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This easy spicy basil Thai chicken is the perfect mix of fiery and sweet, with powerful red pepper and basil flavors. In less than 30 minutes, our easy, tasty recipe will be on your table- from start to finish! Check out our other recipes, including our 7 Easy Instant Pot Freezer Meals and our Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup.

I didn’t know that a recipe I chose for a high school cooking class would later evolve into a Crouch family staple: a fiery Thai chicken dish loaded with basil.

I enjoyed many flavors of the original recipe, but there were some ingredients that I just couldn’t stomach. When I made the dish at home for a family dinner, I took the liberty of re-creating the recipe- my way.

And it turned out great! My favorite tweak to the recipe (besides ditching the oyster sauce) is the addition of sweet chili sauce, per my mom’s suggestion. Moms do know best.

My entire family loved this spicy chicken, and we’ve continued to make it for over a decade. This meal is flavorful, easy to prepare, and it packs some heat!

Spicy Basil Thai Chicken

Feeds 4-6 people

Prep: 15 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes (~35 minutes total)

Ingredients for Spicy Basil Thai Chicken:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 cups onions, chopped
• 3 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 T white sugar
• 1/2 T – 1 1/4 T crushed red pepper flakes (more or less for the amount of heat you want. I personally use 1 T.)
• 2 T sweet chili sauce
• 1/2 cup dried basil leaves
• Sprinkle of salt and pepper

*Our favorite way to eat this dish is over rice (brown or white) with steamed mixed vegetables!

Directions for Spicy Basil Thai Chicken:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the garlic and onions until light brown.
2. Mix in chicken, sugar, red pepper flakes, and sweet chili sauce. Stir occasionally. Cook until chicken is mostly white but not quite done.
3. Add basil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Continue cooking and stirring until onions are tender and the chicken is golden brown and cooked throughout. Make sure juices run clear.
5. Remove from heat and serve immediately over rice.

The last time I made this meal, I was able to use basil from my garden! I was really excited because growing something in my first garden was a simple item on my bucket list.

Spicy Basil Thai Chicken

This easy spicy basil Thai chicken is the perfect mix of fiery and sweet, with powerful red pepper and basil flavors. In less than 30 minutes, our easy, tasty recipe will be on your table- from start to finish!

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Thai

Ingredients

  

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 1 1/2 cups onions chopped
• 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2-1 Tbsp crushed red pepper flakes adjust to heat preference
• 2 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
• 1/2 cup dried basil leaves or fresh
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Saute the garlic and onions until light brown.
• Mix in chicken, sugar, red pepper flakes, and sweet chili sauce. Stir occasionally.
• Cook until chicken is mostly white, but not quite done. Add basil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Continue cooking and stirring until onions are tender and the chicken is golden brown and cooked throughout. Make sure juices run clear.
• Remove from heat and serve immediately over rice.

Keyword Basil chicken, easy meals, Spicy chicken, Thai Chicken

We hope you love this recipe as much as we do!

-Mariah

Want more easy dinner ideas? Try MaLee’s Incredible Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili or Madison’s Slow Cooker Taco Soup!