I squealed with delight when I saw this recipe on Chow Devine. I love love love chinese food, but there’s no longer any restaurants near my house & recipes I have found are far more than complicated. So I made a list of things I would need for the recipe….and didn’t really like what I found. The phrase “fish sauce” is a little scary. I also don’t think Wal-mart carries thai chilis or tamari. Finally, I used chicken breasts instead of thighs because A. It’s healthier and B. That’s what was in the fridge.

So here is a loosely based adaptation of the original recipe.

…And it was delicious. Like, if someone else had made it, I could have easily been tricked to believe it came from a restaurant.

Recipe: Thai Basil Chicken

Thai Basil Chicken Recipe
Serves 4 people

What You Need:

1 1/2 lb boneless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 yellow onion, cut into slices
4 garlic cloves
1 red bell pepper, cut into slices
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons light brown suagr
1/4 tsp black pepper
15 fresh basil leaves
canola oil for the pan

1. Make the sauce for the chicken by combining soy sauce, brown sugar, and pepper in a bowl. Set aside.

2. Heat skillet with a little bit of canola oil. When hot, add onions and saute for a few minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes.

3. When onions start to brown, add chicken and bell pepper. Cook until chicken is cooked all the way through.

4. Add sauce and mix in well. Turn off heat and mix in basil. The leaves will wilt due to the heat of the pan.

Serve with rice! Om nom nom.