Chicken Pad Thai Stir Fry (Printable)
Tender chicken, rice noodles, and tangy-sweet tamarind sauce create this vibrant Thai stir-fry with peanuts and fresh herbs.
# What You'll Need:
→ Proteins
01 - 14 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, thinly sliced
02 - 2 large eggs
→ Noodles & Sauce
03 - 9 oz dried flat rice noodles (about ¼ inch wide)
04 - 3 tbsp fish sauce
05 - 2 tbsp tamarind paste
06 - 2 tbsp palm sugar or light brown sugar
07 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
08 - 3 tbsp vegetable oil (divided)
09 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
10 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
11 - 3.5 oz bean sprouts
12 - 2 spring onions, sliced (green and white parts separated)
13 - 1 small carrot, julienned (optional)
→ Garnishes
14 - 2 oz roasted unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped
15 - 1 lime, cut into wedges
16 - Fresh cilantro leaves
17 - Chili flakes (optional)
# How To Make It:
01 - Soak the rice noodles in warm water for 20–30 minutes until pliable but not fully soft. Drain and set aside.
02 - In a small bowl, mix fish sauce, tamarind paste, sugar, and soy sauce. Stir until sugar dissolves completely.
03 - Heat 1½ tbsp oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until just cooked through. Remove and set aside.
04 - Add remaining oil to the wok. Add garlic and shallot, sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Push aromatics to the side, crack in eggs, and scramble until just set.
06 - Add drained noodles and sauce. Toss to coat noodles evenly.
07 - Return chicken to the wok. Add bean sprouts, spring onion whites, and carrot. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until noodles are tender and everything is heated through.
08 - Remove from heat. Garnish with peanuts, spring onion greens, cilantro, lime wedges, and chili flakes as desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The tamarind sauce hits that perfect balance between tangy and sweet that restaurant pad thai is famous for
- Everything happens in one pan, making weeknight Thai food completely achievable
- You can customize the toppings and heat level to make everyone at the table happy
02 -
- Over-soaking noodles is the most common mistake, they turn into mush when they hit the wok
- Have all ingredients prepped before you start cooking, stir-frying goes incredibly fast
- The sauce should taste slightly too sweet and tangy on its own, it balances when tossed with noodles
03 -
- Cold leftover rice noodles can be revived by briefly dipping them in hot water before adding to the wok
- Dried shrimp or preserved radish add authentic depth if you want to level up
- Chopped salted radish is traditional but completely optional for home cooks