Thai Basil Chicken Noodle Bowl Recipe
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Indulge in the vibrant flavors of Asia with our Thai Basil Chicken Noodle Bowl recipe. Savor the perfect blend of tender chicken, stir-fried with aromatic Thai basil, crisp vegetables, and savory noodles, all tossed in a delicious sauce.

This delightful dish is a harmonious balance of freshness and spiciness, delivering a mouthwatering experience. Embark on a flavorful culinary adventure today!
Why You’ll Love This Spicy Thai Basil Chicken
Sweet and Spicy. Thai Basil Chicken Noodle Bowl Recipe is everything I love in a recipe. The sauce has a tender blend of Asian spices that is both sweet and spicy.
Amazing Texture. This dish is also a festival of textures with al dente vegetables and crunchy chestnuts. Then the Lo Mein noodles wrap it all together into a great dinner bowl.
Unique. We recently picked up some Thai basil for the first time. We love Asian food, especially when I can put it together at home. I don’t like wasting food and that bunch of Thai basil really encouraged me to get as much use out of it as I could.
Quick and easy. Everything comes together quickly making this recipe perfect for a busy weeknight dinner.
What is Thai Basil?

I don’t know what I thought it would taste like, but I was wrong.
This herb has a soft flavor if that makes sense. It’s an essence not an “in your face” herb like fresh oregano. It is easy to grow or can be found in Asian grocery stores.
That being said, it can hold its own when paired with bold flavors like ginger or chiles.
If there is anything that I’ve learned about cooking it’s the impact that fresh herbs bring to a dish. Using flavorful herbs reduces the amount of salt needed too.
If you aren’t comfortable using herbs, put them in dishes when recommended and see if you can tell the difference. Or, make a simple salad with sliced tomatoes sprinkled with a little sweet basil, parsley, or Thai basil on it.
The experience will really make a change in the way you use herbs. Thai basil is so versatile and the flavor came through whether it was kept raw or cooked.
Equipment Needed to Make the Chicken with Thai Basil Recipe
- Large Skillet. A big skillet like this one is essential for making one-pot meals.
- Large Mixing Bowl. For marinating the chicken. You can also use a plastic zipper baggy.

Ingredients for Thai Basil Chicken
- Thai Basil Sauce. See the recipe.
- Chicken Thighs. Thighs have a lot of flavor, but you can use any boneless chicken such as chicken breasts. You could even use ground chicken.
- Lo Mein Noodles. Cook according to package instructions.
- Bok Choy. Separated, washed, and roughly chopped into large pieces.
- Carrots. Cut into matchsticks or julienned.
- Yellow Onion. You can also use a sweet onion if you can’t find good yellow onions.
- Water Chestnuts. For crunch.
- Portobello Mushrooms. Adds so much flavor and such nice textural contrast.
- Ginger. Freshly grated is best.
- Thai Basil Leaves. You are going to love this herb!
- Vegetable Oil. Any neutral-flavored oil will work or peanut oil which adds a nutty flavor.
Ingredients for Thai Basil Sauce
- Oyster Sauce. Many cooks are tempted to leave this out. You shouldn’t. It’s worth using.
- Soy Sauce. A good quality low-sodium soy sauce makes a huge difference. Don’t skimp.
- Hoisin Sauce. Has been called “Chinese ketchup” and can be found in the Asian Foods or International area of your grocery store.
- Chili Garlic Sauce. Adds heat and flavor.
Please note, that the printable recipe card has the full list of ingredients, quantities, complete instructions, and nutritional information. The following is a quick overview of the recipe.
How to Make Thai Basil Chicken Recipe
Step One: Mix the marinade ingredients.
Marinate for at least thirty minutes or up to 2 to 3 hours.
Step Two: Grill the chicken.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill it until it registers an internal temperature of 165°F.
Step Three: Sautee the vegetables.
In a large skillet, add sauce and cook until simmering. Add the vegetables to the sauce and saute until softened. Add the herbs and cook until vibrant.
Step Four: Add the noodles and basil.
Cook the noodles and then stir them into the sauce mixture.
Step Five: Serve.
Serve the noodle mixture in individual bowls and top with thin slices of chicken.
What to Serve/Pair with Your Spicy Thai Basil Chicken
This is a one-dish meal that doesn’t really need anything else to make it complete. If you really want something else, you can add some potstickers or vegetable spring rolls to the meal.
Substitutions & Additions
If you want more spice, add ¼ tsp of crushed red pepper or add some bird’s eye chilis or Serrano pepper to the marinade to add some heat.
Sweet chili paste would make a sweet and salty sauce and minced garlic would be a delicious addition too.
Shitake Mushrooms or cremini mushrooms will also work for this dish.
In addition to the carrots, you could use sugar snap peas, snow peas, red bell peppers, or even broccoli for vegetables. For convenience, you could even buy fresh or frozen stir-fry vegetables.

How To Reheat & Store Thai Basil Chicken
Best Way To Store Spicy Thai Basil Chicken
Keep leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container and use within two days.
Can I Freeze/Thaw Chicken with Thai Basil Recipe
Yes. This dish is best fresh but you can freeze the leftover noodles and chicken in an airtight container in individual serving sizes and reheat as needed using the microwave.
How To Reheat Chicken with Thai Basil
Use the microwave. Two to three minutes for cold chicken and noodles and five to seven minutes to reheat from frozen. Times may vary depending on your microwave.
FAQ
The leaves of Thai basil are very sturdy and do not wilt as quickly and completely as regular basil so they can be used at any time during the cooking process. This is our key ingredient and it cooks up vibrant and delicious.
The flavor is very similar to anise or black licorice flavor compared to other sweet basil plants often used in Italian recipes.
Thai basil is very reminiscent of anise (black licorice) and very strong or spicy compared to the mild basil we usually think of in the United States.
Tips to Make the Perfect Thai Basil Chicken
Grill the chicken for 6-7 minutes on each side. Food safety guidelines recommend that chicken be cooked until it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF, using an instant-read thermometer. I prefer that dark bone-in chicken be cooked a little longer but not overcooked.
The prep time for this recipe takes more time than the cooking time, so I recommend everything be ready to go before you start cooking.
Dice all the vegetables one day ahead if you are going to be pressed for time. Refrigerate the veggies and they will be ready to go when you are ready to cook. To save time, you can purchase carrots already chopped if you wish.

More Great Thai Recipes
- Grilled Thai Chicken Sandwich with Peanut Sauce
- Saucy Thai Basil Chicken Noodle Bowl Recipe
- Thai Basil Cabbage Slaw with Jalapeno Recipe
- Thai Pumpkin Soup with Coconut Milk
I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe as much as we do. Drop me a comment below, and don’t forget to give it a star rating. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Your comments and ratings help others decide if this recipe is for them too.
This recipe was published on February 8, 2018, and has been updated to improve readers’ experience. No change was made to the recipe.
STILL LOOKING FOR ASIAN RECIPES?
- Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Teriyaki Chicken Bowl Recipe
- Shrimp Stir Fry Recipe
- Beef Noodle Bowl
- Ginger and Basil Fried Rice
We love Asian food. You can find all of our Asian recipes here.

We love Thai food, but the soy sauce is troublesome for my husband (soy and gluten intolerant) so we used coconut aminos and this was SUPERB! Thank you for the recipe 🙂
What a great tip! Thanks, Lynn!
So delicious! We really enjoy the flavors of Thai basil in this dish. 10/10!
Thank you!
I recently discovered Thai basil and I’m hooked! My hubby and I drooled our way through this recipe, so flavorful and delish. And I couldn’t agree with you more, don’t skip the Oyster sauce!
It’s a great herb and so many ways to use it. Thanks, Kathleen.
I could always use a recipe for a good meal that can be cooked up on a weeknight. Thanks! And I have an Asian grocery nearby that always has Thai basil!
This is one of our favorite weeknight meals too. Thank you!
Loved the combination of flavors in this. Looking forward to making it again!
Thanks John!
Easily one of the best recipes on Pinterest. I have made hundreds of things I have found on Pinterest over the years and this is my absolute favorite. I make this at lest 3 times a month. It is GREAT for using up the leftovers veggies in the crisper as it adapts well to substitutes. THANK YOU for developing and sharing this recipe!
Thank you so much, Patricia! We love this recipe too and it’s definitely one I make regularly.
This was amazing! The flavor was great! I didn’t t have bok choy or lo mein noodles so I used spinach and linguine. Definitely a go to meal that’s very easy to prepare.
Thanks, Patrick! I actually just make this last week and used soba noodles and shrimp! I’m so happy that you enjoyed it and stopped by to let me know.
Looks so amazing. Thank you for the awesome recipe.
Thank you, Thomas! I just made this again the other night!
OMG ! We love Thai basil. I’m always on the look out for new recipes to use it in. This is one of the best weve ever had! I did double the sauce as my husband likes extra.
Thank you Karen! I really fell in love with it too and am always looking for new ways to use it too!
Had to come back and tell you how delicious this was for our dinner last night! My husband LOVEd it and I loved how easy it was to make as well as how much flavor it had1.
Thank you, Michele! I love recipes with those Asian flavors like your new Thai Shrimp soup. John said that looked really good. I said yep that’s Michele’s recipe.
This sounds so up my alley! I can’t wait to try making this!
Thank you, Madi!
Basil is my favorite of ALL the herbs!! I have never cooked with Thai Basil, but I can tell you I am putting that to an end!! This looks absolutely scrumptious!
Thank you! Michaela if you haven’t been to the Asian store on 76th and Dodge you’ve got to go. It is so fun and you can get some Thai Basil and a ton of other stuff we don’t normally see in our grocery stores.
Brooks loves Asian food and always wants to go for Pad Thai! He loves the peanuts in it. I try to make Asian meals at home but they are never as good. I am scared to try oyster sauce and fish sauce but this recipe is a must try!
Thank you Jen! I was like you with oyster sauce, fish sauce and anchovy paste but I promise it just adds a depth of flavor and doesn’t taste fishy at all. Be brave and cook on my friend!
I’m drooling over all that flavor in one bowl. The chicken looks fabulous with that sear on it. I bet the noodles soak up lots of flavor, too.
Thank you, Christie! It was so good and the perfect slurping dish. Those noodles really do soak up the sauce.
Your pictures are incredible, this meal looks outstanding! I love a great noodle bowl and your sauce sounds delicious! I love reading about your experimenting with herbs too.
Thank you so much, Debra! I think my number one post of all time was your Teriyaki recipe from one of our Freaky Fridays!
This dish looks amazing! I will be making this one soon! Yum!
Thank you so much, Heather! We loved it and hope you will too.
What a great recipe! Exactly my type of lunch. I love to eat from bowls. 🙂
Thank you, Darina! I’m with you and could eat them one any meal of the day!
Delicious Julie…..those are the very same flavors I cook with when I cook Asian inspired meals, you can’t go wrong eh? Love Thai basil too. We grow it in the garden where I volunteer, it makes such a difference from the regular basil doesn’t it? Love those noodles too, what kind are they? That looks like sheer comfort in a bowl. Lovely!