Learn how to make the best homemade Thai Chicken Omelet recipe.
Khai Jiao, also known as Thai Omelet, is a traditional ground chicken omelet typically served with steamed jasmine rice and Thai Sweet Chili Sauce. In Thailand it is sold at street stalls and outdoor markets and is considered a simple yet beloved comfort food.
We’ve traveled extensively through Thailand and eaten at all of the best Thai restaurants in Toronto. We’ve taken Thai cooking classes in Chang Mai and learned expert cooking techniques courtesy of the executive chef at JW Marriott Phuket Resort.
Our authentic Thai Ground Chicken Omelet recipe features flavourful eggs, cilantro, onion, basil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Maggi sauce, fish sauce and oyster sauce. The popular egg dish is celebrated for its unique umami flavour.
Cooking Thai food at home is quick and easy. Our flavourful Chicken Omelet recipe takes under 30 minutes to cook and keeps in the fridge for 2-3 days. You’ll love loitering over these yummy Thai Omelet leftovers!
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What is Khai Jiao?
Khai Jiao is a Thai-style omelet famous for its crispy exterior and light and fluffy pillowy interior.
Often mistaken as a breakfast dish due to the English designation “omelet,” Khai Jiao is typically regarded in Thailand as a rice topper to create a complete lunch or dinner. Thai omelet also can be found at a celebratory Sam Rap, family-style multi-dish feast, to complement a sour dish or take the heat off a hot chili jam.
The most popular variations of the recipe include ground chicken, ground pork, fresh oysters or crab.
The dish is typically served for lunch or dinner with steamed jasmine rice and Thai sweet chili sauce.
Travel to Thailand by Cooking Chicken Omelet at Home
I love traveling through Asia.
My first visit had me living in South Korea for a year as a teacher and it’s where I was first introduced to fermented vegetables like kimchi.
After my contract ended in Seoul I travelled throughout southeast Asia for 6 months, visiting the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Laos.
On my first visit I spent over a month backpacking through Thailand. I’ve revisited Thailand two times since as a food and travel journalist and always love to discover new regional dishes. Over the years I’ve explored Thai destinations such as Ko Phi Phi, Krabi, Chiang Khong, Chang Mai, Sukothai and Bangkok.
What I found most fascinating is Thailand’s distinct regional food cultures. Much like the regional cuisines found in Germany, Italy or Spain, each town in Thailand had its own local speciality.
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My Family Loves Thai Omelet
I developed this recipe after eating my way through Thailand where I had the opportunity to sample several crispy plates of authentic Khai Jiao.
I wanted to cook a traditional Thai Omelet for my family as I knew they loved Thai food and particularly enjoy egg dishes. I knew the Thai Omelet’s crispy texture and impressive fluffy and soft interior would be at hit at dinner.
My parents both raised their eyebrows when I told them I was going to make an omelet for dinner, as we usually eat those for brunch on the weekend. I told them to trust me! I was ever so pleased when they sliced into this Ground Chicken Omelet and saw them both smiling. They practically licked their plates clean!
We had a few small slices of the Thai Omelet leftover which we stored in the fridge and enjoyed the following day for lunch at room temperature. If you’ve got kids at home, leftover Thai Chicken Omelet make for a great packed lunch to enjoy at school the next day.
Where To Eat Thai Omelette
If you live in a large city in Canada or America you’ll likely have access to a local Thai restaurant that serves traditional Ground Chicken Omelet.
Haven’t traveled to Thailand before? It may be helpful to first sample Khai Jiao at a local Thai restaurant to better understand how the dish is served. You can also assess the unique crispy and soft texture, ideal portion to serve and perfect side dishes to accompany the dish before attempting to cook it at home from scratch.
I spent months researching the best Thai restaurants in Toronto, visiting popular restaurants that serve authentic Thai dishes such as Sabai Sabai, Sukothai, Khao San Road, Pai, Kiin, Bangkok Garden, Mengrai Thai and Favorites Thai BBQ. If you’re looking to sample a puffy Thai Omelet in Toronto try visiting one of these award-winning restaurants.
Chicken Omelet Health Benefits
Our easy Chicken Omelet recipe is packed full of healthy ingredients!
Eggs contain two vital nutrients that are not present in many foods: iodine and vitamin D. Eggs are also rich in tissue-building protein and vitamin B12, which helps your body manufacture blood cells.
Chicken is high in protein and provides B vitamins such as niacin, which helps your body access the energy in foods.
A good source of bone-strengthening vitamin K, cilantro is also rich in antioxidants that help protect the eyes from damage by free radicals.
Onions are a humble vegetable packed with vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Regular consumption of onions can help boost digestive health and reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
The eugenol in basil can block calcium channels, which may help to lower blood pressure. The essential oils in the herb can help to lower your cholesterol and triglycerides. Basil also contains magnesium, which can help to improve blood flow by allowing muscles and blood vessels to relax.
Thai Omelet Cooking Tips
This restaurant-style Thai Chicken Omelet recipe is quick and easy to make at home. We’ve included a few tips for first time Khai Jiao recipe makers!
- Use a large wok when deep frying a Thai Omelet as it offers a larger surface area than a simple skillet.
- We’ve used ground chicken in this Thai Omelet recipe but you could substitute ground pork, fresh oysters or crab meat.
- We’ve used yellow cooking onions in this recipe but you could substitute for shallots or the white segments of scallions.
- Thai Omelet cooking technique requires quite a lot of oil, more than you think you would need as you are essentially deep frying the egg mixture. A Thai Omelet is very different from its French cousin. The oil must be smoking hot before adding the egg to the pan as you want it to cook immediately upon impact.
- You want to pour the egg mixture into the very hot oil from a height of approximately one foot. Slowly pouring the mixture from this height into smoking hot oil ensures the Khai Jiao develops multiple layers, a puffy appearance and crispy edges.
- We use tempura batter mix to ensure the omelet has a crispy texture on the outside but you could substitute for cornstarch.
- We serve this Chicken Omelet with Thai Sweet Chili Sauce but if you like heat use Sriracha.
What To Serve with Khai Jiao
Ground Chicken Omelet in Thailand is typically enjoyed with Thai sweet chili dipping sauce and steamed jasmine rice. Enjoyed on on its own, Khai Jiao makes for a flavourful light lunch.
If you’re hosting a large Southeast Asian dinner party, we suggest serving homemade Thai Omelet with Laos Papaya Salad, Thai Beef and Pumpkin Curry, Thai Red Prawn Curry, Pad Kra Pao, Penang Prawn Noodle Soup Hokkien Mee, Seafood Laksa, Singaporean Bak Chor Mee, Vegan Citrus “Rojak” Singapore Salad, Thai Red Curry Prawn Burger, Thai Pork Rib Soup with Vermicelli Noodles, Egg Tofu Soup with Pork Meatballs, Grabong Northern Thai Pumpkin Fritter, Gai Pad Med Mamuang Thai Cashew Chicken, Gaeng Massaman, Nam Tok Authentic Thai “Waterfall Beef” Salad, Thai Green Curry Chicken, Thai Pork & Beef Mince Curry Khua Kling and Chiang Mai Noodles “Khao Soi”.
Thai Omelet keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days so store it in an airtight container.
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How To Make The Best Thai Chicken Omelet Recipe
Khai Jiao Thai Chicken Omelet
Equipment
- Wok
- mixing bowl
- whisk
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups
- Spatula or Wooden Spoon
- French knife
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp Water
- 2 tbsp Tempura Batter Mix
- 8 Eggs
- 4 oz Ground Chicken
- 1/2 cup Cilantro leaves and stems coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup Spanish onion sliced
- 1/2 cup Thai basil leaves
- 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp Maggi Sauce
- 1/2 tsp Fish Sauce
- 2 tbsp Oyster sauce
- 4 cups Canola oil
Instructions
- In a small bowl mix the water and tempura batter mix together.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, ground chicken, cilantro, onion, basil, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, Maggi sauce, fish sauce and oyster sauce. Add the tempura mixture and stir until fully combined.
- In a large wok over high heat, heat canola oil. Once smoke rises from the oil quickly pour in egg mixture and stir in a clockwise motion. Cook for 1 minute, until the omelette is puffy and crispy. Flip and cook for another minute.
- Serve hot with steamed rice and Thai chili sauce.
Nutrition
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