Last week I shared my easy chicken tikka masala, which is a favorite around here for some international flavors. We also love my quick chicken curry, easy chicken lo mein and 15-minute honey garlic chicken. And this cashew chicken and chicken chow mein, both of which are ready in just 20 minutes. Oh, and so is moo shu chicken. Seriously easy chicken dinners but with amazing flavor. We’re keeping that going today. Chicken pad Thai has long been one of my favorite Thai dishes, as I suspect it is for many people. We have an amazing Thai restaurant in town that I went to growing up and now have visited with friends since moving back to Charlotte as an adult. I peruse the menu as if I might order something else, but I just never do. Their pad Thai is incredible and it just sorta pulls me in each time. And I don’t mind at all. But I also love recreating restaurant dishes at home, where I can control the ingredients and sometimes make it a bit healthier. This easy chicken pad Thai delivers ALL the flavor of my favorite restaurant version, but is so quick and easy to make at home. You will be happily adding pad Thai to your dinner plans all the time! Pad Thai with those tender, slippery rice noodles, sprinkling of chicken pieces and eggs, bean sprouts and a few other veggies and the crushed peanuts over top, well, it’s just about the most yummy combination you can imagine. And this delicious sweet and sour sauce is the perfect thing to coat all the veggies and noodles and tie this dish together. The flavor here is spot on and it’s just enough to bring a punch to each bite. Plus, we’re using familiar, on-hand ingredients. (I’ve even got substitution ideas for you below so you can be sure to make this work for you.) If you’ve long loved eating pad Thai, you simply must give it a try at home. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to make and you’ll be happily going back for forkful after forkful. (You might also want to check out this shrimp pad Thai for a seafood version.) Let me be clear though that this is this is not a traditional or authentic pad Thai. This is not how they make it street-side in Thailand and not how most restaurants will make it. We’re not using tamarind pulp or garlic chives. That’s kinda the bonus for me though - I don’t need to hunt down tamarind pulp or tamarind concentrate to make this dish. I can whip it up anytime with familiar ingredients I keep on hand! So let’s get cooking. Now, I’ve got some notes and substitutions coming up on how to make chicken pad Thai. Just tryin’ to be helpful. If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section. First things first…
Ingredient Notes:
Chicken: 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.) Nuts: 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 this 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.) Veggies: 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.
Or, go the complete other way and add MORE veggies. Want to really healthily this pad Thai recipe? Or are you looking for a low-carb version? Substitute 2 large or 3 medium spiralized zucchini in place of the rice noodles. I’ve made it this way before and it’s so delicious! Just add the zucchini noodles to the pan at the same time you would have added the rice noodles and cook for a few minutes to let them soften. (They will give off some water, which can make the sauce a little more liquid, but it’s always been OK for me.) Also, this is a gluten-free recipe as is, but be sure to check your ingredients and sauces to ensure they are GF if needed. OK, let’s finish this delicious dish off so we can dig in! As always, you know I feel like toppings are key. Here are a few ideas for you.
Topping Ideas:
Chopped dry roasted peanuts Chopped fresh cilantro Sliced green onions Extra soy sauce Sriracha or hot sauce for some heat
I say the more toppings the better, but you pick your favorites. Finally, let’s talk about any leftovers you may have. 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. I usually add an extra few splashes of soy sauce to sorta wake up the sauce part. (Most of the sauce will soak in to the other ingredients as it sits in the fridge.) Add those toppings again and enjoy for lunch or dinner another day. Next time you’re looking for a takeout fakeout dish, or just want to switch up the flavors at home and get a taste of Thailand, give this easy pad Thai recipe a try. Enjoy! XO, Kathryn 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.)
