Thai Style Chilli Basil Chicken Recipe
Thai food is delicious. With all the spices and strong flavours, it only seems hard to make but it isn’t. Of course, we won’t find all the authentic ingredients here but we can get really close. Like, there’s galangal, Thai chillies and others you can find in the market today. Throw in some lemon leaves and lemongrass and you’ll have some real Thai taste. Also, this recipe can be made in just a few minutes so it’s perfect for a weeknight dinner or a lazy Sunday lunch.
A couple of weeks ago I had found Thai red chillies in the market and I made a shiitake and tofu stir fry with them. I had a couple of chillies leftover from that time and I wanted to use them before they dried out. With some fresh basil, I thought a quick minced chicken dish could come together in minutes. Besides the basil and chilli, I added a lot of garlic along with some soy and coconut milk. With some rice on the side and a fried egg, sunny side up, this was not just comfort food in a bowl, but also tasted delicious!
Prep time:
10 mins
Cooking time:
10-15 mins
Ingredients:
Minced chicken – 250 gms
Onion – 1 small chopped
Thai red chilli – 1 large finely sliced
Garlic – 5 cloves chopped
Ginger or galangal – 1 tsp finely chopped
Soy sauce – 1 tbsp
Chilli paste – 2 tsp
Chinese five spice – 1 tsp (optional)
Basil leaves – 1 cup loosely packed and finely shredded
Coconut milk – 1/2 cup
Coconut oil – 2 tsp
Method:
Heat the oil in a nonstick pan and saute the onions till translucent.
Add the ginger and garlic, and give it a good stir.
Now add the sliced chilli along with the chilli paste, Chinese five spice and half the basil.
Add the chicken and give it a good mix.
Mix in the soy and add half the coconut milk.
Cover and let it cook on low flame for about 5-7 mins or till the chicken is done.
Take the lid off and add the rest of the coconut milk. Check for salt and adjust if needed.
Add the rest of the basil and mix well.
Ladle it over some steaming hot rice and top with a fried egg with runny yolk.
