Pad Krapow Gai (Thai Basil Chicken)  Recipe (2024)

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yourconciergect

Is the Golden Mountain a deal breaker? Are there substitutions?

Jo Jo

After trying it this way I feel compelled to share my experience that the traditional ingredients and measurements are really much better than this particular recipe. No need for the large amount of oyster sauce AND the golden mountain Thai sauce flavor is not better than the traditional addition of light and dark soy sauce. This is way yummier in my humble opinion: 1T fish sauce, 1T Thai light soy sauce, 2 t dark soy sauce, 2 t oyster sauce. ❤️

maggiec

adam

The fried egg is crucial. Don’t skip it. Let a small pool of canola or peanut oil get glimmering hot in your wok. Put on apron. Crack one egg in, it should bubble and sizzle vigorously. The edges of the egg should start to really brown and crisp up in 30 seconds or so. Then tip the wok and use a spoon to scoop up small spoonfuls of the hot oil and ladle over the egg to finish the top. Don’t overdo it. You want a runny yolk. Take out and drain on paper towel. Just takes 1 minute per egg, if that.

Seattle Thai

I don’t know why the Golden Mountain seasoning sauce is added, it’s simply not needed or traditional. Also no oyster sauce no green beans or white pepper. Really is the best with holy basil.Most popular with pork (pad krapow moo). Garlic and chili should be cooked before the meat.

Mo

The internet says substitute with a combo of light soy, dash of fish sauce, dash of regular rice vinegar, and a little brown sugar.

Delightful

Really enjoyed this. Great summer meal if you have access to lots of fresh Thai basil and green beans. Subbed turkey for chicken and it worked just fine. Will make again without major adjustments.

Sharno

For people watching carbs, this works really well as a filling in a lettuce wrap.

Sukie

This is an easy, flavorful weeknight meal that is also easily adaptable. Used ground turkey. Didn’t have the Thai spice so used 1 T soy sauce and 1 T rice wine vinegar. Also didn’t have oyster sauce so substituted 2 T hoisin sauce. Used 4 cloves of garlic and 1 jalapeño and 1 Serrano. Served over rice with the crispy fried egg which was divine with the other intense flavors. Will definitely make again.

Grant W

Like many other western published recipes, this one calls for too much sugar. There is no balance without heat. Advise you either add much more chili or reduce the sugar by half. Otherwise a very tasty dish and easy to make.

Carrie

For oyster sauce you can use hoisin sauce or a half soy sauce, half honey (or molasses, something thick and sweet) combo. Basically it's sweet and salty. I'm allergic to oysters and I like hoisin.

CFXK

Two substitutions and one recommendation...If you can't find or don't want to make a special trip for Thai Seasoning Sauce, use soy sauce.Don't let the fact that you can't find holy basil or Thai basil stop you; just use Italian basil - a bit different, but still wonderful.And let's be honest, in the choice between plain old apple pie and apple pie with a scoop of ice cream on top, is there really any choice? So too, don't even think about omitting that crispy fried egg.

ParisPie

this was super easy to make, required very little prep, and cooked up in a short period of time! I followed one of the comments and threw a smattering of chopped scallions on top and in lieu of chicken i used impossible meat. I found a substitution for golden mountain sauce online (1tbs soy sauce + 1 tbs sugar) and it was fine. this will be added to my go-to weeknight recipes.

Caroline

This was super salty without the Gold Mountain sauce. And i like salt. Think I’ll start with half the amount of oyster and fish sauces next time and add more to taste.

chris hawkins

Subbed Korean fermented soy bean paste for Golden Mountain. Used Italian basil. Subbed tsp of Thai red curry paste for fresh hot pepper (spicy food induces coughing bouts for my wife). Added 1/4 lg onion w green beans just because. Then I used Korean hot sauce on my portion.Will do this again w a combo of ground pork and fine-diced shrimp.

Rebecca

Might be sacrilege, but our basil went bad and we substituted in cilantro instead, and it was also incredibly delicious.

Quentin

This recipe some time ago turned me on to Green Mountain which we now use exclusively when soy sauce is called for--and in many cases when it isn't!

jim

Yum-yum

Sam

Subbed the ground chicken for ground impossible meat and it was perfect!

vivian y.

Thai basil is a must in my opinion, it didn’t smell like Thai cooking until that last step when I added it and got a whiff of that delicious peppery licorice aroma. Other basil like Italian would smell different. Also I used minced garlic paste from the asian mart and a bunch of dried chili peppers lying around the house. Don’t skip the egg, it’s a must! It rounds off the saltiness of the dish. I think Golden Mountain Sauce completes this too, dark soy sauce would make this a tad too sweet.

Sarah

Agree with the others regarding reducing the amount of salt. I used 1T fish sauce, 1T Thai light soy sauce 2T dark soy sauce 2T Oyster sauce. I will even halve that next time I make this though.

Melanie

We made our own Thai Seasoning mix from spices we had in the cupboard. I just googled one. I also used Hoisin instead of Oyster sauce. Since we used sugar elsewhere (a bit of brown was in the Thai seasoning recipe too) I didn't add anything else sweet. We found that a spritz of fresh lime on top really made it all sing and added to the balance of the dish. We will definitely make this again!

JenBeee

This is easy and delicious. Great way to use up Thai basil if you have an out of control aerogarden like I do. I used jalapeño in mine and it was a bit too mild, so I’d greatly increase the amount next time (or just use Thai chilies as written!) I used soy sauce and rice wine vinegar in place of the golden mountain.

Mary

Excellent. I used ground pork (what I had on hand), and I added the green beans much sooner as mine were old so they cooked a lot longer than the recipe. I also used soya sauce instead of the Thai seasoning sauce (1:1). A great weeknight dinner!

Todd

This was so salty as to be inedible. Thank goodness I didn't make it for guests.

Dee

I would add that Golden Mountain also has a subtle smokiness to it.

kb

My own note after making:Doubled sauce, didn't have oyster so combined Japanese BBQ and Teriyaki, added fresh ginger,extra fresh chopped chili pepper. I didn't have light soy so used regular. Also, used about 2/3 brick of pressed and crumbled tofu, adding after browning one pound Turkey1/4 c Oyster (Japanese BBQ & Teriyaki)1/4 c dark soy2TBSP Fish Sauce2TBSP Light Soy (dark soy)

HP

This recipe is not traditional for a lot of reasons, but we really enjoyed it. I made it with crumbled tofu and upped both the chilies and the thai basil. Also did not have greenbeans so added some bok choy which worked nicely. I would definitely make this again.

Erik

Em loved it, Xan was sort of meh (Nov ‘23). Both wanted the green beans to be less chewy, so make it with leftover cooked veggies. (We used some leftover cooked carrots and they were good.) Use fermented black beans in place of the Thai Mountain sauce)

js

Final comment (I hope the editor combines them all). I note that the recipe is missing shallots, which are a basic component of most Thai dishes. Two to three finely sliced shallots, depending on size. Saute them first, then add the chili garlic paste, then the meat.

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Pad Krapow Gai (Thai Basil Chicken)  Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What does pad krapow mean in Thai? ›

Phat kaphrao (Thai: ผัดกะเพรา, pronounced [pʰàt kā. pʰrāw]; transl. stir-fried holy basil), also spelled pad krapow, pad kaprao, or pad gaprao, is one of the most popular Thai dishes in Thailand.

What is the difference between Thai basil and regular basil? ›

But setting looks aside, Thai basil is spicy with an anise, or licorice-like flavor, while sweet basil has a more mild peppery and sweet taste (for reference, sweet basil is commonly used as a main ingredient in Genovese-style pesto).

What does Thai basil chicken taste like? ›

Thai Basil is the only ingredient in this dish with which you may be unfamiliar. Slightly spicier than Italian sweet basil, with a little hint of licorice flavor, it is an essential part of Thai Basil Chicken. Thai basil can be found at most Asian markets, and you can also find plants at well stocked nurseries.

What do you eat with Krapow? ›

Accompaniments. Pailin Chongchitnant's pad kra pao: 'quick, easy, and ubiquitous that lots of people have for lunch'. If you like things extra-hot, serve the dish with Thompson's sliced chillies in fish sauce on the side. Either way, I'd strongly recommend pairing it with a fried egg and a pile of steamed rice.

Is Pad Thai healthy? ›

It can definitely be a part of a balanced, well-rounded diet. While pad thai includes many nutritious ingredients, its sodium content is considerably high. You can reduce its sodium by requesting the eatery go easy on the sauce and salt-contributing condiments.

Is Pad Kra Pao healthy? ›

Gai Pad Krapow (Thai Basil Chicken)

This savory, stir-friend dish made with lean chicken is an excellent protein pack meal without resorting to calorie-dense red meats like beef and pork. In addition, the basil and garlic used in cooking add a unique flavor and elevate the dish's antioxidant properties.

What is the closest herb to Thai basil? ›

If you can't find Thai basil, you can substitute sweet basil, but it will lack its distinctive grassy and spicy flavor. If you are to substitute, supplement the sweet basil with mint to make up for this loss of flavor.

Why is Thai basil so good? ›

Thai Basil herb contains a good amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, copper, and magnesium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids, which helps control heart rate and blood pressure.

How do you make Thai basil taste like regular basil? ›

Some recipes call for Thai basil, a pungent variety that can be hard to find in grocery stores. To duplicate its flavor, use common “Italian” basil and add a few fresh mint sprigs to the recipe.

What are the two types of Thai basil? ›

'Siam Queen', a cultivar named All America Selections Winner in 1997, has ornamental and culinary qualities. Its late season purple flowers appear on a bushy two-foot plant. Other varieties of Thai basil include: 'Queenette', 'Thai', 'Thai Magic', and 'Sumatran'.

Why is Thai chicken pink? ›

Chickens are slaughtered young.

Moreover, the lack of fat under the skin of young chickens allows more oven gases to get through to the meat, which can also create a pink tint, the USDA says.

What does pad mean in Thai? ›

Pad (ผัด) – means fried. There are however, countless Thai dishes with the word Pad in it. The main ingredient in Pad Thai is rice noodles which are stir-fried.

What does pad Krapow mean in English? ›

December 17, 2021 January 4, 2022 Authorcrittertank. Chicken Krapow or Pad Krapow Gai is a Thai minced chicken with Holy basil and a few classic Thai ingredients. In Thai, Pad means “stir-fried”, Krapow means “holy basil” and Gai means “chicken”. So literally, the dish translates to stir-fried basil chicken.

What is a substitute for pad krapow basil? ›

Italian basil is my preferred substitute because it is a closer flavour match than Thai basil, but Thai basil will also work if you love that flavour. Oyster sauce. See my post on choosing good oyster sauce here.

What does phrik mean in Thai? ›

Also, one of key ingredients of Nam Phrik is chilies (Phrik means chili in Thai and is where the name comes from) which fresh or dried chilies are pounded or ground with other spices to make a paste. Nam Jim does not necessary to have chilies in it and not always spicy.

What does Pum Pui mean in Thai? ›

a bit of a belly. The. English translation is “chubby” ☺️

Does pad krapow come with rice? ›

This combination of herbs and spices, sauces, aromatics, meat, and veggies are stir-fried on a wok before being served with rice.

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