Thai Basil Chicken

Step 1

Place the chicken breast on a cutting board and slice it horizontally in half to create two thinner pieces, like opening a book.

Step 2

Cut each chicken piece crosswise into 0.5-inch-wide strips, moving your knife straight down through the length of the meat.

Step 3

Mince the garlic cloves until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice — about the size of pencil-tip dots.

Step 4

Slice the chili lengthwise from tip to stem into thin strips, removing and discarding the seeds if you prefer less heat.

Step 5

Strip the basil leaves from their stems and discard the stems; set the leaves aside in a small bowl.

Step 6

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan.

Step 7

Add the chicken strips in a single layer and leave them undisturbed for 2 minutes until the bottoms turn white-gold, then stir and cook for another 2 minutes until nearly cooked through.

Step 8

Push the chicken to the edges of the skillet, then add the minced garlic and chili slices to the empty center and stir constantly for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Step 9

Pour in the fish sauce and sprinkle the sugar over the mixture, then stir everything together for 20 seconds until the sugar dissolves.

Step 10

Remove the skillet from heat and add all the basil leaves, stirring gently for 10 seconds until the leaves wilt and the pan stops steaming.

Step 11

Divide the chicken and sauce evenly between two plates or bowls, scraping all the pan drippings onto the plates.