This Teochew (Chiuchow) style of Basil Chicken is often called Mint Leaf Chicken. Coarsely minced chicken quick fried with a light fish sauce/soy sauce and a large handful of fresh basil. Serve it with a side of rice and topped with a runny egg, delicious!
One of the keys to Teochew Basil Chicken is using minced chicken thigh (skin on or off, either way works). Cut the thighs into small pieces, then using a cleaver or chef’s knife, chop away. Give it a good 20-30 chops. It chicken doesn’t need to be chopped into tiny pieces and it doesn’t need to be consistent in size. Having variations in size is a good thing. And definitely don’t chop too long until it turns into ground chicken.
Once your chicken is ready, add a teaspoon of cornstarch and incorporate it well. Make sure there are no clumps of cornstarch. There is no marinating needed. Since the chicken is in small pieces, the sauce will flavor it all the way through as you cook. After that, it’s a quick and easy stir fry.
Oh, and before you dig in, break the egg yolk over the chicken. 😊
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken thigh meat, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 1 handful basil, leaves only
- 1 egg egg, (optional)
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1.5 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Add a teaspoon of cornstarch to the chopped chicken and combine well. Make sure there are no lumps.
- Mix all the Sauce ingredients in a bowl.
- Heat up the wok on high heat until it gets very hot.
- Add oil and allow the oil to also become very hot and smokey.
- Add the onions and garlic and stir around for about 10 seconds being careful not to let the garlic burn.
- Push the onions and garlic to the side of the wok or pan.
- Add the chicken in a single layer and allow it to sear on one side.
- After about 30 seconds, flip the chicken and allow the chicken to sear again.
- Add the Sauce ingredients.
- Continue stirring occasionally until the chicken is almost cooked and the Sauce has thickened.
- Mix in the basil leaves and stir until the leaves become slightly limp.
- Serve over a bed of rice, and topped with an fried egg (optional).
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