Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapao) Recipe

Pad krapao is Thai street food at its most direct — hot, savory, herby, and ready in under 20 minutes. The dish is ground chicken stir-fried with garlic, chilies, fish sauce, oyster sauce, and a large handful of Thai holy basil (krapao), finished with a crispy fried egg on top. It's eaten over jasmine rice for lunch or a quick dinner, and in Thailand it's one of the most commonly ordered dishes at any sit-down restaurant or roadside stall. The fat from the fried egg yolk mixing into the rice and sauce is part of the point — it softens the sharp heat from the chilies and ties everything together. Without the egg, it's still good; with it, it's better. The other non-negotiable is Thai holy basil. It's different from Italian basil or Thai sweet basil — more peppery, slightly clove-like — and it wilts into the hot wok in about 30 seconds. If you can only find sweet basil, use it, but know that the flavor will be softer. The ground chicken cooks fast over high heat, and the trick is not to crowd it. You want some color on the meat before you add the sauce, which takes about 2 minutes of mostly undisturbed cooking. After that, the sauces go in together and reduce in about a minute. The whole stir-fry moves quickly once you start, so have everything measured and ready before the pan gets hot. This is an excellent weeknight recipe because it genuinely comes together in less time than it takes to cook rice. Serve it over jasmine rice with the fried egg, a squeeze of lime if you have it, and extra sliced chilies on the side for anyone who wants more heat.