Indulge in gloriously chewy noodles to enjoy on the couch tonight! This easy Chicken Pad Thai is a takeout classic and cure to any long weekday. Serve a comforting and zesty 30-minute meal made in one pot for nights you especially hate dishes!
What is Pad Thai?
Chicken Pad Thai is a popular Thai street food made of chewy flat rice noodles stir-fried with crunchy carrots, scrambled eggs, and juicy chicken in a tangy and savory tamarind Pad Thai sauce! It’s almost always served with bean sprouts, garlic chives, and lime wedges.
It’s surprisingly easy to make at home as a One-Pot Dinner whenever you crave Takeout at Home! So toss the takeout menu and bust out the wok, Dinner is Under 30 Minutes!
🎥 Watch How to Make the Recipe
🥘 Ingredients
- Dried Rice Stick Noodles: I love using medium-sized dried flat rice noodles but you can use thinner dried flat rice noodles if you prefer! Any of them can easily be found at your local Asian market. My go-to brand is Three Ladies. Just soak the noodles in warm water before cooking until they’re soft and flexible—absolutely no resistance!
- Chicken: Boneless chicken skinless thighs are best for stir-fries like this because they cook quickly while staying juicy! If you aren’t craving chicken, swap it out for Beef Pad Thai, Shrimp Pad Thai, or even make it vegetarian with Tofu Pad Thai (including subs to make it vegetarian-friendly)!
- Garlic Chives / Green Onions: Usually, Pad Thai includes garlic chives, which have a subtle (you guessed it) garlicky flavor and look similar to tall blades of grass. You can find it at local Asian markets, but since they’re not always available, green onions is a great sub!
- Tofu: To save time, I like to pick up fried tofu while I’m at the Asian market. It’s already golden and crispy, so all it needs is a quick reheat in the stir-fry! If you can’t find it, firm tofu works too. Just drain it well, cut into cubes, and sear until perfectly golden brown.
- Crushed Peanuts: This classic topping adds crunch and a nutty flavor, but feel free to skip it if you or your guests have allergies.
What is Pad Thai Sauce made of?
Pad Thai sauce is made of fish sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, and tamarind paste for a perfectly balanced salty, sweet, and tangy flavor!
Tamarind is the key ingredient for pad thai giving that signature tangy flavor! Sometimes you can find tamarind puree at local Asian markets or online, but if not, it’s SO easy to make Homemade Tamarind Puree from boiling water and tamarind pulp that’s easily found in Asian markets. You can even make it in bulk, freeze it, and you’ll always be ready to make homemade Pad Thai (or maybe even some crispy Thai Tamarind Chicken Wings)!
See recipe card for quantities.
🔪 How to Make Chicken Pad Thai
Like all stir-fries, this easy Chicken Pad Thai recipe comes together SO quickly! Most of the time is spent prepping rather than cooking and it’s very straightforward. Have your noodles soaked and drained, pad Thai sauce combined, then get ready to stir-fry the chicken, aromatics, eggs, noodles, and sauce!
Step 1: Cook Chicken. Heat a large wok or pan on medium-high heat with a little oil. Sear the sliced chicken thighs for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove & set aside.
Step 2: Cook Vegetable & Noodles. Add the shallots until they turn lightly golden, then add the garlic and cook for a few more seconds. Watch closely to prevent burning!
Add the drained rice noodles to the wok, then pour the Pad Thai sauce over them. Stir until the noodles are evenly coated & cook for a few more minutes until the noodles are soft and have absorbed the sauce. Taste to check if the noodles are tender; if they’re still a bit firm but have absorbed the sauce, add a splash of water. Be careful not to overdo it, too much water can dilute the flavor!
Step 3: Cook Egg. Push the noodles to one side of the wok and add a little more oil to the empty space. Crack the eggs into the wok and let them cook untouched until about halfway set, then scramble them. Once fully cooked, mix them with the noodles.
Step 4: Add Final Ingredients. Toss the chicken back in, along with bean sprouts and green onions, giving everything a final stir to let the vegetables wilt slightly. Turn off the heat and serve the Pad Thai with crushed peanuts (if you’re using them) and lime wedges. Enjoy!
👩🏽🍳 Key Tips
- Noodles Must Be Soft Before Cooking: Dried flat rice noodles are the go-to for Pad Thai, but they need the right prep to avoid ending up mushy on the outside and hard in the middle. Soak your rice noodles in warm water for at least an hour until they’re soft & pliable with no resistance when you bend them!
- Have Everything Ready Before You Start: Just like with any stir-fry, this vegetable Pad Thai cooks super fast, so make sure all your ingredients are prepped and within easy reach before you turn on the stove. Scrambling for ingredients while cooking could leave you with a sad burnt dinner.
- Cook on High Heat with Plenty of Space: Use a large wok or skillet—the biggest you have—and stir-fry over high heat! To get that signature “wok hei” (smoky flavor) you love from takeout, you need to create a char that’s only possible with high heat in a large cooking space. Overcrowding the pan will cause your ingredients to steam and turn soggy instead of char.
- Work in Small Batches: Avoiding overcrowding is key! Cooking in small batches sears your ingredients and prevents the noodles from becoming mushy from steaming.
🥗 What to Serve with this Chicken Pad Thai Recipe
- Is there really such a thing as too much noodles?? Do Thai takeout right with charred Chicken Pad See Ew and spicy Drunken Noodles!
- Get more protein in with this SUPER easy Thai Basil Chicken that’s sweet, salty, and hypnotizingly fragrant from fresh basil.
- My Mango Sticky Rice is a must! Chewy rice with ripe juicy mangos and a sweet and salty coconut sauce drizzled on top. This is a beginner-friendly version with no steamer needed! If you got extra mangos, throw together a quick spicy Thai Green Mango Salad!
- Did you really get Thai takeout if you didn’t have a refreshing Iced Thai Tea to slurp with your chicken pad Thai??
Let’s get cooking!
Get into my secret stash of Goody-Packed Newsletters with meals planned for you & time-saving tips! Want step-by-step videos of how to make my recipes too? I gotchu over at my youtube channel. Aight, enough chatting, more eating!
Easy Chicken Pad Thai Recipe
Watch How to Make It!
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 ounces medium-sized dried rice stick noodles
- 6 ounces boneless skinless chicken thigh sliced thinly
- 2 shallots minced
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 carrot julienned
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 3 green onions green part only cut into 2-inch slices
- 1 tablespoon peanuts roughly chopped
- 1 lime cut into wedges
PAD THAI SAUCE:
- 2 tablespoons tamarind paste/puree
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons oyster sauce
GARNISHES:
- Crushed peanuts
- Bean sprouts
- Green onions
Instructions
- Soak dry noodles for at least 1 hour in warm water then rinse under cold water. Drain then set aside.
- In a small bowl, make the pad thai sauce by combining tamarind paste, fish sauce, brown, sugar, & oyster sauce. Set aside.
- Heat a large wok or pan on medium-high heat, then add about 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the chicken & cook for 2-3 minutes, or until they’re cooked through. Remove & set aside.
- To the same wok, add a little more oil if needed then add in shallots. Cook for about 1 minute, or until they become golden, then toss in garlic and saute for a couple more seconds, or until soft & fragrant.
- Add carrots and cook until it’s tender but still crunchy. Toss in noodles, pour sauce on top, and gently stir until the noodles have absorbed the sauce. Taste the noodles to make sure they’re tender. If not, a little more water a tablespoon at a time & continue to cook until the noodles are soft and tender. Be careful not to add too much water so the flavor of the noodles don’t water down.
- Push ingredients to the side of the wok, pour about a tablespoon of oil to the empty side of the wok and crack 2 eggs. Let it cook for about 1 minute or until the whites begin to set, then scramble them. Allow them to finish cooking through, then mix them with the rest of the ingredients.
- Toss the protein back in along with any of its juices, the bean sprout, and green onions. Give it a final few tosses to combine well. Serve with lime wedges and chopped peanuts on the side.Enjoy!
Notes
- Dried Flat Rice Noodles: You can find medium-sized (what I use) or small dried flat rice noodles at local Asian markets – Three Ladies is my fave brand! Soak them in warm water for an hour, or until they’re soft and flexible – no resistance!
- Tamarind Puree: This gives the signature tangy pad Thai flavor – don’t skip it! You can find it sometimes at local Asian markets but it’s super easy to make Homemade Tamarind Paste from blocks of tamarind pulp that’s easily found at local Asian markets or online! You can make it in bulk and freeze so you’ll always be ready for Pad Thai!
- Protein: Feel free to swap out the chicken for shrimp, beef, or fried tofu.
- Step-by-Step Photos & Key Tips are in the blog post above! Along with storage & reheating details.
Nutrition
Exact calculations may vary. For the most accurate nutritional information, use your preferred nutrition calculator, actual ingredients, and quantities used for the recipe. Please consult with your physician or registered dietitian if more precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
