Can I use fresh rice instead of leftover rice?

Fresh rice tends to be more moist and can become mushy during frying. Day-old rice works best as it has had time to dry out and separate. You can make rice and ‘quick cool’ it by spreading it out on a parchment-lined baking tray and popping it in the fridge.

Can I use a different protein?

Yes. The method/instructions can be used with ground turkey or ground pork, with very few changes. If you use boneless chicken breasts or chicken thighs, the cooking time will be slightly different.

How could I make this vegetarian?

For a vegetarian version, replace the ground chicken with crumbled extra firm tofu. Make sure to press the moisture from the tofu before crumbling. Replace the fish sauce with a vegan fish sauce alternative and use hoisin sauce instead of oyster sauce.

What if I can’t find Thai basil?

Thai basil is best for its distinctive flavor, but if it’s not available, you can use sweet basil (aka regular basil) as an alternative. The flavor profile will change slightly, but it will still be delicious.

How can I make this dish spicier?

Increase the amount of sriracha or add some fresh chopped chili or red pepper flakes to amp up the heat according to your taste preference. As written, I think this recipe is 1 out of 5 on spice. My hubs is a wimp on spice so I keep things mild and add more sriracha to mine as a finishing touch :)

How should I store leftovers?

This recipe makes excellent leftovers. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. You can ‘revive’ leftovers with a spritz of lime juice, glug of hoisin and handful of fresh peanuts.

What does 'chiffonade' mean?

Chiffonade means to slice leafy greens or herbs into thin strips or delicate ribbons.

Thai Basil Chicken Fried Rice (yummy, easy dinner recipe!)

Name: Thai Basil Chicken Fried Rice
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 2 ½ tablespoons avocado oil, divided; 1 lb ground chicken; pinches of kosher salt and black pepper; 1 shallot, minced; 1 red bell pepper, diced; 1 large carrot, peeled and diced; 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced; 1 tablespoon brown sugar; 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos; 1-2 teaspoons sriracha; 2 eggs, whisked; 2 cups leftover cooked rice (see note); 1 tablespoon fish sauce; 1 tablespoon oyster sauce; 1 large bunch Thai basil leaves (2-3oz), chiffonade/thinly sliced; ½ cup peanuts, finely chopped; zest and juice of an entire lime; For serving: lime wedges, green onions, more Thai basil and peanuts, sriracha

Description

This Thai basil chicken fried rice is a fun, flavorful mix of garlicky ground chicken, rainbow veggies and tons of fresh Thai basil. Perfect for a quick dinner or meal prep lunch.

Ingredients

Units Scale

2 1/2 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
1 lb ground chicken
pinches of kosher salt and black pepper
1 shallot, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
1-2 teaspoons sriracha
2 eggs, whisked
2 cups leftover cooked rice (see note)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 large bunch Thai basil leaves (2-3oz), chiffonade/thinly sliced
1/2 cup peanuts, finely chopped
zest and juice of an entire lime
For serving: lime wedges, green onions, more Thai basil and peanuts, sriracha

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Instructions

Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add ground chicken, breaking it up with a spatula and cook until fully browned and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Season with pinches of salt and pepper.
Scooch the ground chicken over, add another ½ tablespoon avocado oil and sauté shallots, bell pepper and carrot until softened, 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir-fry another 60 seconds, until fragrant. Stir in 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1-2 teaspoons sriracha, tossing everything together and stirring to scrape up any browned bits at the bottom. Transfer the chicken and veggie mixture to a large bowl.
Drizzle in another ½ tablespoon avocado oil. Whisk 2 eggs in a small bowl and season the eggs with pinches of salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, add the eggs, letting them sit for several seconds to cook into a large flat pancake-looking piece. Flip the egg and then use your spatula to break it up into pieces.
Scooch the egg over and heat the remaining ½ tablespoon oil. Add the cooked rice, breaking it up so each grain gets coated with a little oil.
Return chicken and veggies to the skillet. Add 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, zest and juice of a whole lime, ½ cup chopped peanuts and thinly sliced Thai basil leaves and toss everything until well combined.
Finish up with a big squeeze of fresh lime juice and extra herbs, peanuts and sriracha sauce, as desired. Dinner is served, lucky YOU!

Notes

Rice: Ideally you just have leftover rice for this recipe. But if you don’t, here’s how to make 2 cups cooked rice. Add 2/3 cup rinsed uncooked jasmine rice, 1 1/4 cups water and a big pinch of salt to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Without removing the lid, turn the heat off and let stand for another 10 minutes. Remove lid, fluff with a fork. If you haven’t made this ahead of time, spread the rice on parchment-lined sheet pan and pop it in the fridge to quickly cool it.

Refer to above blog post for step-by-step photos, expert tips and answers to frequently asked questions.

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Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
Calories: 528
Sugar: 6.4 g
Sodium: 836.9 mg
Fat: 27.8 g
Carbohydrates: 39.7 g
Fiber: 3.1 g
Protein: 31.3 g
Cholesterol: 189.3 mg