Pad Kra Pao (Thai Holy Basil Stir-Fry). If you love Thai food, you must try this savory meat stir-fry with holy basil, red chilis, garlic and shallots! This popular Thai dish is ready in 15 minutes with simple ingredients and is so delicious!
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What is Pad Kra Pao?
Pad Kra Pao (aka Pad Ka Prao or Pad Gaprao) is flavor-packed stir-fry dish made of ground meat in Thai cuisine. The ground chicken, beef or pork is stir-fried with fresh Holy basil, red chilis, lots of garlic, shallots in a simple sauce and served with steamed rice and a crispy fried egg on top.
You'll often find this main dish served at many Thai restaurants. The Thai word 'pad' means 'stir-fry' and 'kra pao' means 'holy basil'. Pad Kra Pao is apparently the unofficial national dish of Thailand because it is so beloved among Thai locals.
This Thai basil chicken recipe is a quick and easy meal in just 15 minutes and it's great for the whole family to enjoy! It's one of my favourite Thai dishes to make, when I have minced meat in the fridge that I need to use up.
To add some vegetables to this meal, I love adding 1 cup of chopped green beans to the stir-fry after the meat has browned.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
- Fresh Ground Meat or Minced meat: opt for extra-lean ground chicken, or ground pork or ground beef. This is the key ingredient so make sure it's fresh and not near expiration!
- Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil or any heavy scented oils with a low smoke point.
- Holy basil: But if you can't find holy basil near you, you may substitute with fresh Thai basil, Sweet basil, Italian basil or regular basil. I'm using Thai basil because that's what is available to me.
- Shallot: or substitute with ¼ cup onion
- Red chilis: feel free to use any chili peppers or substitute with red pepper. If you like a very spicy stir fry, substitute with Thai chilis, which are also known as bird's eye chili)
- Cloves of garlic
- Chicken or beef stock: ideally low-sodium if possible.
- Fried egg (optional): to serve over top.
- Cooked white rice: ideally jasmine rice or any white rice you enjoy.
Stir-Fry Sauce
- Oyster sauce: or substitute with vegetarian stir fry sauce if you don't like oysters. If you're gluten-free: substitute with a gluten-free version.
- Fish sauce: a popular Thai sauce in Thai cooking that offers a lot of deep umami flavor and it's made of fish, salt and water.
- Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce.
- Dark soy sauce: this is thicker and darker than regular soy sauce. But if you can't find it, you may add more regular soy sauce to taste.
- White granulated sugar: or substitute with coconut or cane sugar.
Note: Your Asian grocery store will carry most of the Asian specific ingredients.
Expert Tips
- Source fresh ground meat and fresh aromatics as these are the star ingredients.
- Don't skimp on the oil! The amount of oil is crucial to a great pad kra pao or you'll have dry ground meat.
- Prepare your ingredients in advance as the cooking process is very quick, especially when it comes to pre-mixing the sauce.
- Let the aromatics infuse the oil for extra flavor and be careful not to burn them!
- Break up the meat finely and give it a slight browning to bring out more flavor.
- Make sure to evaporate all the liquids in the pan before adding the sauce and stock.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make pad kra pao:
In a small bowl, combine Sauce ingredients until sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
Heat vegetable oil or any neutral oil in a large pan or wok on medium-high heat and once it’s hot, fry shallot, garlic and chilies until shallots have softened, about 30 seconds.
Add ground meat into the pan. Break up ground meat into smaller pieces (not chunks).
Cook until liquids in the pan have evaporated and the meat is slightly browned.
Add sauce and stir fry with the meat for 30 seconds.
Then pour in chicken or beef stock and stir fry for another 30 seconds.
Toss in basil leaves and cook for 15-20 seconds or until leaves have softened. Remove pan off heat.
Serve immediately with cooked rice and fried egg on top (optional).
Storage
- Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
- Freezer friendly? I don't recommend freezing pad kra pao as the basil leaves and chilies will become mushy.
Pairing Suggestions
Pad kra pao serves well with:
- starters like egg rolls or fresh spring rolls
- cooked vegetables like bok choy, spicy garlic bok choy, choy sum, gai lan, garlic green beans or stir fried snow pea leaves.
- cooked protein like bang bang shrimp, crying tiger beef, or Thai garlic shrimp,
- noodle dishes like Thai Drunken Noodles, Pad See Ew, Chicken Pad Thai, Pad Woon Sen
- rice dishes like Thai Basil Fried Rice
FAQ
This can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To enjoy, reheat it in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop on medium heat.
Feel free to substitute the ground meat with ground extra-firm tofu and the oyster sauce and fish sauce with vegan alternatives which can be found online or at select grocery stores. Also substitute the stock with a vegetable broth or water.
📖 Recipe
Easy 15-min. Pad Kra Pao (Thai Holy Basil Stir-Fry)
Ingredients
- 1 lb extra-lean ground chicken or ground pork or ground beef
- 1 cup Holy basil or Thai basil / Sweet Basil / Regular Basil, leaves only and stems removed
- 1 shallot or ¼ cup onion, finely diced
- 2 large red chili or Thai red chilies for more spice, deseeded & thinly sliced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup chicken stock or beef stock
- 3 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce or vegetarian stir fry sauce
- 2 teaspoon fish sauce
- 2 teaspoon white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon regular soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
Serve with:
- 2 fried eggs optional
- cooked jasmine rice or any white rice of your choice
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine Sauce ingredients as listed above until sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
- Heat vegetable oil or any neutral oil in a large pan or wok on medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, fry shallot, garlic and chilies until shallots have softened, about 30 seconds.
- Add ground meat. Break it up into smaller bits (not chunks). Cook until liquids in the pan have fully evaporated and the meat is slightly browned.
- Add sauce and stir fry for 30 seconds. Then add chicken or beef stock and stir fry for another 30 seconds.
- Toss in basil leaves and cook for 15-20 seconds or until leaves have softened. Remove pan off heat. Serve immediately with cooked rice and fried eggs on top (optional).
Caitlin Takata
Easy to make and came out delicious! I didn’t include the chilis because my daughter doesn’t like spicy but still came out with so much flavor! Made it twice in one week!
Christie Lai
Thank you for making my recipe twice in one week! Glad you and your daughter enjoyed it 🙂
Allison
How many chili peppers would I use to keep this mild for my kids? My kids think mild enchilada sauce from the store is spicy. I want it to taste authentic but don't want to waste my money and time if they won't be able to eat it. Thanks!
Christie Lai
I would recommend either omitting the red chili so it's not spicy at all or using 1 de-seeded large chili and avoid the small Thai bird's eye chili as they're very spicy. I don't recommend using mild enchilada sauce from the store as the flavors from the sauce will conflict. Hope this helps!
Jd
Will cook pad kra pao
Maria
This was so easy, delicious and satisfying! Thank you!
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for making it, Maria! Glad you enjoyed it!
Dan
Great stuff. Just needs more heat, adding thai peppers would be great but this has incredible taste. Thanks!