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Thai basil chicken over jasmine rice topped with a crispy fried egg

Thai Basil Chicken (Gai Pad Krapow)

Thai street stall cooking at its most direct: ground chicken, garlic, chilies, basil, and a fried egg with a runny yolk on top.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 bowls
Calories: 630
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 650 g lean ground chicken about 1.4 lb
  • 4 eggs one per bowl
  • 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 3 bird's eye chilies, thinly sliced use 1 for mild
  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp dark soy sauce or 1 tsp soy sauce plus a pinch of sugar
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 2 cups Thai basil leaves holy basil if you can find it
  • 3 tbsp neutral oil divided
  • 4 cups cooked jasmine rice for serving

Method
 

  1. Stir the oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and 1 tablespoon of water together. Set it next to the stove.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until it just starts to smoke. Add the garlic, chilies, and shallot and stir for 30 seconds.
  3. Add the ground chicken and spread it into one layer. Leave it alone for a full minute so it browns, then break it up and stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until cooked through.
  4. Pour in the sauce and toss for 30 seconds until everything is glossy. Turn off the heat and fold in the basil. It wilts in seconds.
  5. In a separate small pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high and fry the eggs until the edges are crispy and the yolks are still runny, about 2 minutes.
  6. Serve the chicken over rice with a fried egg on top. Break the yolk before you eat. That is the sauce.