Last Updated on 15 September 2024 by cooksimply
When I went travelling in Thailand for several months, one of the staple dishes I practically ate on a daily basis was chicken pad Thai. What’s not to love about Thailand’s signature noodle dish? White flat noodles coated in a spicy, tangy sauce topped with crunchy peanuts – it’s healthy, filling and comforting. Is it any wonder that I wanted to eat this every day? And you can make this pad Thai recipe at home.
What’s in this pad Thai recipe
There are many different variations of pad Thai dishes, but this recipe is an authentic chicken pad Thai which I think comes close to all the tasty ones I tried during my travels in Thailand. The tangy taste that you can find is tamarind paste which is widely used in Thai and Asian cooking. You will be able to find tamarind in all good Asian supermarkets.
And to make a pad Thai sauce tamarind is added to soy, brown sugar, and fish sauce. I also add a touch of peanut butter and for an added kick, some sriracha sauce. I know these additions aren’t traditional but having tried a few variations of this recipe over the years, I really do think they add another depth of flavour. Trust me. Then add garlic, beaten eggs, beansprouts, spring onions and noodles. Before serving, squeeze some lime juice over the noodles and then sprinkle with chopped peanuts.
This chicken pad Thai recipe is really simple to make – all you need is to prepare the ingredients and then throw it all into the wok. Simple and tasty.
What are the best noodles to use
I’ve had many people asking me what the best pad Thai noodles or rice stick noodles to use. They do come in varying quality – the ones in supermarkets tend not to be great and can break easily. I’ve used many brands over the years – and the rice sticks in the Asian supermarkets are pretty good, including these.
Other Thai recipes that I love include this easy beef massaman curry which can cook for hours in a slow cooker and this delicious vegetarian pad see ew.
How to make chicken pad Thai
The hardest part of this recipe is preparing the ingredients and making the pad Thai sauce. Cook the rice stick noodles by soaking them in boiling water. Rinse and then put to one side. Slice the chicken, chop some spring onions and beat the eggs.
To make the pad Thai sauce, combine the tamarind, soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, peanut butter and sriracha sauce. Then heat the vegetable oil in a large pan or wok, and saute the chicken until it begins to brown. Once the chicken is done, put it to one side, and then fry the garlic, spring onions, and beansprouts and cook for a few minutes, before adding the egg and scrambling them. Lastly, add the sauce and the noodles and combine well. It’s really that easy.
Can you add other ingredients to this pad Thai recipe?
Yes, absolutely. Substitute the chicken for tofu or for prawns, but both of these ingredients won’t need as long to cook. I would recommend using firm tofu and stir-frying for 2 minutes and raw king prawns and also cooking these for 1 minute before adding the rest of the ingredients. Remember, the prawns will continue to cook when you’re combing the veggies, eggs and noodles.
Can you keep any leftovers?
Why do leftover noodles taste even better the next day? Perhaps it’s because the flavours have longer to infuse. If you have any pad Thai left, then put it in a suitable container and keep it in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in the microwave on a high heat for 3-4 minutes.
Easy chicken pad Thai recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 250 g packet of Thai rice noodles
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 50 g of brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons of fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 tablespoon of smooth peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons tamarind paste
- 2 tablespoons of Sriracha sauce optional
- ¼ ground black pepper
- 2 chicken breasts thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves pressed
- 150 g of bean sprouts
- 2 spring onions thinly sliced
- 2 eggs beaten
- A handful of peanuts roughly chopped
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Cook the rice noodles according to package directions. I usually get a large bowl, pour over boiling water and cover with a tea towel for 5 minutes. Drain, and toss with 1 tablespoon of oil. Set aside.
- In a bowl, mix the brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, tamarind paste, peanut butter, Sriracha sauce if using, and ground black pepper together. Set aside.
- In a large wok or deep frying pan, heat the remaining oil over a high heat, and stir fry the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes until the chicken starts to colour. Turn off the heat, and spoon the chicken onto a place and put to one side.
- Turn the heat back to high, and stir fry the garlic, bean sprouts, and spring onions for a couple of minutes.
- Next, add the beaten egg, and stir quickly until the egg begins to scramble.
- Then add the chicken, the sauce and stir to combine. Then add the noodles and combine well to coat in the sauce.
- Sprinkle peanuts on top before serving and a squeeze of lime juice, as well as a sprinkle of some fresh coriander. Enjoy.
Nutrition
Did you follow this recipe for chicken pad Thai?
If you made this pad Thai recipe, please leave me some star ratings and a comment below or tag @cooksimplyathome on Instagram. You can find other easy meal ideas here.
Lovely easy pad thai! I cant see the step to add the lime juice though? And a 1/4 what of ground pepper is to be added? Apologies if its obvious 😃
Hello, so glad you enjoyed. The pepper with the sauce ingredients and the lime juice just before serving.