Craving a takeout dinner but low-key too lazy to drive allll the way out to your fave Thai spot and high-key too hungry to wait for delivery? This super easy Chicken Pad See Ew recipe is the beginner’s guide to creating those perfectly seasoned and smoky restaurant-quality noodles in under 20 minutes! Your hungry future self is already thanking you.
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🥘 Pad See Ew Ingredients
Noodles for Pad See Ew
Fresh Rice Noodles: Thai Pad See Ew is traditionally made with wide, fresh rice noodles known as sen yai, which you can find at your local Asian market. If you prefer extra-wide noodles, you can buy fresh rice sheets and cut them to your desired width!
Dried Rice Noodles: Since fresh noodles aren’t always available, this Chicken Pad See Ew recipe uses wide dried rice noodles (Three Ladies is my go-to brand). They have a long shelf life, making them perfect for last-minute meals, and they’re less likely to break during cooking—perfect for beginners! Just soak them before cooking to get them soft and pliable.
Pad See Ew Sauce Ingredients
- Dark Soy Sauce: Ever wondered why restaurant noodles have that rich, dark color while yours look pale? The secret is dark soy sauce, which you can find at local Asian markets. It's mainly used for its deep color rather than flavor, unlike regular or light soy sauce.
- Regular Soy Sauce: This one’s your go-to for adding extra saltiness and that savory umami punch to your chicken pad see ew!
- Fish Sauce: Fish sauce is even saltier than soy sauce and adds a deeper flavor. My favorite brand is Squid—just three simple ingredients, no mystery stuff!
- Oyster Sauce: A must-have in every Asian pantry, it’s the backbone of the seasoning sauce with the perfect mix of sweet, salty, and umami.
Remaining Ingredients
- Chicken: Thinly sliced chicken thighs are where it's at! They stay juicy and tender even when cooking on high heat for stir-fries. The easiest way to cut meat thinly is to slice it while it’s still partially frozen! You can also swap out the chicken for Beef Pad See Ew, Shrimp Pad See Ew for seafood lovers, or keep it vegetarian with Tofu Pad See Ew.
- Chinese Broccoli: Pad see ew usually has Chinese broccoli, also known as Gai Lan. If you can’t find it at your local Asian market, broccolini is a great alternative!
See recipe card for quantities.
🎥 Watch How to Make the Recipe
🔪 How to Make Chicken Pad See Ew
Like all stir-fries, this Chicken Pad See Ew recipe comes together super fast, so be sure to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go. Roll up your sleeves, let’s get cooking!
Step 1: Soak the dried rice noodles according to the package instructions until they’re soft and pliable with no resistance. Drain and set aside. If you’re using fresh noodles, check the “Key Tips” section below for prep instructions.
Step 2: Marinate & Sear Chicken. Marinate the beef while prepping your other ingredients. Then heat some oil in a hot wok, shake off any extra marinade from the chicken, and sear it for 1-2 minutes until it’s charred and cooked through. Set the chicken aside and add a little more oil to the wok if needed.
Step 3: Cook vegetables & egg. Cook the veggies and egg. Start by sautéing the garlic for a few seconds. Then add the gai lan stems and cook until they start to soften but still have some crunch. Throw in the leaves and cook until they’re just wilted.
Push everything to one side of the wok, add more oil if you need to, and then crack in the egg. Let it cook until it’s halfway set, then scramble it up and mix it with the veggies. Set it all aside and add more oil if needed.
Step 4: Add noodles and pour sauce on top. Add the noodles and pour the sauce on top. Flip the noodles gently, just enough to coat them with the sauce. Let them cook undisturbed for about 30 seconds to a minute to get that caramelized, smoky flavor.
Flip them again and let them char for another 1-2 minutes until they’ve absorbed the sauce and have a nice char. Toss in the meat, veggies, and egg, give it all a final mix, and enjoy!
👩🏽🍳 Key Tips for Pad See Ew with Chicken
- If Using Fresh Noodles: Double the amount since this recipe calls for dried noodles, which expand when soaked. Bring the fresh noodles to room temperature (you can microwave them for a few seconds if needed) and gently separate them so they cook evenly and don’t break. If you’re into extra-wide noodles, buy fresh rice noodle sheets and cut them to your favorite width!
- Thinly Slice Chinese Broccoli: Cut the stems at a 45-degree angle to create long, thin strips that cook quickly. Thick pieces take longer to cook.
- Easily Cut Chicken Thinly: Cut chicken thinly so it cooks quickly! The easiest way to cut meat thinly is to slice the chicken while it’s still partially frozen.
- Cook in Small Batches: To get that iconic charred flavor, aka wok hei, don’t overcrowd the wok! Too many ingredients will create steam instead of giving you that delicious smoky flavor. This is also why the noodles are cooked separately from the toppings! Less ingredients in wok = easier to char!
- Prevent Noodle Breakage: Make sure the noodles are separated and flexible before adding them to the wok. Handle them gently and don’t move them too much to allow caramelization and avoid breaking—especially with fresh noodles! Once they’re caramelized on one side, flip them instead of stirring.
💭 Recipe FAQs
Let your chicken pad see ew cool to room temperature before storing it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To reheat, microwave until it's warmed through.
Both are popular Thai noodle dishes, but their flavors and ingredients are completely different.
Pad See Ew is typically made with wide rice noodles stir-fried with Chinese broccoli and a protein, all coated in a sweet-savory soy-based sauce. Pad Thai, on the other hand, uses thinner rice noodles, stir-fried with a protein, and tossed in a tangy tamarind-based sauce. It’s usually served with peanuts, bean sprouts, and lime.
Pad See Ew is a popular Thai street food made with chewy wide rice noodles stir-fried with Chinese broccoli, egg, and typically a protein. It’s seasoned with a slightly sweet soy sauce mixture, and what really sets it apart is the iconic wok hei—a smoky, charred flavor that comes from cooking in a hot wok!
Pad See Ew and Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao) are both delicious Thai stir-fry dishes, but the key differences come down to flavor and ingredients. Both are savory wide stir-fried noodles, but Pad See Ew is milder and slightly sweet, versus Drunken Noodles which are spicier and more aromatic from the fresh herbs and chilies.
🥗 More Easy Thai Recipes You’ll Love!
This Chicken Pad See Ew is an easy One-Pot Dinner that can be enjoyed on its own! If you want to go full Thai Takeout at Home, here are more easy recipes to serve it with!
Let's Get Cooking!
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Chicken Pad See Ew
Watch How to Make It!
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 ounces dried wide rice noodles*
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 ½ cups Chinese broccoli/gailan sliced at 45 degree angle* with stems & leaves separated
- 1 egg
CHICKEN MARINADE:
- 4 ounces boneless skinless chicken cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon neutral oil
SAUCE:
- 1 ½ tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoon sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
Instructions
- Soak dried rice noodles in warm water for 1 hour or until flexible without any resistance. Rinse under cold water, drain, & set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, mix together the chicken with the marinade ingredients - soy sauce, cornstarch, and oil. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix together sauce ingredients - oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and white pepper. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a wok on high heat. Sear chicken, shaking off any excess marinade before placing in the pan and being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook until meat for about 1-2 minutes, or until it’s golden brown & cooked through. Remove & set aside.
- Add a little more oil to the wok and saute garlic for a few seconds, or until soft and fragrant. Add in the Chinese broccoli / gailan stems and cook for a few seconds, or until the stems are tender but still crunchy. Toss in Chinese broccoli leaves and saute for a few seconds, or until they’ve wilted.
- Push ingredients to the side, add a little more oil to the empty side of the wok, & crack an egg. Allow egg to cook until about halfway set, then scramble the egg. Once the egg is fully cooked, combine with the rest of the ingredients. Remove & set aside with meat.
- Heat wok to high heat, add a little more oil, then toss in rice noodles & pour the sauce on top. Gently toss until noodles are well coated in the sauce. Let the noodles cook for 30 seconds without moving them so they caramelize and create the signature char flavor. Flip the noodles and let them caramelize for another 30 seconds.
- Quickly add meat, vegetables, & eggs back in, then toss together until well combined. Remove then enjoy immediately!
Notes
- Dark / Regular Soy Sauce: Regular soy sauce adds saltiness, easily found in grocery stores. Dark soy sauce gives rich color, available at Asian markets. Using dark soy sauce is highly recommended for dark rich color. Rice
- Noodles: This chicken pad see ew recipe uses wide dried rice noodles, but you can also use fresh rice noodles found at Asian markets. If using fresh rice noodles, double the noodle weight in the recipe and check the "Key Tips" section in the blog post above on how to prep them!
- Gai Lan / Chinese Broccoli: You can find it at local Asian markets, otherwise, you can swap it for broccolini. Cut thick stems thinly at a 45-degree diagonal for quick cooking. Leaves shrink when cooked.
- Getting the Char: Cook Pad See Ew in a wok in small batches that iconic smokey charred flavor. Overcrowding creates steam instead of char.
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.
HEY, I'M MIKHA!
...A fellow food lover who believes anyone can whip up a delicious meal - no matter your skill level! These quick & easy Asian recipes will help you transform simple ingredients into a drool-worthy meal for you & the people you love most - without spending all day in the kitchen.
Now come on - Grab a seat & let's eat!
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