If you love Thai food, this spicy, fragrant stir-fry will quickly become one of your weeknight staples. Pad Gaprao is a dish that’s fast, full of bold flavors, and ridiculously satisfying over rice with a crispy-edged fried egg on top. It’s the kind of meal I make when I want something comforting yet lively—just the way good street food always is.
Thai “Fast Food” at Home
Pad Gaprao is Thailand’s answer to grab-and-go comfort food. I think of it like the Thai equivalent of a burger or sandwich—quick, easy, and everywhere. When I visited Bangkok years ago, I remember stepping into a tiny street stall where the cook had a giant wok going over blasting heat. He’d scoop big ladles of already-prepped Pad Gaprao from a steel tray onto steaming rice, and lunch was served in seconds.
But the real magic was watching him cook it fresh. Garlic and chilies sizzling in oil, the holy basil thrown in at the last second so its peppery aroma filled the air. It’s such an honest, fuss-free dish. And making it at home is honestly just as easy—and about as fast as ordering takeout.
If you want that classic experience, serve it over plain jasmine rice. It’s humble but perfect.
Frying an Egg Thai-Style
Let’s talk about the egg, because honestly, the fried egg on top is not negotiable in my kitchen. The Thai-style fried egg is all about those crispy, lacy, golden-brown edges. You want to use plenty of oil (don’t be shy—this isn’t the time to skimp), and get it hot so the whites bubble up and crisp immediately.
The yolk should stay runny, because when you break it over the rice and spicy chicken, it mellows the heat and creates this luxurious sauce that soaks into every grain. It’s one of those little details that elevates the whole dish. I like to joke that if you’re not frying your egg in enough oil to make your mother-in-law raise an eyebrow, you’re not doing it right.
Changing Up the Chicken
While chicken is the classic protein here—and what I make most often—it’s not your only option. I’ve cooked Pad Gaprao with ground pork for a richer, fattier bite, with thinly sliced beef for a heartier version, and even with shrimp when I want something lighter and more special.
For vegetarian friends, I’ve made it with tofu cubes and loads of mushrooms, and it’s fantastic. The secret is that punchy sauce with fish sauce, soy, and chilies—it makes just about anything taste amazing.
Personally, I like using ground meat because it absorbs the sauce so well. You get all those savory juices clinging to every bite. But if you prefer slices of meat, go for it—it’s your dinner, after all.
What Else Can You Use Holy Basil For?
Holy basil has this peppery, slightly clove-like bite that’s hard to replace. When I buy it, I usually grab extra because it’s great in other Thai dishes. One of my go-tos is drunken noodles—a wild, spicy noodle stir-fry that’s just begging for holy basil.
Sometimes I’ll toss it into a quick veggie stir-fry with whatever’s in the fridge, or even scatter it over a bowl of spicy curry noodles. If I have extra holy basil wilting in the fridge (and I don’t want to waste a single leaf), I’ll make a simple basil stir-fry sauce that keeps for a week in the fridge or even longer in the freezer. It’s a lifesaver for fast meals—I just pour it over chicken, shrimp, or tofu and dinner is sorted.
Tips for Making It at Home
- Use a wok if you have one. The high heat and quick cooking give you that smoky edge you’d get from street food stalls. But don’t worry if you don’t—any large skillet will work.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Cook in batches if you need to so everything sears nicely instead of steaming.
- Adjust the heat. Thai bird’s eye chilies are fiery, so use fewer (or more!) depending on your tolerance. I usually warn guests before serving that this dish can pack a punch.
- Holy basil is best, but if you truly can’t find it, you can substitute Thai basil. The flavor will be different but still delicious.
Serving Suggestions
- Always serve Pad Gaprao over warm jasmine rice to soak up the sauce.
- Top with the essential Thai-style fried egg.
- Add some sliced cucumber or a small side salad for a cooling contrast.
- For an even more filling meal, offer a simple clear broth soup on the side, the way they often do in Thailand.
Storage Tips
If you have leftovers (though I rarely do), store the stir-fry in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat it in a hot pan for best texture—it tends to get a bit watery in the microwave, but that’s okay in a pinch.
You can also make the sauce in advance and keep it in the fridge for a week or freeze it. It makes dinner even faster next time.
Pad Kra Pao
This dish is often considered Thailand’s national dish. It’s a simple yet flavorful stir-fry of ground chicken with holy basil, served over rice and topped with a crispy fried egg.
Ingredients
- 5–10 Thai chilies, or to taste
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 spur chili or another mild red pepper, chopped
- ½ cup long beans, cut into short pieces
- ½ small onion, diced
- 300g chicken, coarsely ground
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1½ teaspoons black soy sauce (or substitute dark soy sauce and reduce regular soy sauce to 2 tsp)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1½ teaspoons sugar
- 1½ cups holy basil leaves, loosely packed
- Vegetable oil, as needed
Additional:
- 2–3 eggs (1 per person)
- Jasmine rice for serving
- Optional condiment (Prik Nam Pla): Mix together some fish sauce, a squeeze of lime juice, chopped Thai chilies, and chopped garlic.
Instructions
- Pound the Thai chilies into a fine paste.
- Add garlic and spur chilies to the mortar and pound into a rough paste.
- In a bowl, combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, black soy sauce, water, and sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
- In a wok or large sauté pan, heat a bit of vegetable oil over medium-high heat and sauté the garlic-chili paste until the garlic begins to turn golden.
- Add the ground chicken and stir to break it apart. Once the pieces are no longer in big clumps, add the sauce mixture. Continue to stir until the chicken is nearly cooked.
- Add the diced onion and long beans; stir until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Remove from heat and stir in the holy basil.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
For the Fried Egg:
- Heat about 1 cm of vegetable oil in a small non-stick pan or wok over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is very hot (especially important for runny yolks), crack the egg directly into the pan. Let it fry until the edges are browned and bubbly.
To Serve: Spoon the stir-fry over jasmine rice and top with a fried egg. Optionally, drizzle some prik nam pla over the egg for extra flavor.
Notes
- Note: If holy basil is not available, Thai basil is a good substitute. Surprisingly, regular Italian basil also provides a flavor more similar to holy basil than Thai basil does, making it another good option.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 3 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1327Total Fat: 68gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 39gCholesterol: 1554mgSodium: 2710mgCarbohydrates: 85gFiber: 10gSugar: 35gProtein: 98g
Asianplated.com, occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although allchickenrecipes.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
FAQs
Can I make it vegetarian?
Absolutely. Swap the meat for tofu and mushrooms. Use vegetarian fish sauce or just soy sauce to taste.
Is there a substitute for holy basil?
If you can’t find holy basil, use Thai basil or even regular basil in a pinch. It’s not the same, but it will still be fragrant and tasty.
How spicy is this?
It can be very spicy! I usually use bird’s eye chilies which are hot. You can adjust to your taste or even use milder chilies.
Can I freeze it?
You can freeze the cooked stir-fry, but the texture of the basil will change. I recommend freezing just the sauce or the meat mixture before adding basil, and then stir-frying fresh basil in when you reheat.
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