Easy Chicken Pad Thai
Easy chicken pad Thai is a delicious, simple at-home version of the restaurant favorite that’s ready in just 30 minutes and uses on-hand ingredients.
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the pad Thai:
- 8 oz. rice noodles
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 lb. ground chicken (or chicken breasts, see notes)
- 1 medium red pepper, sliced thin
- 1 cup matchstick carrots
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ cup bean sprouts
For the sauce:
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 1 ½ tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon spicy Asian chili-garlic sauce (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Optional toppings:
- Chopped peanuts, chopped fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, extra soy sauce, sriracha or hot sauce, etc.
Instructions
- Soak the rice noodles according to the package directions for sauté, then drain. (Mine say 20-25 minutes.)
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground chicken and red pepper strips and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up the ground meat, until chicken is nearly cooked through, about 7-8 minutes.
- Add the carrots and garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes, until carrots are softened and chicken is completely cooked.
- Clear a small space in the pan and add the eggs. Stir until the eggs are cooked and scrambled then mix the eggs in with the rest of the chicken and vegetables.
- While the egg is cooking, combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well.
- Add the drained rice noodles, the sauce and the bean sprouts to the pan and stir well. Cook for 3-4 minutes to allow everything to heat through and get well combined and until the rice noodles are al dente.
- Serve immediately with desired toppings.
Notes
The recipe calls for ground chicken, which mixes in really well with the rice noodles and other ingredients. However, you can substitute boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You’ll need about 1 pound and you’ll want to slice and dice it in small pieces. (That helps it cook more quickly but also makes it easier to eat and stretches the chicken out for the entire dish.)
Peanuts are a traditional ingredient in pad Thai and I’m making life easy by using peanut butter in the sauce (and optional chopped peanuts for topping). You could substitute almond butter if you need these to be peanut-free.
The fish sauce adds an extra dimension of flavor, but I get it, you may not have any or want to buy a whole bottle. In that case, just substitute extra soy sauce.
Spicy Asian chili-garlic sauce is one of my favorite condiments to use in Asian dishes and it’s easily found in most grocery stores, in the international aisle. You could also substitute some extra minced garlic and some hot sauce or sriracha or red pepper flakes to approximate these flavors. (As is, the amount used here does not make this a spicy dish.)
Vegetables: I’ve included a red bell pepper and some matchstick carrots in this recipe. It adds great color and crunch. Plus, I just love adding vegetables. You could omit them, however, if you prefer.
You can also add extra veggies by using spiralized zucchini (2 large or 3 medium) in place of the rice noodles.
Leftover Pad Thai will keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. You can reheat it in the microwave or in a small skillet over medium low heat. (It helps to add some extra soy sauce to liven up the flavor again.)
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 427kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 168mg | Sodium: 1409mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g
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