The Best Thai Basil Chicken Stir-Fry

If you like spicy dishes then you are going to LOVE this healthy Thai Basil Chicken Stir-Fry recipe. The dish is full of veggies and can be prepared in one skillet. It’s a great Thai dinner for 4-6 hungry folks.

This recipe came about because my husband absolutely loves spicy Thai dishes, but where we live there is only one Thai restaurant, and the spicy dish he tried there was not spicy enough.  I found a spicy shrimp recipe in a magazine and made some modifications to suit our tastes and voilà!

Because there are lots of vegetables, it does take a little bit of time for the prep work.  But once the vegetables are prepped, the rest goes by fast.

Julienne a red and green bell pepper using a sharp knife and also cut an onion into slices roughly 1-2 inches long.

For added texture, slice a couple of peeled carrots on the diagonal.  (There are times that I will use pre-sliced carrot slices for convenience.  There is nothing wrong with taking a few shortcuts here and there.)

For heat, use sliced jalapeños and serrano chiles, leaving the seeds in. For less heat, you can remove the seeds.

You can’t have Thai Basil Chicken Stir-Fry without basil.  

If you can’t find Thai basil, you can use regular basil from the grocery store or your garden.

I find it sometimes easier to buy one of the organic whole plants at the grocery store because it takes about a cup of basil in this recipe.  I wash the leaves and roll them up and then slice them thin.  (This is called chiffonade.)

Once all of the prep work is done, it’s time to get cooking!  

How To Make Thai Basil Chicken Stir-Fry

For this delicious spicy chicken stir-fry, you need the following ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly cut on the bias
• 2-3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 cup chicken broth
• ¼ cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2-3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 cup sliced yellow onion
• 2-3 carrots, thinly sliced on the bias
• 1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
• 1 cup thinly sliced green bell peppers
• 1 can sliced water chestnuts
• 1 cup quartered button mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic, optional (1-2 cloves of garlic)
• 2 thinly sliced serrano chiles
• 2 jalapeños, sliced
• ½ – 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, sliced into thin ribbons

Once the vegetables have been prepped, begin by cooking the chicken in sesame oil until it is no longer pink over medium-high heat in a large skillet or wok. Remove the chicken to a plate and set it aside.

Next, whisk together the chicken broth, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, and cornstarch. Set aside the mixture.

Now, heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over high. Add onions and carrots and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Add bell peppers, water chestnuts, and mushrooms. Stir-fry everything for another 1-2 minutes.

Add the cooked chicken, garlic, jalapeños, and serrano pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the broth mixture and simmer until thickened, about 1-2 minutes.

Finally, stir in the basil and heat until it has wilted (about a minute). Serve with rice to round out the meal.

Thai Basil Chicken Stir-Fry

If you like spicy dishes then you are going to LOVE this spicy Thai Basil Chicken Stir-Fry recipe. The dish is full of veggies and can be prepared in one skillet. Serve with some rice and it’s a great Thai dinner for 4-6 hungry folks.

4.5 from 32 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Dishes

Cuisine: Thai

Keyword: chicken, chicken dinner, stir-fry, Thai

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 736kcal

Author: Lynda

Ingredients

Cook:

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly cut on the bias
• 2-3 tablespoons sesame oil

Whisk:

• 1 cup chicken broth
• ¼ cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Heat:

• 2-3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 cup sliced onions
• 2-3 carrots thinly sliced on the bias
• 1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
• 1 cup thinly sliced green bell peppers
• 1 can sliced water chestnuts
• 1 cup quartered button mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic optional
• 2 thinly sliced serrano chiles
• 2 jalapenos sliced

Stir In:

• ½ – 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves sliced into thin ribbons

Instructions

• Cook chicken in sesame oil until no longer pink. Remove to plate and set aside.
• Whisk together broth, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, and cornstarch. Set aside.
• Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over high. Add onions and carrots; stir-fry 1-2 minutes. Add bell peppers, water chestnuts, and mushrooms; stir-fry 1-2 minutes.
• Add chicken, garlic, jalapenos and serrano and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in broth mixture; simmer until thickened, 1-2 minutes.
• Stir in basil and heat until wilted (about a minute). Serve with rice.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 736kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 36g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 1584mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 21g

This Thai Basil Chicken Stir-Fry recipe has become a family favorite, thanks to flavor profile and heat.

If you like spicy dishes, too, then you will probably like my recipe for Peppered Cornbread which is made using habanero cheese and jalapeños, as well as my recipe for Pineapple Habanero Jelly, which when served with crackers and cream cheese is a great appetizer.

Be sure to come back and tell us how your Thai Basil Chicken Stir-Fry turned out!