Homemade Chicken Pad Thai

Thai food is so deep in flavor and steeped in tradition.

And this dish is about as classic as they come. Of course, we also love our Shrimp Pad Thai, but we love chicken, too. You may need to make a run to your local Asian market to grab an ingredient, or two, or just order them online. And this dish comes together quickly!

How to Make Chicken Pad Thai

Like most stir-fry dishes, this dish comes together very quickly.

For that reason, it’s very important to have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start to stir-fry.

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The Ingredients You Will Need

Many of the following ingredients can be found in the Asian section of most well-stocked supermarkets. If not, you can find them at an Asian market or online.

Here are the ingredients for chicken Pad Thai:

For the Sauce:
Tamarind sauce (or paste)
Fish sauce
Soy sauce
Brown sugar
Rice vinegar

For the Pad Thai:
Vegetable oil
Onion, chopped
Garlic, minced
Egg
Boneless, skinless chicken breast
Extra-firm tofu
Bean sprouts
Sriracha
Scallions
Chopped roasted peanuts
Lime

Substitutions:

• If you cannot find flat rice noodles, you can use dried rice noodles or even spaghetti as a substitute.
• For a vegetarian or vegan pad Thai, you can substitute the chicken with tofu or vegetables like mushrooms or broccoli.
• If you cannot find fish sauce, you can use soy sauce and oyster sauce as a substitute.
• For the rice vinegar, you can use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar as a substitute.
• If you cannot find bean sprouts, you can use sliced cabbage or shredded carrots instead.

EXPERT TIP: Be sure to push the cooked chicken and onions off to the side of your wok or skillet before adding the eggs. And then once you added the eggs, stir them constantly until they are nicely scrambled, and then incorporate them with the chicken and tofu. This only takes a couple of minutes.

Tips for Perfect Chicken Pad Thai

Use fresh ingredients: The key to making delicious Pad Thai is using fresh and high-quality ingredients. Use fresh vegetables, high-quality chicken, and fresh herbs to enhance the flavor of the dish.

Soak the noodles properly: Soaking the noodles properly is crucial to achieving the perfect texture. Soak the noodles in warm water for at least 30 minutes before cooking to ensure they are soft and pliable.

Don’t overcook the chicken: Overcooking the chicken can make it dry and tough, which can ruin the dish. Cook the chicken just until it is no longer pink and remove it from the heat to avoid overcooking. You can add it back into the dish later to finish cooking.

EXPERT TIP: We can’t express enough the importance of mise en place (everything in place) for this dish. Once you start cooking, it cooks very quickly. You’ll need to have all ingredients prepped and ready to go, including putting together sauce.

How To Serve

Chicken Pad Thai is typically served hot and garnished with chopped peanuts, lime wedges, and extra bean sprouts. If desired, you can also sprinkle on fresh herbs such as cilantro or Thai basil.

You can serve it in a large bowl or on individual plates.

To serve, simply ladle the Pad Thai into bowls or plates and sprinkle with the garnishes. The lime wedges can be squeezed over the dish to add a tangy flavor. It can be served as a main dish for lunch or dinner, and it pairs well with a side of steamed vegetables or a fresh salad. Enjoy it with a cold drink like iced tea or a cold beer to complete the meal.

Other Classic Asian Recipes to Try

Asian cuisine is so delicious and deeply flavorful. Here are some of our favorites that you’ll want to make in your very own kitchen:

Shrimp Pad Thai
Thai Beef with Red Curry
Thai Beef Salad
Thai Green Curry Chicken
Korean Bulgogi Beef Lettuce Wraps
Kung Pao Shrimp
Chicken Pho
Pork Dumplings with Peanut Sauce
Vegetable Stir-Fry
Classic Chicken Fried Rice
Mongolian Beef

These are all so amazing, but aren’t you craving this bowl of deliciousness right now?

This dish is so delicious and simple to prepare.

It easily feeds 2 people with a little leftover. You can double the recipe to feed 4 to 6 hungry folks.

If you don’t have a wok, you can easily prepare the dish in a large skillet. Have fun!

Ready to make the best Thai dish this side of Bangkok? Go for it!

And when you do, be sure to take a photo, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!

Homemade Chicken Pad Thai

This is the ultimate Classic Chicken Pad Thai! So satisfying and real Thai flavor. If you can't find any of the ingredients in your local markets, they can easily be ordered online.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Thai

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 people

Calories: 642kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

Video

Equipment

• ▢
  Wok, or large sturdy skillet/pan

Ingredients

For Sauce

• ▢ 3 tablespoon tamarind paste
• ▢ 3 tablespoon fish sauce
• ▢ 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• ▢ 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• ▢ 3 tablespoon brown sugar

For the Pad Thai

• ▢ 6 oz rice noodles
• ▢ 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ▢ ½ onion
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 6 oz chicken breast cut into strips
• ▢ 6 oz extra-firm tofu cut into bite-sized cubes
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 1 cup bean sprouts divided
• ▢ 5 scallions cut into 1-inch strips
• ▢ ½ cup roasted peanuts roughly chopped, divided
• ▢ 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce more for extra heat
• ▢ 1 lime cut into wedges, for garish

Instructions

• Mix all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
  3 tablespoon tamarind paste, 3 tablespoon fish sauce, 2 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 3 tablespoon brown sugar
• Meanwhile, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Place the rice noodles in the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes, or until very soft, stirring occasionally. Drain and rinse with cool water. Set aside.
  6 oz rice noodles
• Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. Add the onions and stir-fry for 2 minutes, or until just starting to soften. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring often.
  2 tablespoon vegetable oil, ½ onion, 2 cloves garlic
• Add the chicken and tofu and cook until the chicken is just cooked, about 2 to 4 minutes.
  6 oz chicken breast, 6 oz extra-firm tofu
• Push the chicken mixture to one side of the wok and add the eggs to the other side. Use your spatula to constantly stir the eggs until cooked and scrambled. Mix the chicken mixture into the eggs.
  2 large eggs
• Stir in half of the bean sprouts. Add the cooked noodles and stir to incorporate. Cook for about 1 minute.
  1 cup bean sprouts
• Pour in the sauce, half of the peanuts, and the scallions. Stir to incorporate and cook for about 1 to 2 more minutes. Stir in the sriracha sauce.
  5 scallions, ½ cup roasted peanuts, 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce
• Serve immediately with the remaining peanuts and sprouts for garnish, as well as lime wedges.
  1 lime

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

Tamarind sauce (or paste) can be found at your local Asian market or online (see link in the blog post). The fish sauce can be substituted with 2 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon oyster sauce. (no need to add additional soy sauce). 

For added heat, increase the sriracha sauce and add 1 to 3 tablespoon of hot chili oil.

Leftovers will keep for several days, although this dish is definitely best served freshly from the wok. We don't recommend freezing pad Thai. 

Nutrition

Calories: 642kcal | Carbohydrates: 126g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 240mg | Sodium: 1498mg | Potassium: 1370mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 644IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 211mg | Iron: 6mg

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POST UPDATE: This recipe was originally published March 2014, but was updated with improved tweaks to the recipe with new tips and photography and a fabulous new video in May 2023.