Among Thailand’s beloved street foods, Thai basil chicken holds a special place, and rightfully so. Its simplicity, sweetness, subtle spiciness, and aromatic profile make it a crowd favourite. In this rendition, however, I take a creative twist by featuring the humble chicken wing, transforming the classic Thai basil chicken into irresistibly finger-licking Thai Basil Chicken Wings!
About Thai basil wings
Indulge in the ease and charm of these Thai basil chicken wings, perfect for a hassle-free weeknight dinner or a delightful entree when entertaining guests. In just 35 minutes, from start to finish, you’ll have these wings ready, allowing you more time for other pursuits.
While my culinary kitchen spans various cuisines, Thai food holds a special place in my heart. Thai basil chicken is a frequent guest at our table. Recognising my partner’s love for chicken wings, I decided to venture beyond the usual breast fillets one day. Thus, this winged twist on our favourite Thai basil chicken recipe was born, and it was an instant hit!
Traditionally crafted with chicken breast, thighs, or ground chicken mince, Thai basil chicken may seem unconventional with wings, but the result is truly delectable. After all, who can resist the allure of a perfectly cooked chicken wing?
In its Thai homeland, this dish tends to pack quite a punch in the spice department. However, I’ve tempered the heat in my version by opting for long red chillies instead of the smaller, fierier Thai ones.
While my recipe offers a subtle warmth, feel free to amplify the spiciness by adding more chillies or opting for the smaller, hotter variety if you’re a fan of fiery cuisine!
TOP WITH A FRIED EGG FOR A CREAMY & TEXTURAL ELEMENT
Ingredients required
With a few fresh ingredients to buy, you most likely have the rest of what you need in your pantry or fridge!
The full recipe can be found at the bottom of the post!!
About Thai basil
Thai basil stands out as my preferred basil variety, originating from Southeast Asia and boasting a delightful blend of anise and liquorice flavours. Unlike sweet basil, Thai basil’s robust leaves withstand high cooking temperatures. Featuring long, slender dark leaves with purple stems and flowers, it imparts a highly aromatic essence that pairs seamlessly with Southeast Asian-style curries, soups, and salads.
In my garden, Thai basil thrives year-round, although during the cooler months its leaves are relatively small. Come spring, I anticipate a flourishing display! The Thai basil leaves used in crafting these wings are sourced directly from my garden, explaining their slightly smaller size—a temporary condition that transforms with the season.
While tradition dictates the use of Holy basil in Thai basil chicken for its peppery and clove-like notes, the scarcity of Holy basil often leads me to utilise Thai basil, which is more accessible. Despite the customary preference for Holy basil’s authenticity, many, including restaurants, have embraced the flavourful twist imparted by Thai basil.
Pro Tip: If Thai basil is unavailable, everyday sweet basil serves as the best substitute. While lacking the distinctive pungency of anise, it’s a worthwhile compromise. Just adjust the quantity slightly, and you’ll still savour the essence of this dish.
Step-by-step
Like with all stir-fry’s, its best to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go to make this a breeze to cook!
- Sauce – combine sweet soy, fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce and brown sugar in a small bowl. Stir well to dissolve the sugar. Set aside.
- Aromatics – place eschalots, garlic and chilli into a small chopper or food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Alternately, chop by hand or in a mortar and pestle. Set aside.
- Brown wings – heat oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium high heat. Add half of the wings and brown for 3-4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Repeat with remaining wings.
- Stir-fry – add spring/green onions to pan and stir-fry briefly then set aside.
- Cook – Add eschalot mixture to and and cook for 1 minute or until aromatic
- Return wings – return wings to pan along with the prepared sauce and toss to coat. Cover with a lid, reduce heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally or until wings are cooked through and nicely glazed.
- Add Thai basil – return capsicum mixture to pan or wok along with the Thai basil leaves. Toss to combine.
- Serve – transfer wings to serving bowls or place onto a large plate. Garnish with sliced red chilli and Thai basil leaves. Serve with steamed jasmine rice if desired.
Serving suggestions
- Rice Bowl: Serve the chicken wings over a bed of steamed jasmine rice or coconut rice for a satisfying and complete meal.
- Asian Noodle Salad: Toss the wings into an Asian noodle salad with fresh vegetables, such as cucumber, carrots, and capsicums, dressed in a light sesame-soy vinaigrette.
- Appetiser Platter: Feature the wings as a star attraction on an appetiser platter alongside other Thai-inspired snacks like spring rolls, satay, and dumplings.
- Grilled Pineapple Skewers: Serve Thai basil chicken wings alongside grilled pineapple skewers for a sweet and tangy contrast.
- Cucumber Ribbon Salad: Pair the wings with a refreshing cucumber ribbon salad dressed in a light lime and chilli vinaigrette for a cool contrast to the heat.
- Sesame Ginger Slaw: Serve alongside a sesame ginger slaw for a crunchy and flavorful accompaniment.
Feel free to mix and match these serving suggestions based on your preferences and the occasion, creating a delightful Thai-inspired feast with the Thai basil chicken wings as the star of the show.
FAQ’s
Whole chicken wings are easy to cut into smaller pieces. Lay the chicken wing out flat and using a sharp knife, cut through at each joint using a bit of pressure. For each whole wing, there will be 2 cuts at the joint. Discard the tips or reserve them to make stock with. (I freeze mine each time till I have enough)
You certainly can. It won’t have the same pungent aroma and taste of Thai basil but its the next best thing. I usually use slightly more though than I would a Thai basil.
The best option here would be to use a small brown or red onion instead.
Fried eggs go extremely well with Thai basil chicken and it is quite authentic to serve them but by all means, skip the eggs. It is an extra element that enhances the chicken but not mandatory.
Any leftover chicken wings can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Yes, although the spring onion and capsicum doesn’t fair as well in the freezer. You can remove OR eat them prior to freezing. Transfer cooled chicken wings to an airtight container or zip-lock bag. Label, date and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating in the microwave on MEDIUM power until piping hot.
You may also enjoy
- Thai Grilled Chicken Skewers (Gai Yang)
- Coriander & Hoisin Chicken wings – this is another favourite. A MUST try!!
- Thai Chicken Larb Salad – a healthy and divine Thai salad. Great for part of a banquet with these wings
- Easy Thai Green Prawn Curry – a simple but quick and delicious authentic Thai curry.
- Thai Red Pumpkin Curry – perfect for the vegetable lovers this curry will blow you away
- Thai Pork Cakes with Cucumber Dipping Sauce – these little morsels are just scrumptious and make the perfect entree.
- Thai Prawn & Pork Spring Rolls
- Thai Chicken Satay Baguettes
Have You Made This Recipe?
If you have don’t forget to tag @feedmekate on Instagram and hashtag it #feedmekate
Thai Basil Chicken Wings (Pad Krapow Gai)
Equipment
- Large frying pan or wok
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sweet soy sauce (Kecap manis)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 2 eschalots, roughly chopped
- 1-2 long red chillies, roughly chopped (or use 2-3 birds eye chilli for extra hot)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
- 1.2kg chicken wings, cut at the joint, tips discarded
- 2 spring/green onions, cut into 4cm lengths
- 1 small red capsicum, cut into strips
- 1 cup Thai basil leaves (Use Holy basil if you can get it)
TO SERVE
- Steamed jasmine rice
- Thai basil leaves
- Sliced red chilli
- 4 fried eggs (Optional)
Instructions
- Combine kecap manis, fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce and brown sugar in a bowl. Set aside.
- Place eschalots, chilli, and garlic into a small food processor or chopper and pulse until a roughly chopped. Alternately pound in a mortar and pestle or chop by hand. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat until hot. Add half of the chicken wings and cook for 3-4 minutes each side or until browned. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Repeat process with remaining wings. Set aside. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the fat in the pan.
- Add the spring/green onions and capsicum to pan. Stir fry briefly for 1 minute or until just softened, then remove and set aside.
- Add the eschalot mixture to pan and stir-fry for 1 minute or until fragrant. Return all the chicken wings and add the sauce to the pan, tossing well to coat. Cover with a lid, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes or until chicken wings are completely cooked through and they are nicely glazed.
- Return the spring/green onions and capsicum to the pan and toss to combine. Serve wings with steamed jasmine rice and garnish with extra Thai basil leaves and sliced red chilli. If desired, serve fried eggs on the side.
Notes
- COOKS NOTES:
Oven Temps: Oven temperatures are for conventional, if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C.
Measurements: We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon = 20 ml & 1 cup = 250 ml.
Herbs: All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed.
Vegetables: All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified.
Eggs: We use extra-large size and eggs are 55-60 g each, unless specified.
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