Thai Basil Chicken, gluten-free (Pad Kra Pao)
This gluten-free Thai Basil Chicken is a fast and easy recipe that not only tastes delicious but tastes authentically Thai and cooks in one pot. It's the combination of lean mince, crispy vegetables, cashews and flavourful Thai basil, in a sweet and spicy sauce. My recipe also includes fried eggs which have a crispy golden edge and a runny yolk in the centre. Enjoy my Pad Kra Pao!
What is Thai Basil Chicken?
Thai Basil Chicken is a stir fry made with mince, garlic, capsicum and green beans and cooked in a sweet, spicy and slightly salty sauce and finished with fresh Thai basil leaves. It's a classic meal in Thai cuisine and is known as a very popular street food.
Watch How to Make It
How do you make Takeout Thai Basil Chicken
Only a few easy steps and dinner is ready!
Brown the mince
Add the onion, garlic, ginger, capsicum, green beans and cashews. Combine.
Add the sauce and cook until it thickens.
Stir in the Basil.
Serve!
The recipe for my easy-to-make stovetop rice is HERE
Helpful Tips
Swap for Pork or Beef Instead of Chicken
The beauty of this Takeout Thai Basil recipe is that you can swap the chicken mince for pork or beef. The sweet and salty sauce pairs perfectly well with pork or beef also.
Adding other Vegetables
Swap or add sliced mushrooms or even finely diced for some extra veggie goodness.
Cripsy Eggs
Why not swap fried eggs with soft-boiled eggs OR if you don't like eggs, then leaving them out altogether works just as well.
Meal Prep
This is the perfect recipe to make as meal prep. It stores well for up to 5 days in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.
Other Asian Recipes
One Pot Chinese Chicken and Rice
Satay Chicken with Manuka Honey
Honey Garlic Lamb with Pickled Cucumber
Gluten-Free Banh Mi Vietnamese Rolls
Roasted Cauliflower with Sweet Thai Sauce
Chicken Wings with Sticky Sauce
Lemongrass Tenderloins with Vietnamese Salad
Thai Basil Chicken
Serves 4
Prep: 10 minutes
Cooking: 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Chicken and Vegetables:
500g chicken or pork mince
4cm x 4cm piece of fresh ginger grated
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 brown onion, diced
1 cup green beans, cut into 2cm pieces
1 large red capsicum, sliced
100g (3/4 cup) cashews
60ml (¼ cup) cooking oil (I prefer to use Avocado oil)
1 cup fresh Thai Basil, leaves roughly torn
Sea salt and pepper
Sauce:
1 tablespoon hot chilli paste (for milder 2 tbs sweet chilli sauce)
2 tablespoons gluten-free Kecap Manis sweet soy sauce*
1 tablespoon gluten-free fish sauce*
60 ml (¼ cup) fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon gluten-free chicken powdered stock (I prefer to use San Elk)
Serve with:
Fried Eggs (recipe below)
Fresh Lime
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat the cooking oil in a wok or wide pan and then add the chicken or pork mince. As the mince cooks, break it up with a wooden spoon until golden. This may take 5-6 minutes.
2. In the meantime, combine the sauce ingredients. Set aside.
3. Season the mince well with freshly ground pepper and a small amount of sea salt, then add the garlic, onion, and ginger. Stir fry for 1 minute before adding the capsicum, beans, and cashews. Cook a further 3 minutes.
4. Next pour over the sauce and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir fry and cook for 4 minutes or until the sauce thickens and coats the mince and vegetables.
5. Remove from heat, and stir in the Thai basil.
6. Serve with rice and top with a crispy fried egg and a squeeze of lime.
*Chang’s Asian Food has gluten-free sauces in their range. The sweet soy sauce, Kecap Manis and Fish Sauce can be found online, at Woolworths or in Farm Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Stores.
Suggestion:
My Stovetop Rice recipe needs 15 minutes of steaming time. I would suggest during the steaming time, prepare and cook the Takeout Thai Basil Chicken.
How to fry Eggs:
1. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of cooking oil (preferably olive oil or avocado oil) in a frying pan.
2. Once hot (takes approximately 1 minute to heat), reduce to medium heat and crack 4 eggs into the pan on 4 opposite sides of the pan, giving enough room for each egg to crisp (be careful of hot oil splatter).
3. Allow the egg to cook, tilting the pan occasionally to redistribute the oil and for the eggs to crisp up and go golden. This may take 2-3 minutes. Cook longer for a harder yolk.
Note: If eggs splatter, place a lid over the pan and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.
Have you tried this recipe?
Share it with me at @createcookshare on
Instagram Pinterest Facebook TikTok YouTube
Recipe and Photography Margaret Pahos for @CreateCookShare
