Thai Basil Chicken Stir Fry is loaded with tons of fresh vegetables. A quick and easy one-skillet weeknight meal that takes less than 30 minutes to make!

Love Thai food? Check out my Thai Basil Beef and my Homemade Pad Thai recipe. They’re much better than the restaurant!

overhead shot of thai basil chicken stir fry in large skillet

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    thai basil chicken stir fry

    I love stir-fries because they are quick and easy. Perfect for a busy weeknight. This Thai Basil Stir Fry takes just 30 minutes start to finish to throw together.

    This colorful Thai Basil Chicken Stir Fry stir fry is loaded with tons of fresh vegetables. I choose my favorite: sugar snap peas, green and red bell peppers, and onions. You can always substitute what you have on hand. Broccoli would also be a great addition.

    There is a little bit of heat from the jalapeño. For me, nothing beats exxxxxtra spicy food so I add some Sriracha to my stir fry as well as extra jalapeño.

    I cook the veggies on high heat so they get nice and caramelized on the outside and tender on the inside. I like to slightly undercook them so they still have a bit of a crunch to them.

    Serve this Thai Basil Chicken Stir Fry with a side of white or brown rice. Coconut rice would be awesome with this!

    chicken stir fry with peppers and thai basil in skillet

    What you’ll need for this recipe

    • Oil: A neutral tasting oil like canola, light olive oil, or avocado oil would work. If you like the taste of coconut, coconut oil would be great as well!
    • Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin are the base of this recipe. You could also use chicken thighs if you prefer! The trick though is to slice the chicken nice and thin so it cooks fast and gets crispy.
    • Red Bell pepper: Is added for color and a bit of crunch. The best thing about a stir fry is that you can use whatever you have on hand! Onions, mushrooms or snap peas would be good in this too!
    • Garlic and Ginger: Add so much flavor to this stir fry! I can’t have a stir fry without either of these!
    • Green Onions: I separate the green and whites of the green onions and saute the white parts and have the green onion for garnish!
    • Oyster Sauce: Has a salty, briny flavor that adds tons of flavor and thickness to the sauce.
    • Soy sauce: Soy sauce brings even more umami and saltiness. Use light sodium soy sauce to ease up on the salt, and try gluten-free or tamari to avoid wheat.
    • Dark soy sauce: I use both regular soy sauce as well as dark soy sauce. Dark soy sauce has a sweeter and thicker consistency compared to regular soy sauce. You can find dark soy sauce online or in Asian supermarkets.
    • Thai Basil: Finally, the dish’s namesake, fresh thai basil is sliced and sprinkled on top.

    How to make this Basil Chicken Stir Fry

    • Add chicken breast, soy sauce, sesame oil and cornstarch to a medium bowl. Toss to coat the chicken in the sauce and let it marinate for 10 minutes while you prep the rest of the recipe.
    marinating sliced chicken breast in cornstarch and soy sauce and sesame oil
    • Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken to the pan (I did two batches) and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.
    browning chicken in oil in large white skillet
    • Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
    resting sautéed chicken on white plate
    • Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same skillet. Add in the bell peppers and sauté for 2-3 minutes getting some color on them.Stir in the ginger, garlic and white parts of the green onion. Cook for 2 minutes.
    sautéing red bell peppers, garlic, ginger and green onions
    • Stir in the dark soy sauce, regular soy sauce, honey and water to the skillet. Add the chicken back to the pan and toss to coat the chicken in the sauce. Simmer for 1-2 minutes then remove from the heat.
    tossing chicken and peppers in sauce
    • Stir in the thai basil and serve immediately with sesame seeds and green onions for garnish!
    adding thai basil to skillet

    Tips for Success

    • The trick to an awesome stir fry is a hot pan. I like to get the vegetables caramelized on the outside but still have a nice bite to them. You can use a wok for this recipe or a large skillet.
    • Want to make this vegetarian? Leave out the chicken, and add more vegetables or tofu.
    • Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
    • Reheat in the microwave on stir-fried in a pan until heated through.

    What to serve with this Thai Basil Chicken Stir Fry

    Does Thai basil taste like regular basil?

    Although very similar, Thai basil has star anise or liquorice-like overtones, and regular basil (also known as sweet basil) is sweeter and more peppery. It’s what you’d find in Homemade Pesto!

    What’s the difference between Thai basil and holy basil?

    There is such a big difference between Asian varieties of basil and Italian. Thai basil has an anise or liquorice-like flavor, whereas holy basil will remind you more of cloves.

    basil stir fry with chicken in pan

    more 30 Minute Meals to try!

    Thai Basil Chicken Stir Fry

    4.67 from 3 votes
    Rate Print
    Thai Basil Chicken Stir FryFry. Loaded with tons of fresh vegetables. A quick and easy one skillet weeknight meal that takes less than 30 minutes to make!
    Servings: 4
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes

    Ingredients 

    Chicken Marinade

    Stir Fry

    • 1 tbsp oil
    • 1 red bell pepper, sliced
    • 5 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 tbsp ginger, minced
    • 4 green onions, sliced white and green parts separated
    • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
    • 1 tbsp soy sauce
    • 1 tbsp honey
    • 1 tbsp water
    • 1 cup thai basil

    Instructions 

    • Add chicken breast, soy sauce, sesame oil and cornstarch to a medium bowl. Toss to coat the chicken in the sauce and let it marinate for 10 minutes while you prep the rest of the recipe.
    • Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken to the pan (I did two batches) and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.
    • Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
    • Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same skillet.
      Add in the bell peppers and sauté for 2-3 minutes getting some color on them.
      Stir in the ginger, garlic and white parts of the green onion. Cook for 2 minutes.
    • Stir in the dark soy sauce, regular soy sauce, honey and water to the skillet.
      Add the chicken back to the pan and toss to coat the chicken in the sauce. Simmer for 1-2 minutes then remove from the heat.
    • Stir in the thai basil and serve immediately with sesame seeds and green onions for garnish!

    Nutrition Information

    Calories: 182kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 15gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 261mgPotassium: 442mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1657IUVitamin C: 96mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 2mg

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