Thai Basil Chicken Rice Pilaf
Fragrant jasmine rice is toasted with garlic, shallot and fresh chilies, then steamed in a savory fish sauce and oyster sauce broth with juicy browned chicken. A big handful of Thai basil is folded in at the end for the peppery, anise-scented flavor of pad krapow, all in one skillet.
- Prep
- 18 min
- Cook
- 27 min
- Wait
- 20 min
- Total
- 1 hr 5 min
- Makes
- About 6 cups pilaf (4 generous servings)
Steps
Before you start
- Rinse and drain the rice at least 10 minutes before cooking so the grains absorb liquid evenly and don't turn gummy.
- Use a 12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet or sauté pan with a tight-fitting lid. A loose lid lets steam escape and leaves the rice undercooked.
- Thai chilies are very hot. Start with 3 for medium heat and use up to 6 for a fiery pilaf. Wash your hands after cutting them.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth, because the fish sauce, oyster sauce and soy sauce already add plenty of salt.
Rinse and drain rice
- Put the rice in a medium bowl and cover with cold water.
- Swirl with your hand, then pour off the cloudy water.
- Repeat 3 to 4 times, until the water is only faintly milky.
- Tip the rice into a fine-mesh sieve and let it drain for 10 minutes, shaking it once or twice.
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Ready when: Water runs nearly clear and the grains look opaque white and no longer wet
Tip: Don't skip the rinse. Surface starch makes the pilaf sticky and clumped.
Mix sauce, prep aromatics
- In a small bowl, stir together the fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce and sugar until the sugar dissolves.
- Slice the shallot, mince the garlic, slice the chilies and dice the bell pepper.
- Cut the chicken into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces and pat dry with paper towels.
- Pick the basil leaves and set them aside.
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Ready when: Sugar is fully dissolved and everything is cut and ready by the stove
Tip: Dry chicken browns instead of steaming, so don't skip the paper towels.
Sear the chicken
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken in a single layer and cook without stirring for 2 minutes, then stir and cook 2 to 3 minutes more.
- Transfer the chicken and any juices to a plate.
- Leave the oil in the pan.
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Ready when: Chicken is golden brown in spots on the outside but still pink in the center
Tip: The chicken will finish cooking on top of the rice, so don't cook it through now or it will dry out.
Soften the aromatics
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the shallot, garlic and chilies to the same pan and stir constantly for 1 minute.
- Add the bell pepper and cook 1 minute more, scraping up the browned bits from the pan.
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Ready when: Garlic smells fragrant and is pale gold, and the shallot has softened
Tip: If the garlic darkens to brown, it will taste bitter. Lower the heat and keep stirring.
Toast the rice
- Add the drained rice to the pan.
- Stir for 2 minutes so every grain is coated in oil and the aromatics.
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Ready when: Grains look slightly translucent at the edges and smell nutty
Add liquid and boil
- Pour in the broth and the sauce mixture.
- Stir once to spread the rice in an even layer and to loosen any stuck bits.
- Raise the heat to high and bring to a full boil, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Taste the liquid.
- It should taste well seasoned and slightly salty.
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Ready when: Liquid is bubbling across the whole surface
Tip: Stir only this once. Stirring the rice while it cooks releases starch and makes it gluey.
Cover and steam
- Nestle the chicken and its juices over the rice.
- Cover tightly, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 14 minutes without lifting the lid.
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Ready when: Liquid is absorbed and small steam holes have formed on the rice surface
Tip: If your lid is loose, put a clean kitchen towel or a sheet of foil under it to seal in the steam.
Rest off the heatOven 165°F / 75°C
- Turn off the heat and leave the pan covered for 10 minutes.
- Then insert an instant-read thermometer into a few of the thickest pieces of chicken.
- They should read at least 165°F (74°C).
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Ready when: Chicken reads 165°F (74°C) and the rice is tender with no hard center
Tip: If the rice is still crunchy, add 2 tablespoons water, cover and cook on low 3 to 5 more minutes.
Fold in basil and serve
- Uncover the pan.
- Scatter the basil leaves over the top and fold gently with a fork, fluffing the rice and mixing in the chicken, for about 1 minute.
- Serve right away with lime wedges, squeezing lime over each portion.
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Ready when: Basil is wilted and bright green, and the pilaf smells strongly peppery and sweet
Tip: Add the basil only after the heat is off. Cooking it longer turns it dark and dulls the flavor.
Good to know
Tips
- Measure the rice and broth carefully. This ratio of about 1 part rice to 1⅓ parts liquid is tuned for rinsed jasmine rice in a covered pan.
- Keep the lid on during cooking and resting. Lifting it lets out the steam the rice needs to cook through.
- For a classic touch, top each serving with a crispy fried egg. Cook the eggs separately until the whites are fully set and the edges are lacy.
- Taste before serving. If it needs more salt, add a few drops of fish sauce rather than table salt.
Make ahead
You can rinse and drain the rice up to 1 hour ahead. Slice the aromatics and cut the chicken up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate them in separate covered containers. Keep the basil wrapped in a damp paper towel in the fridge and add it only at the end.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: up to 1 hour after cooking. Fridge: cool within 1 hour, then store in an airtight container up to 3 days. Freezer: up to 2 months in freezer-safe containers or bags, flattened. Reheat with 1 to 2 tablespoons water per portion in a covered skillet over medium-low heat, or in the microwave covered, until steaming hot throughout (165°F/74°C).
Substitutions
- Thai basil leaves → holy basil, or Italian basil with a few fresh mint leaves. Holy basil is the most authentic and is more peppery. Italian basil is sweeter and milder, so the mint adds a little brightness.
- boneless, skinless chicken thighs → boneless, skinless chicken breast, or ground chicken. Breast dries out faster, so cut it into slightly larger pieces and check it at the end of the rest. Ground chicken can be browned and crumbled in step 3.
- oyster sauce → vegetarian mushroom stir-fry sauce. Use it in the same amount. It gives a similar savory sweetness.
- Thai bird's eye chilies → 1 to 2 serrano chilies or ½ tsp red pepper flakes. The heat will be milder and the flavor less fruity.