When I don’t know what to cook but want something packed with flavor, I often turn to a stir-fry with ground chicken. I love using ground chicken because it saves the step of slicing the meat, and I like letting some of the pieces sit on the pan to get a little crispy in places. All the elements in this dish come together quickly for a savory dinner with a hint of sweetness, a bit of heat and an aromatic herbaceousness from all that basil.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as avocado 3 scallions, thinly sliced 4 cloves of garlic, grated or finely chopped 1-2 hot chile peppers such as jalapeno or bird’s eye 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped 1 pound ground chicken 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce 1 tablespoon oyster sauce 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce 1-2 teaspoons brown sugar 15 basil leaves (see note) 1 large egg per person extra basil and scallions for garnish
Preparation
Mix the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce and brown sugar. In a large wok or skillet over medium heat, add the oil, then sauté the scallions, red onion, garlic, and chilies. Cook and stir for about 1 minute until everything is fragrant. Make sure not to burn the garlic. Add the chicken and cook, breaking it up with a spatula as you stir. Cook for about 5 minutes until all the chicken is cooked through. Pour the sauce over the chicken and stir to combine until everything is well coated. Add in the basil leaves and cook until wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
Serve over jasmine rice, top with a fried egg and more scallions and basil.
Note: Thai basil is more traditional for this dish, but sweet Italian basil works too.
I’m constantly reading recipes and scouring the web for ideas. This dish was loosely inspired by one I came across by Ariel Laing of Well Seasoned Studio. I adjusted the ingredients to suit what I had on hand and played with the proportions until it felt right.