Thai basil chicken, or pad kra pao, is a classic Thai stir fry dish that is fragrant with the aroma of basil with an added kick from Thai chilis. It's a classic Thai dish loved by Thai locals and it's popularity has spread throughout the Western world as well. It's definitely delicious, but is Thai basil chicken healthy?
Thai basil chicken can be a very healthy dish given that it predominantly consists of protein from the meat and eggs, carbs from the rice, making it a well-balanced nutritious meal.
A serving of Thai Basil Chicken is 310 calories, with 47 grams of protein, 9 grams of fat, and 9 grams of carbs.
💭 What is Thai Basil Chicken?
Thai basil chicken, also known as pad kra pao, is a classic Thai street food dish that consists of chicken stir-fried in a spicy soy-based sauce. It's often served with a side of rice and egg.
It's similar to the rice-based version of the popular Pad Kee Mao.
✅ Why This Recipe Works
Easy to Put Together – This is one of my go-to meals for a reason. It takes very little prep and only about 15 minutes to put together.
Savory and Flavorful – The mixture of delicious savory condiments with the spicy Thai chilis makes this a mouthwatering dish. You'll especially love this if you enjoy spicy food!
Healthy and Protein-Packed – This recipe was developed by yours truly to be low-calorie and packed with protein, so that you can have a delicious and healthy Thai dish
🍎 Calories and Nutrition – Is It Healthy?
Thai bail chicken can easily be made into a high calorie and high fat dish if not careful. But with a few key ingredient swaps and mindful choices, it's easy to make a healthier dish.
In this recipe, I was able to make this recipe 310 calories, 47 grams of protein, 9 grams of fat, and 9 grams of carbs. Here's how I achieved this:
- Portioned 6oz boneless, skinless chicken thigh for a lean protein source.
- Portioned stir-fry sauce ingredients to be only 40 calories based on the portions in the recipe below
- Used cooking spray instead of oil, saving about 120 calories per tablespoon
For a detailed breakdown of each ingredients, their portioning, and how they make up the nutrition profile of this low calorie Thai basil chicken recipe, you may refer to the table below:
📋 Ingredient Notes
To make the healthy Thai basil chicken recipe, you'll need the following key ingredients:
- Chicken Thigh – I used boneless skinless chicken thigh, as it is a great balance of being a great lean protein but still juicy and delicious
- Thai Chilis – Signature chili of any Thai dish. You can buy fresh ones from most Asian grocery stores or some big chain grocery stores, or buy dried ones off Amazon.
- Thai Basil – Has a very distinct citrus flavor compared to traditional basil and is a keystone ingredient for this recipe. You can find this at most Asian grocery stores. You can also substitute with traditional basil if you can't find it.
- Fish Sauce – A classic condiment in Thai cooking. My favorite brand is the Three Crabs brand.
- Dark Soy Sauce – A sweeter and richer version of soy sauce. This gives the noodles its darker color.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
📖 Substitutions and Variations
Ground chicken meat – You can also opt to use ground chicken instead of chicken thigh pieces
Thai Basil substitutions – Basil can also be used to substitute Thai basil
Thai chili substitutions – Any red chili pepper would also work
🔪 Step by Step Instructions
Prepare the chicken – Gather the chicken and marinade ingredients. Cut the chicken into small bite-sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Prepare the aromatics – Prepare the garlic and onion by mincing them. Set the aromatics to the side.
Cook the chicken – Begin to add in the chicken pieces in a single layer. Cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side while stirring the vegetables around consistently to avoid overcooking and burning anything.
Add the aromatics– Spray a skillet with cooking spray and add the aromatics into the pan, cooking for about 1-2 minutes or until they become fragrant.
Add the sauce – Once the chicken looks about done and the vegetables have softened, add in the stir fry sauce and mix with the chicken and vegetables thoroughly. Use water if needed to help deglaze the skillet.
Add the basil – When the stir fry look well mixed together, turn the heat to low and add in the Thai basil. Stir until the leaves begin to wither and you'll know that the basil is done. Remove from pan and enjoy your delicious and healthy meal!
💡 Expert Tips
Add basil at the end – To optimize the flavor of the dish, add the basil at the end and let it cook in the residual heat of dish.
Add an egg – To complement the umami flavors of the dish, serve with an egg.
💭 Recipe FAQs
Thai basil has a very unique flavor that is very characteristic of Thai cuisine. Unfortunately, it can be harder to find in your everyday supermarket. If you don't have Thai basil available, you can also opt to use traditional Italian basil or holy basil. For more Thai basil substitute ideas, you can check out this list of various Thai basil substitutes.
Thai basil chicken is usually served spicy and the spice comes from sautéing the Thai chilis. To adjust the spice, you can modify the amount of Thai chilis to use. Here's a rough guide for how many Thai chilis to use based on your spice preference:
Mild Spice: 1 Thai chili
Medium Spice: 2-3
Very Spicy: 3+ (Be careful!)
In this recipe, I served the chicken with a serving of brown rice, which is ¼ cup uncooked. You can also opt for other types of rice if you’d like. You can also make bigger portions of rice to prep for various recipes throughout the week to save time.
🍽 Related Recipes
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🍳 Recipe
Thai Basil Chicken
Ingredients
Stir Fry Sauce
- 1 clove Garlic
- 2 teaspoon Soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon Oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp Fish sauce
Chicken and Rice
- 6 oz Chicken thigh (Boneless, skinless)
- ¼ Onion
- 1-2 Thai chilis (Adjust based on spice tolerance)
- 1 Egg
- Black pepper and salt (To taste)
- Thai basil (Can substitute with regular basil)
Instructions
- Begin by cooking the rice if using according to the package directions.
- Gather the chicken and marinade ingredients. Cut the chicken into small bite-sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Prepare the garlic and onion by mincing them. Then spray a skillet with cooking spray and sauté the vegetables. Begin to add in the chicken pieces in a single layer. Cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side while stirring the vegetables around consistently to avoid overcooking and burning anything.
- Once the chicken looks about done and the vegetables have softened, add in the stir fry sauce and mix with the chicken and vegetables thoroughly. Use water if needed to help deglaze the skillet.
- When the stir fry look well mixed together, turn the heat to low and add in the Thai basil. Stir until the leaves begin to wither and you'll know that the basil is done. Remove from pan and enjoy your delicious and healthy Thai basil chicken!
Sylv
This is such an easy and delicious healthy recipe to make!