Pad kra pao (Thai holy basil chicken)

A Thai chicken dish built on whole ingredients.

Servings: 4
Active time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min

Organic sourcing

Bell peppers and leafy greens like basil can accumulate pesticides, so sourcing them organic is beneficial. Chicken quality also impacts the dish, consider free-range or organic.

Ingredients

• 500 g chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, chopped into small pieces
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 bird's eye chilies, sliced
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce (gluten-free)
• 1 tsp soy sauce (gluten-free, optional)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 cups holy basil leaves
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• to taste lime wedges, for serving
• to taste steamed jasmine rice (optional, not low-carb)

Method

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large pan over medium-high heat until hot.
2. Add the minced garlic and sliced chilies to the oil, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add the chopped chicken to the pan and stir-fry until it is mostly cooked through, about 5 minutes.
4. Toss in the onion and bell pepper slices, and continue to stir-fry for another 2 minutes.
5. Pour in the fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sugar, mixing everything well.
6. Stir in the holy basil leaves, cooking until they are wilted, about 1 minute.
7. Serve hot with lime wedges on the side and jasmine rice if desired.

Notes

• Thai holy basil has a distinctive flavor; substitute with Italian basil only if unavailable.
• Adjust the quantity of chilies based on your spice preference.
• Best served immediately; holy basil loses aroma on reheating.

Source

Paraphrased from the culinary canon by Organic.is editors, 2026. Classic Thai recipe. If you'd like a specific source for further reading, ask Tinni (bottom-right) for a book recommendation.