A super tasty, easy Thai stir fry with a nice kick of heat! The Thai stir fry sauce used in this recipe is like an all purpose Thai sauce. It’s a versatile base and it’s fabulous with chicken, pork and turkey, ground/mince meat or even cut into bite size pieces. It can even be used for noodles. This recipe is a keeper for Thai food lovers!
The Thai stir fry sauce I use in this Spicy Thai Chicken Stir Fry is like the Thai equivalent of Charlie, my All Purpose Chinese Stir Fry Sauce. If you haven’t discovered Charlie yet, pop over because honestly, especially if you are pressed for time, he will be life changing. Yes, I’ve given my Chinese stir fry sauce a name, and yes there is logic – albeit bland / crazy – behind it. You can read about it when you get the recipe for Charlie. 😉
Just like Charlie, the Thai stir fry sauce used in this recipe is similar to many but an exact replica of none. If you scan the Sauce ingredients of Pad See Ew (Thai Stir Fried Noodles), Thai Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao) and Thai Chilli Basil Chicken, you will see similarities to the one I use in this Thai stir fry.
I don’t actually even know if this recipe has a name. It’s probably not something you would find in a Thai restaurant. By this, I mean it’s not a “known” Thai dish, like Pad Thai, Pad See Ew etc.
In many of the Thai cookbooks I have flicked through over the years, I almost always find a generic stir fry that uses a very similar sauce. I even found one in the Spice I Am cookbook (read more about that in the Pad Thai recipe, it’s my current favourite Thai cookbook).
The quantities differ, but generally, the common ground is always garlic (lots), chilli (lots!), soy sauce (varying combinations of light, dark and all purpose), Oyster Sauce (almost always), fish sauce (very common) and sugar (almost always).
Though I use this Thai stir fry sauce to make all sorts of stir fries – even noodles – this recipe I’m sharing today is the one I make most frequently. The main reason being because it’s such an easy Thai stir fry. Because making it with ground chicken means no chopping meat, no marinating. And the flavour of the Thai stir fry sauce really penetrates throughout the whole stir fry.
Serve this over steamed jasmine rice, Thai Fried Rice, Pineapple Fried Rice or Coconut Rice
In Thailand, many dishes are served with a juicy wedges of tomato and cucumber. No dressing, just plain. They are a great pairing with the kapow flavours going on in most Thai dishes. Plus, it rounds out out the meal so we get our veg fix! 🙂
But I also happened to have a big batch of my all time most frequently made Asian-esque salad: a Cabbage salad with crunchy noodles and a sesame dressing. So I stuck it in the photo to give you a little preview because it’s coming soon. I make it so often it borders on the side of obsession. But the sheer convenience, speed and utter tastiness of the salad is what has had me captivated since my early twenties.
It’s coming soon, I promise. Possibly Wednesday, along with another salad. Hmm. Maybe this weeks’ Meat Free Wednesday will be an explosion of my very favourite salads. What do you think? – Nagi x
PS Is it just me, or is there a weird pinkish glow going on in the bottom left corner of the photo below? I must’ve been wearing a hot pink top when I took this shot. Jeez. The perils of fashion and food photography!!! 😉
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Spicy Thai Chicken Stir Fry
Ingredients
Sauce
- 2 tsp light soy sauce (Note 1)
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce (Note 1)
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
Stir Fry
- 2 tbsp cooking oil (I use peanut or vegetable oil)
- 3 Thai or birds eye chillis or other small hot red chilli , finely chopped (Note 2)
- 4 garlic cloves , finely chopped
- 1 small onion , halved and sliced (brown, white or yellow)
- 500 g / 1 lb ground / mince chicken
- 3 shallot / scallions stems , chopped into slices
- 1 cup coriander/cilantro leaves (loosely packed)
Serving
Instructions
- Mix Sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
- Heat oil in a wok or heavy based skillet over high heat. Add garlic and chilli - cook for 15 seconds.
- Add onion and cook for 45 seconds.
- Add chicken and cook, breaking it up as you go. When it changes from pink to white, add Sauce. Cook until the liquid mostly disappears - about 2 minutes.
- Stir through shallots. Then stir through coriander and immediately take off the heat.
- Serve immediately with jasmine rice or other rice - or for a low carb, low cal option, try Cauliflower Rice! Add slices of cucumber and tomato wedges (very authentic Thai!). Garnish with extra chilli and coriander if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
WARNING: Explicit sightings of Baby Hands may offend some. It was a really hot day when I filmed this, okay?? My hands swell in heat! 😂
LIFE OF DOZER
You would think a dog this cute would sleep cute too. Curled up in a tight little ball, head snuggled on his paws.
But no. This is how he usually sleeps. Just layin’ it all out there. 🙄 At least he’s using his tail for modesty.
He better not have slobbered on my ugg boot!
My family and I love this recipe. It’s quite quick and easy and very tasty. I add broccoli and mushrooms to provide a bit more nutrition
Really nice flavour ( I added steamed beans and some shredded coleslaw like asian veg) but think it was a mistake, for us, to double the sauce as suggested in other posts. . Too salty for us. Would make it again but double liquid content with stock perhaps. Not sure if this would work though! Love all your recipes Nagi. Thanks!
I love this dish, I do add roasted chili paste to the garlic and chili, and use spicy oyster sauce. I also add 1/2 red pepper to the onion.
Chopping all that cilantro is a pain, but worth it,
it’s probably still enjoyable without…for cilantro haters.
It’s restaurant worthy. Thank you!
If I wanted a Thai “basil” chicken would I just simply swap the cilantro for basil?
Yes. That’s what I do
Absolutely delicious! We followed the comments of others and doubled the sauce. Also threw in some bean sprouts that were left over from previous meal. The whole family enjoyed it. We will definitely be making this again.
Once again, another wonderful dish. Thanks again, Nagi
So quick and delicious, will become a go-to for me. However, I totally agree that you need to double the sauce. For those who find it too salty, I think it really depends on your soy, fish, and oyster sauce. There are more and less salty brands of all these sauces, and if you happen to get three really salty ones it could be too much. Unfortunately, it’s hard to know until you’ve bought a few and found your preferences.
The most delicious! I’ve made it so many times.
So delicious! The only meaty supermarket was selling was chicken mince so your post of 10 things to cook with chicken mince was a life saver. My family loved this dinner. Another quick and easy Nagi recipe for the rotation. Thank you!!
I made a half portion of the 12 minute peanut noodles and had to use up 1/2 lb of chicken mince. Just made this for lunch and it was so quick and easy. Light, good flavor, just enough spice. I was worried because I normally love sauce, but I still really enjoyed this. Wrapped up some with rice in seaweed sheets and it was so good!
Decent, might need to double the sauce next time as it was pretty dry.
I love your asian beef bowls and this is just as amazing for minced chicken. Definitely going into my rotation, thank you so much
I’m so glad you loved them!! N x
Another one of your dishes we have cooked and all said it was soo delicious
So many flavours come through
Thank you again Nagi 💕
Hello Nagi, I really enjoy cooking your recipes as they are full of great tips and my food turns out lovely.
Thank you for giving all the wonderful information & tips in your recipes, it really helps and I learn so very much each time I try one of your recipes…..thank you 🙏
Hi Nagi – does the nutrition include rice?
Hi Juan, the nutrition excludes the rice here – N x
Grew up in Bangkok and a kid – this recipe took me back.
Added some nam pla prik and a slice of lime, fantastic.
Okay now I’m 3 for 3! First dish I made from Nagi’s collection was the Bangers and Mash. So Yummy and comforting! Next was the Indian Curry (Dal). Yummy, even my picky kids liked it! Tonight I made this Thai recipe and it was just as good as the others! I’m used to a sweeter stir fry, and this was not sweet but was just as good! I’ve cooked all of these this week. Thank you Nagi, I’m loving your website! And as someone who lived in Tokyo for a few years, I have happily discovered and love your Japanese website with your mom as well!! Can’t wait to try! Natsukashii !!
This is a winner for being quick and easy – plus delicious and full of flavour. Passed it on to 3 colleagues at work! The rice too longer to cook than the prep and cooking time. I added beans as I love my veggies. A great way to use chicken mince. A favourite!
Havent made this recipe but add a fried egg on top & holy basil (not thai basil) it is very similar to phad kra pao (IMO)
I made this last night and it was really awesome! My husband hates coriander so I used parsley instead and I am not good with chillies so substituted sambal olek (malaysian chilli in a jar)
Perfect Lyn! N x
Hi Nagi,
We have this at least once a week and I have expanded this and add wombok, spinach leaves, capsicum.. just about anything in the fridge and use double the sauce and even cook it with pork mince and it’s awesome! It always turns out so delicious. Thanks again!