Recipe Background
Ultimate Thai Chicken harmonizes spicy garlic, chiles, soy, and basil.
Cooking up a batch of Ultimate Thai Chicken invites a symphony of scents into your kitchen. The sizzling of ground chicken in your wok, merging with a paste of garlic and red bird's eye chiles, creates an aromatic embrace. The pungent spice of the garlic and chiles wakes up your senses, making way for the umami depths of soy and oyster sauces to step in. These layers blend into a savory concoction that’s not just filling but sheer delight.
Serving this dish is a sensory celebration. The vibrant Thai basil adds a peppery contrast, hitting notes that are both sweet and savory. A practical tip for success: always fold in the basil just before taking the wok off the heat. This preserves its freshness, keeping the dish lively and bright. The finishing touch involves topping each serving with a fried egg, its edges crisp and appetizing. Spoon hot oil over the eggs as they cook to achieve those delightful edges.
When shared at the table, this dish becomes more than just a meal—it’s a conversation starter. The combination of spice and savory richness balanced with a touch of sweetness ensures that everyone will have something to talk about. Enjoy it with optional hot, cooked rice, which serves as a comforting bed for the chicken and egg, making each bite a harmonious mix that warms both palate and spirit.
Ingredients
- 12 cloves garlic
- 7 red bird's eye chiles
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil plus more, to taste
- 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 1 1/2 cups Thai basil chopped
- 4 eggs
- rice optional, to taste, cooked and hot, for serving
Directions
- In a bowl, add the garlic and the bird's eye chiles and using a pestle or a similar tool, carefully crush them into a paste. You may also use a food processor.
- In a wok or a high-sided pan over high heat, add 3 tablespoons of the oil.
- Add the chile-garlic paste and cook, while stirring, until fragrant, about 20 seconds.
- Add the ground chicken and cook, while stirring continuously, until the chicken is no longer pink, about 6-8 minutes.
- Add the sugar, the soy sauce, the oyster sauce, the fish sauce, and the dark soy sauce to the chicken mixture and stir well until mixed.
- Add the basil to the chicken mixture and fold to combine.
- Transfer the wok from the heat immediately.
- In a frying pan over medium-high heat, add 1/4-inch of the extra oil.
- Add the eggs and fry, while spooning the hot oil over the tops of the eggs, until the edges are crispy and the whites are set, about 2-4 minutes.
- Serve with the rice and top each serving with one of the fried eggs on top.
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