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Meat, South and Southeast Asian

Chicken pad kra pao with fried egg

Pad kra pao is a Thai stir fry of ground chicken with basil and chili, served over jasmine rice with a fried egg on top. For 4 people, it takes 25 minutes, it's easy, and it costs €2.90 per serving. The key is a very hot pan for the chicken and very hot oil for frying the egg.

Tonight, Thailand's most popular street food, ground chicken stir fried with basil and chili, topped with a crispy fried egg over rice.

Chicken pad kra pao with fried egg
Total time
25 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.90
Calories per person
540 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Spring, Fall, Winter
The kids
They generally like it

Pad kra pao is the dish you eat standing up on a Bangkok street corner, sold all day long at small food stalls. Ground chicken cooks fast over high heat, soaking up soy sauce, oyster sauce and fish sauce in just a few minutes, while Thai basil adds that anise like fragrance you won't find in any other dish. Chili and garlic pounded together build a base flavor you taste from the first bite.

It's a perfect weeknight dinner when you get home late and want something that comes together fast but still has personality. The fried egg, crispy at the edges with a yolk that's still runny, changes everything once you break it over the hot rice. Kids can eat the no chili or low chili version, and adults can spike their own plate with extra fresh chili.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Ground chicken or chopped chicken breast 500 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Thai basil or fresh basil 2 bunches
  • Garlic 5 cloves
  • Fresh chili 2

Pantry

  • Soy sauceoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Oyster sauceoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Fish sauceoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Sugaroften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Jasmine riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Neutral oiloften in the pantry 8 tbsp

Dairy

  • Eggs 4

Allergens Eggs, Fish, Soy, Mollusks

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the jasmine rice. 12 min

    Keep it warm, it's waiting for the chicken.

  2. Pound the garlic and chili together in a mortar, or chop them very fine.

    For less heat, remove the seeds.

  3. Mix the soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce and sugar in a bowl.

    Make the sauce before you start, the stir fry happens fast.

  4. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil, stir fry the garlic and chili for 20 seconds, add the chicken and sear it over high heat, then pour in the sauce and the basil. 6 min

    Break up the chicken with your spatula, it should end up in small pieces.

  5. Fry the eggs one at a time in the remaining very hot oil and set them on top of the rice and chicken. 5 min

    Spoon hot oil over the egg to cook the top.

Our tips to get it right

  • Use a wide skillet or wok so the chicken sears instead of stewing in its own juices, otherwise it turns mushy.
  • Don't lower the heat while the chicken cooks, the stir fry needs to happen fast over high heat, that's what gives it the characteristic charred edge.
  • Add the basil at the very last moment, off the heat if possible, so it keeps its green color and fragrance instead of wilting dark.

The variations

  • Swap the chicken for ground pork or ground beef, both are just as common in Thailand and cook the exact same way.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with chopped mushrooms or crumbled tofu, and use soy sauce alone instead of oyster sauce and fish sauce.
  • For kids, leave the chili out of the sauce and serve a small bowl of fresh chili on the side for anyone who wants to spice up their plate.

What to serve it with

  • Sliced cucumber on the side
  • A clear chicken broth soup
  • Thai iced tea

Storage

The stir fried chicken keeps 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, kept separate from the rice and egg. It freezes well without the egg, up to 2 months. Reheat the chicken in a hot skillet to bring back its sear, and fry a fresh egg each time.

Questions about this dish

Can I use regular basil instead of Thai basil?

Yes, regular basil works fine if you can't find Thai basil. The flavor will be a bit less anise like and peppery, but the dish still tastes like itself.

How do I keep the ground chicken from turning mushy?

Break up the chicken with the back of your spatula as soon as it hits the hot pan, without stirring too much at first. Let each piece brown for a few seconds before turning it.

Can I make pad kra pao ahead of time?

You can make the sauce and pound the garlic and chili several hours ahead. The chicken stir fry itself is best cooked right before serving, it loses its sear when reheated.

What chili should I use if I can't find Thai chili?

A bird's eye chili or a small regular red chili from the produce section works just as well. Adjust the amount to taste, heat levels vary a lot from one chili to another.

How long does it take to make a chicken pad kra pao with a fried egg?

Count 25 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a chicken pad kra pao with a fried egg?

About 540 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a chicken pad kra pao with a fried egg cost?

About €2.90 per serving, or €11.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs, fish, soy, mollusks. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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