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Day-old rice fried hard with chicken, chilli and garlic, then tossed with a big handful of basil. Fast, spicy Thai street food.
Thai basil fried rice
- 500 g cooked jasmine rice, chilled overnight
- 250 g chicken thigh, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3 bird’s eye chillies
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- large handful of holy basil or Thai basil
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 fried eggs, to serve
- Pound the garlic and chillies to a rough paste.
- Heat the oil in a wok over high heat and fry the paste for 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken and stir-fry until cooked through.
- Add the rice, breaking up any clumps, and fry until hot and lightly toasted.
- Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce and sugar, and toss well.
- Turn off the heat, stir through the basil until wilted, and serve with a fried egg.
What is khao pad kra pao?
Khao pad kra pao is Thai fried rice cooked with holy basil, garlic, chilli and a savoury sauce. It takes the flavours of the famous basil stir fry, pad kra pao, and tosses them through rice, so the whole meal cooks in one wok in about 15 minutes.
In Thailand it is a common street and canteen dish, often topped with a crisp fried egg (kai dao) with a runny yolk.
Ingredient notes and UK swaps
- Holy basil (kra pao): has a peppery, clove like taste. Thai grocers sell it fresh. Thai sweet basil is the next best swap, and Italian basil will work but tastes sweeter.
- Rice: cooked jasmine rice chilled overnight gives separate grains. Freshly cooked rice turns mushy.
- Chillies: small bird eye chillies give real heat. Use one or two to start, or swap in a milder red chilli.
- Sauces: fish sauce, oyster sauce and a little dark soy for colour are the usual mix. A pinch of sugar rounds them off.
Serving and storing
Serve with a fried egg, cucumber slices and a small dish of fish sauce with chopped chilli (prik nam pla) on the side. Leftovers keep for 1 day in the fridge. Cool the rice quickly after cooking, and reheat until piping hot all the way through.
Tips for the best thai basil fried rice
- Chilled, day-old rice fries better and will not turn mushy.
- Add the basil off the heat so it stays fragrant rather than blackening.
Using chilled rice for the best texture
Rice chilled overnight fries far better than freshly cooked rice for this dish, the grains separate cleanly rather than clumping, if you are cooking rice specifically for this dish, spreading it out to cool quickly helps if you cannot wait overnight.
Protein variations
Pork or beef mince are both traditional alongside or instead of chicken, seafood versions using prawns are also common, the garlic, chilli and basil seasoning stays the same regardless.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Italian basil?
It works, but the flavour is sweeter and lacks the peppery or aniseed notes of Thai basils.
How hot is this dish?
Fairly hot with three chillies. Use one for a milder version.
Can I make it vegetarian?
Yes. Use tofu or mushrooms in place of meat, swap fish sauce for light soy sauce and use a vegetarian stir fry sauce in place of oyster sauce.
Shop this
- Thai basil seeds. Grow your own Thai basil on a sunny windowsill.
