Thai Basil Chicken with Fried Egg - A beloved Thai street food with bold flavors, fragrant basil leaves, and a perfectly fried egg, served over steaming jasmine rice.
Everything you need to create this delicious Thai dish at home
Pad Kra Pao is one of Thailand's most popular single-dish meals. It's a common street food and made-to-order dish found throughout Thailand. It's sometimes called the "last resort dish" because when people can't decide what to eat, they often order Pad Ka Prao instead. The ingredients are simple, and it takes just a few minutes to prepare.
According to historical evidence from Monsieur de La Loubère's records in 1687, holy basil was described as "a kind of vegetable with a pleasant aroma, such as holy basil." It's believed that holy basil was adopted from Brahmin traditions, as Brahmins often used holy basil for deity worship. In Dr. Bradley's Siamese-English Dictionary from 1873, holy basil was defined as "a small plant with fragrant leaves, used in curries and medicines."
Pad Ka Prao likely emerged during the reign of King Rama VII, introduced by Chinese immigrants in made-to-order restaurants. However, it only became widely popular around 1957. It's believed to be adapted from Chinese cuisine, where black bean paste is stir-fried with fragrant garlic, then minced meat or chicken pieces are added and stir-fried with fish sauce and dark soy sauce. Some say it was inspired by beef stir-fried with cumin leaves.
Pad Ka Prao recipes appearing in cookbooks from the late 1970s, such as in "Set Menu Cookbook," specified that beef Pad Ka Prao was seasoned only with fish sauce and MSG, then mixed with rice to make fried rice, served with fresh yard-long beans.
Roughly pound garlic and chilies together using a mortar and pestle.
Heat a wok over high heat. Add oil and when hot, add the pounded garlic and chilies. Stir-fry until fragrant but not too cooked.
Add ground chicken, breaking up any clumps into smaller pieces. Add chicken stock (or beef stock if making with ground beef).
Add remaining seasonings: oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sugar Stir well to combine.
Turn up the heat to high, add the basil leaves, then immediately turn off the heat. This keeps the basil vibrant green. Serve immediately with a fried egg on top of steamed rice.