Description
Garlic Pepper Chicken is my fav quick weeknight meal when I don’t have much in the fridge, and want some flavor packed Thai food!
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 3 chicken breasts (or around 1lb. of pork or beef), thinly sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
- 1–2 tbsp. oyster sauce
- 1–2 tbsp. light soy sauce
- 1–2 tbsp. fish sauce
- 1 tsp. dark soy suce (optional, for color)
- 1 tbsp. white pepper powder
Crispy Garlic Topping
- 1/4 cup frying oil of choice, we like peanut oil
- 10–15 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
Serve with:
- Cilantro for garnish
- Jasmine Rice
- Sliced Cucumbers
- Crispy Fried Egg
Instructions
Marinate: Mix the 3 thinly sliced chicken breasts, 1-2 tbsp. brown sugar, 1-2 tbsp. light soy sauce, 1-2 tbsp. fish sauce and 1 tsp. dark soy sauce, and 1 tbsp white pepper together with the chicken. Marinate for at least 20 minutes to overnight.
Make Crispy Fried Garlic: Combine oil and garlic in a not warmed wok or frying pan over low heat. Stir off and on 5-7 minutes until garlic starts to turn a light brown color, and the amazing aroma of toasted garlic hits your nose and makes you smile.
Take the pan off the heat immediately because in a split-second it can go from light brown to dark brown and taste bitter instead of amazing. The hot oil in the hot pan will finish toasting it up some if need be.
Use a small strainer to pour the crispy garlic into the strainer, and the now garlic infused oil into a heatproof container. This is gold! Sprinkle on any Thai dishes or any dish that needs some garlicky essence!
Stir-Fry: Add about 2 tablespoons of the garlic infused oil to a wok. Drizzle a few tablespoons onto the marinated meat and mix it before putting to the wok to help them to not stick together while stir-frying. Stir-fry on high heat until it’s cooked through, which should only take a few minutes. Add a few splashes of water if you want it more saucey, and add more sauces to taste if it needs more flavor. Add half of the crispy fried garlic to the stir-fry.
Serve: with jasmine rice, and top each serving with crispy fried garlic and fresh cilantro, cucumbers and a crispy fried egg if you want to eat it Thai-style! If you want some spicy, add Nam Plaa Prik to taste to each serving.
Notes
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Adjust garlic quantity to match your garlic love level: When I asked Thai Hubby his favorite way to eat Garlic and Pepper Chicken he said he’d love it with 6 heads of garlic! So if you love more garlic, go for it!
- To make it authentic, serve Pad Kratiem with a crispy fried egg on the side, that’s how we always order it in Thailand!
- To make it spicy, serve it with my Thai Flavor Bomb Sauce, aka Nam Plaa Prik!
Additions and Substitutions
- Chicken substitute: 1lb. of pork or beef, thinly sliced
- Brown sugar substitute: White sugar
- Oyster sauce substitute: ½ tbsp hoisin sauce, ½ tbsp soy sauce mixed together
- Light soy sauce substitute: Kikoman Soy Sauce
- Fish sauce substitute: 1/2 tbsp soy sauce + 1/2 tbsp vinegar of choice (except balsamic) + a pinch of salt
- Dark soy sauce substitute: Dark soy is mostly for color, so skip it if you don’t have any or use, 1/2 tbsp soy sauce + 1/2 tbsp molasses or brown sugar
- White pepper powder substitute: Black pepper
- Crispy garlic substitute: No time to fry garlic? Pre-made fried garlic works!
- Cilantro substitute: Green onions thinly sliced.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Thai
- Method: Stir-Fry
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2-3