sauce, fish sauce, and a bit of sugar, it’s a savory-spicy explosion of flavor that belies how quickly the dish comes together. Vigorously stirring the ground meat with a bit of liquid yields a bouncy texture, while the baking soda contributes to a juicy end result. This two-pronged approach transforms a lean protein (that often tastes dry) into something springy and tender.
Sweet basil is an excellent substitute for the holy basil of the original; use the latter if you can find it. Outside of summer, swap in an equal quantity of baby spinach. Ground turkey or ground pork work well in place of the ground chicken.
Editor's note, July 11, 2024: In response to reader reviews, we lowered the salt quantity.
All products featured on Bon Appétit are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through the retail links below, we earn an affiliate commission.
What you’ll need
Cast Iron Skillet
$30 At Amazon
Wooden Spoon
$7 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
25 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
1
4
½
¼
¼
3
1
2
3
6
Preparation
Step 1
Vigorously stir 1 lb. ground chicken, 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil, ½ tsp. baking soda, ¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt, and 2 Tbsp. water in a medium bowl until mixture is smooth and beginning to stick to sides of bowl; set chicken mixture aside.
Step 2
Stir ¼ cup oyster sauce, 3 Tbsp. hot chili paste (such as sambal oelek), 1 Tbsp. fish sauce, and 2 tsp. light or dark brown sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
Step 3
Heat remaining 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high. Cook 3 large shallots, thinly sliced, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon or heatproof rubber spatula, until softened and golden in spots, about 4 minutes. Add reserved ground chicken mixture and spread into an even layer. Cook, undisturbed, until beginning to set, about 4 minutes. Break up meat with spoon into small pieces. Pour reserved oyster sauce mixture over and cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid is evaporated and sauce is clinging to meat.
Step 4
Add 6 oz. holy basil or sweet basil leaves to pan (it will seem like a lot) and let wilt slightly. Remove pan from heat and toss until basil is completely wilted. Taste and season with salt if needed.
Step 5
Serve stir-fry with steamed rice and lime wedges for squeezing over.
Leave a Review
Reviews (6)
Back to TopThis is so yummy and will be going into the quick, easy dinner file! Oyster (and fish) sauce in general is salty, taste yours before deciding if you want to add salt to the chicken. I omitted additional salt and thought this dish was perfect. Per another review I also caramelized my shallots and used that time to prep everything else. Next time will add some collard greens to boost the veggies too. Added bonus this clocked in at about $10 worth of groceries making it super budget friendly.
PawelyD
Chicago
7/13/2024
Way too salty! Adjust before making it the subject of an email!
Anonymous
7/9/2024
Based on the other comments about the dish being too salty, I included the salt with the chicken mixture but didn’t add the remaining salt to the sauce mixture. It was still very salty, though the saltiness is moderated if you eat small bites of the chicken with a generous amount of rice. There are so many other salty ingredients that I think the extra salt in the chicken mixture and the sauce could be omitted entirely. I didn’t pay attention to the amount of basil called for before I went to a local Asian market to get Thai basil, so I didn’t buy enough and had only about 2 ½ ounces. There was still plenty of basil flavor. Although the recipe calls for cooking the shallots only until golden in spots, I cooked them longer until they were more deeply carmelized, and I think this enhanced the flavor of the final dish. I’ll definitely make this again, though without the salt and maybe additional basil.
Anonymous
Maryland
7/9/2024
I followed the recipe as written. The metallic taste of baking soda pervaded—very off-putting. Also, too salty, as others have said. I felt badly that all that beautiful basil was wasted in this otherwise inedible dish.
Anonymous
7/9/2024
It’s a 4-star if you OMIT all extra salt and reduce fish sauce to 2 tsp. You’ll also want to adjust heat level. Yes, you need all the basil and more. The extra star for ease and speed to get dinner on table.
JenaCass
Texas
7/8/2024
Agree with the other commenters saying this is way too salty. I imagine the jar chili sauce used will have an effect. I only added salt to the chicken but will omit next time. I used finely chopped chicken breast instead of mince and the baking soda technique still worked well and yielded juicy chicken. Overall, easy and delicious and will make again!
Anonymous
UK
7/8/2024
Overall enjoyable with some modifications. After reading all the reviews, I decided to totally eliminate the salt and I'm glad I did, as it was perfect with salt the dish derived from the sauce. I did substitute the ground chicken for ground turkey, because that's what I had o hand. I added shredded steamed brussel sprouts because I wanted to add some texture and crunch. I wish I had doubled the basil... the basil; really makes this dish pop and I could've used more. I will make this again, with the above modifications. Easy weeknight meal.
Tricia
So Cal
7/7/2024