Thai Basil Chicken
Thai basil chicken is a great quick weeknight meal full of flavor! This quick meal is made with ground chicken, red pepper, basil, and a flavorful sauce. Serve over rice for an easy meal the whole family will love.
Thai basil chicken is one of those meals that feels special without feeling complicated.
It comes together quickly with ground chicken, a simple sauce, a handful of vegetables, and fresh basil stirred in at the end. Served over rice, it’s comforting, flavorful, and easy to enjoy — especially on nights when dinner needs to happen fast.
This version is designed for busy weeknights and real family tables. The flavors are bold enough to be interesting, but still familiar and balanced, making it approachable for kids and satisfying for adults.
Why this recipe works for real life
This is the kind of dinner that earns its spot in regular rotation because it’s:
- ready in under 30 minutes
- made with simple, easy-to-find ingredients
- built around familiar textures and flavors
It’s quick, dependable, and doesn’t require much planning — which makes it a great option for nights when energy is low but everyone still wants a good meal.
Traditional Thai basil chicken is often made with bold heat and specialty ingredients. This version keeps the spirit of the dish while adapting it for home kitchens and family preferences.
Using ground chicken makes the texture familiar and easy to eat, while the sauce adds savory-sweet flavor without overwhelming the plate. Fresh basil at the end brings brightness without asking anyone to be adventurous.
Familiar flavors, gently expanded, go a long way.
Looking for more quick chicken dinners? Try these:
How to make Thai basil chicken
For the full instructions, scroll to the recipe card below. Here’s the big-picture flow:
- Sauté shallots until soft and lightly golden
- Brown the ground chicken, breaking it up as it cooks
- Add bell pepper and garlic and cook until fragrant
- Pour in the sauce and let everything simmer briefly
- Finish with fresh basil
Serve warm over jasmine rice.
That’s it. One skillet, very little cleanup.
Can I substitute the Thai Basil?
Thai Basil is the preferred variety to use with this recipe, as it gives the dish its unique flavor. However, if you can’t find Thai basil at your local market, you can substitute with regular Italian basil.
Making this meal work for your family
This recipe is easy to adapt at the table:
- Serve rice plain or lightly sauced
- Offer extra basil on the side
- Add heat at the table, not in the pan
- Spoon components separately if mixed dishes feel like too much
Small choices help everyone feel comfortable.
Leftovers & Reheating
Leftovers keep well in the fridge for a few days and reheat easily.
Warm gently in the microwave or on the stovetop, adding a splash of water or broth if needed.
Meals like this don’t need a lot of explanation or preparation to work. Sometimes the best weeknight dinners are simply the ones that come together quickly and feel good to sit down to — especially when they rely on familiar ingredients and dependable flavors.
For busy, real life families
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Thai Basil Chicken
Ingredients
Method
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the oil and sliced shallots to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are softened and beginning to brown.
- Add the ground chicken to the skillet and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until cooked through and no longer pink, about 5-10 minutes.
- Add in the sliced red bell pepper and minced garlic and stir until fragrant.
- In a small bowl, stir together the chicken broth, soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the sauce over the cooked ground chicken and allow to simmer
- Garnish with sliced basil.
- Serve with jasmine rice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as a general estimate and may vary based on ingredients, brands, and substitutions. For specific dietary needs, we recommend calculating nutrition using your preferred tool.
Whoa Jenni! This looks and sounds amazing. Totally making soon. 🙂
OMG..the more I scroll..the more my stomach growls. I love coconut with chicken and have a great recipe using lemongrass and goya cram of coconut (which I can eat with a spoon right out of the can) that said..this chicken looks phenomenal, Jenni!! I have to try it!