This last year I have been on a bit of a Thai food kick. It’s one of my go-to takeout foods, but I realized that beyond a simple curry, I hadn’t experimented with many Thai-ish dishes. And now, many noodles, stir-fries, salads and peanut sauces later, I have started creating my list of favorites. This Thai Inspired Turkey Basil Stir-Fry, has made the cut.
I have made this at least a half dozen times by now and I absolutely love it. It’s succulent, sweet, spicy, and as a bonus, it’s a very lean and low fat dish. This recipe is a variation of Gai Pad Krapow, a ground chicken and basil dish and also adapted from this recipe from Kalyn’s Kitchen. You could easily substitute chicken in this recipe, but I have stuck with turkey so far. I find it easier to find, and it’s also frequently on sale. I find that ground turkey absorbs flavor really well, and so for a saucy dish like this, it’s great.
Seasoning the oil with garlic rather than actually incorporating it into the dish is a really nice touch. It means that the other sauce ingredients stand out a lot more, and there is a hint of garlic that is not overpowering. Also, adding the basil at the lat moment is key, otherwise it soaks up all the sauce and loses its freshness.
I make this dish probably once a month and serve it with brown rice. There are always leftovers for lunch the next day. I’m tempted to someday make a double batch and eat it for lunch all week because it keeps and reheats so well. If you have a freezer full of ground turkey or are craving a healthy thai inspired dish, give this a try! You won’t be disappointed.
Thai Inspired Turkey Basil Stir-Fry
Ingredients
Stir Fry
- 1 Tbsp. Olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 Onion, sliced
- 1 Red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 lb. Ground turkey
- 1 1/2 cup Chopped basil leaves
Sauce
- 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
- 2 Tbsp. Fish sauce
- 2 Tbsp. Sriracha
- 2 Tbsp. Soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp. Honey
Instructions
- Mix together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat oil over medium high in a wok or frying pan. Add garlic slices and stir for 1 minute until the oil is fragrant. Remove the garlic cloves and discard.
- Add sliced bell pepper and onion and sautée for 3 minutes. Set aside in a bowl. Add ground turkey into the pan adding more oil if the pan needs it. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked through.
- Add pepper and onion back into pan and combine with the meat. Add in basil leaves and cook for 1 minute. Add the sauce to the pan and cook for 2-5 minutes until mixture is well coated and the sauce is well absorbed. Serve immediately.