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This Chicken Pad Thai recipe will easily compete with any Thai takeout! It’s made with tender, juicy strips of chicken, veggies, and noodles coated in a savory umami sauce with just a hint of heat. Ready in just 30 minutes!
I love Thai food. It’s so fresh and flavorful! Every time we go to the local Thai restaurant, I struggle to choose between Thai drunken noodles and chicken pad Thai. I had already started making my drunken noodles at home so I figured it was time to start experimenting with a pad Thai recipe too. This chicken pad Thai rivals our local restaurant in flavor but is made with a lot less grease. I was surprised by how easy it is to make. If you’re looking for an introduction to cooking Thai dishes at home, this is a great place to start!
Featured Comment
Have enjoyed this recipe very much, thanks for sharing
Why This Is The Best Chicken Pad Thai Recipe
There are so many things to love about this recipe. Here are a few of my favorites.
- Ready in 30 minutes. I can whip this chicken pad Thai up and have it on the table in the time it would take my family to drive to the local Thai restaurant. It’s perfect for busy weeknights and those nights I just don’t feel like spending all night in the kitchen.
- Easy-to-find ingredients. One reason I hear of why people don’t try cooking Asian cuisine at home is that they’re worried they won’t be able to find the ingredients. So when developing this recipe, I made sure to stick with ingredients that are accessible and easy to find, like ketchup instead of tamarind, while still maintaining the authentic flavor.
- The perfect flavor. Some pad Thai recipes keep the sauce a little too simple, basically just adding something sour + soy sauce. Others are just waaay too fishy for me. While authentic pad Thai does have some fishy flavor, it also has a lot more depth than just lime juice and soy sauce. I think I found the perfect balance in this recipe!
What You’ll Need
Everything used in this recipe is pretty easy to find at most grocery stores. Just look in the Asian or International section. If you have a local Asian grocery store, many items can be found there for cheaper as well. Scroll down to the recipe card below for exact measurements.
For the Pad Thai:
- Wide rice noodles – These can be found at pretty much any grocery store these days. They’re often in the Asian or International section.
- Chicken – I like to use chicken breasts but boneless, skinless chicken thighs work too. They should be thinly sliced.
- Vegetable oil – Or any other neutral oil, for cooking the chicken.
- Salt & pepper
- Veggies – Red bell pepper, carrot, bean sprouts (fresh or canned), and green onions.
- Eggs – Lightly beaten.
- Cilantro – A common garnish, feel free to skip it if you hate cilantro.
- Peanuts – Make sure they’re roasted! Roughly chopped into smaller pieces.
For the Sauce:
- Ketchup – While tamarind is used in authentic pad Thai dishes, it’s a bit difficult to find sometimes. I’ve been able to achieve a similar flavor with ketchup.
- Fish sauce – A key ingredient in achieving the authentic flavor! Don’t worry, though – we’re only using 2 tablespoons so this pad Thai does not have an overly fishy flavor or taste.
- Sugar – Helps to balance out the other flavors.
- Garlic
- Peanut butter – Any creamy peanut butter works. I find that natural peanut butter tends to leave a gritty texture and prefer regular peanut butter.
- Lime juice – Adds some tangy acidity to the sauce.
- Gochujang – Gochujang is a red chili paste that’s available at my grocery stores. It has a unique sweet, spicy, and fermented flavor that adds depth to the sauce.
- Soy sauce – For the classic umami flavor. I recommend low sodium.
- Garnishes – I like to serve my chicken pad Thai with additional chopped cilantro, more roasted peanuts, and lime wedges.
Add-In Ideas
One of the things I love about pad Thai is that it’s so easy to customize. Here are a few add-in ideas for this recipe.
- Shrimp
- Cubed tofu
- Mushrooms
- Shredded cabbage
How To Make Chicken Pad Thai
This pad Thai with chicken comes together in just 30 minutes from start to finish. The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Cook the noodles. Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
- Cook the chicken. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Cook in oil over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes, until fully cooked, stirring frequently.
- Cook the veggies and eggs. Sauté the bell pepper and carrot in oil until slightly softened. Push to the side, add the beaten eggs, and scramble the eggs. Stir the veggies and eggs together.
- Combine. Add the cooked chicken, noodles, bean sprouts, and green onions to the skillet. Stir to combine.
- Add the sauce. Whisk the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour over the noodles and toss to coat. Cook for 2-3 minutes until everything is heated through.
- Enjoy. Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in the cilantro and peanuts. Serve immediately with any desired garnishes.
Recipe Variations
As I noted above, there are lots of ways to customize this chicken pad Thai recipe. Here are a few ideas.
- Make it vegetarian. For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with tofu or more vegetables like broccoli or snap peas. Swap fish sauce for additional soy sauce.
- Make it vegan. In addition to the above swaps, skip the egg to turn this into a vegan pad Thai.
- Adjust the heat level. For a milder dish, use less gochujang. For extra heat, add chili flakes or thinly sliced fresh chili peppers.
- Adjust the flavor. If you prefer tangy flavors, add a splash more lime juice. For a richer and nuttier taste, increase the peanut butter slightly. Adjust it to suit your taste.
Serving Suggestions
I like to top each plate of pad Thai with additional cilantro, peanuts, and lime wedges or slices. Squeezing a small amount of fresh lime over the plate just before serving really makes the flavors pop!
With veggies, chicken, and pasta, this makes a complete dinner on its own. Fresh spring rolls would make a great appetizer!
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. Use the microwave or reheat on the stovetop over medium heat with a splash of oil or water to keep the noodles from sticking.
More Asian Recipes To Try
Chicken Pad Thai
This Chicken Pad Thai recipe will easily compete with any Thai takeout! It's made with tender, juicy strips of chicken, veggies, and noodles coated in a savory umami sauce with just a hint of heat. Ready in just 30 minutes!
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
For the Pad Thai:
- 8 ounce wide rice noodles
- 2 chicken breasts thinly sliced (about 1 lb)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or another neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup shredded carrot
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 2 cups fresh or canned bean sprouts
- 4 green onions sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts roughly chopped
For the Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- Juice of 1 lime about 2 tbsp
- 1 tablespoon gochujang
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
For Garnish:
- Additional chopped cilantro
- Roasted peanuts roughly chopped
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken slices, seasoning with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Stir frequently and cook until fully cooked, about 5-6 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the same skillet. Sauté the red bell pepper and shredded carrot for about 2 minutes until slightly softened. Push the vegetables to the side, then pour in the beaten eggs. Scramble the eggs until fully cooked, then stir them together with the vegetables.
- Return the cooked chicken to the skillet, followed by the noodles, bean sprouts, and sliced green onions. Toss everything together to combine.
- In a small bowl, whisk together ketchup, fish sauce, sugar, minced garlic, peanut butter, lime juice, gochujang, and soy sauce until smooth.
- Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss thoroughly to coat all the ingredients. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until everything is heated through and the sauce is evenly distributed.
- Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the chopped cilantro and peanuts. Mix well to combine.
- Serve immediately, garnished with additional cilantro, roasted peanuts, and lime wedges on the side. Enjoy!
Last Step:
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Nutrition
Calories: 432kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 154mg | Sodium: 2141mg | Potassium: 878mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 4023IU | Vitamin C: 52mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 2mg
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2 comments on “Chicken Pad Thai”
Have enjoyed this recipe very much, thanks for sharing
Thanks Dan!