Home › Recipe Index › Entrees › Asian

Chicken Pad Thai

🍜🥕🙌🏻 EASY Chicken Pad Thai is ready in 20 minutes, and BETTER than takeout! Tender rice noodles, juicy chicken, with crisp-tender carrots, cabbage, and more for an IRRESISTIBLE and AUTHENTIC chicken pad Thai!

What Is Pad Thai?
Recipe Ingredients
How to Make Chicken Pad Thai
Tips for Making This Recipe
FAQs
Recipe Variations to Try
What to Serve With Pad Thai
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Video Tutorial
Chicken Pad Thai Recipe Recipe
More Chicken Stir-Fry Recipes:

My Thai recip es are some of my most popular recipes on my site, and I knew it was time for an authentic-tasting chicken pad Thai recipe that’s easy, ready quicker than you can call for takeout, and leaves you going back for more.

This homemade pad Thai recipe feeds a crowd , so invite your friends over or get ready to enjoy delectable leftovers.

All my boys loved this!! Great recipe, fantastic flavor, excellent dish. Joy

What Is Pad Thai?

Pad Thai is a popular street food dish that’s served all over Thailand. It typically features rice noodles, bean sprouts, peanuts, scrambled egg, and a source of protein (I’ve heard that shrimp is most common in Thailand).

The ingredients are stir-fried in a wok in a delicious sauce made from soy sauce, fish sauce, and lime.

The resulting explosion of tastes and textures is what makes this dish so delicious! The rice noodles remain chewy, while the veggies add a slight crunch.

Note that the recipe I’m sharing in this post is NOT authentic pad Thai. It’s simply a home cook’s version of pad Thai using ingredients I can easily find at my local supermarket.

Chicken Pad Thai in a pot topped with scallions. - 5

Chicken Pad Thai in a pot topped with scallions. - 6

Recipe Ingredients

To make this easy chicken pad Thai recipe, you’ll need:

Flat rice noodles (sometimes called pad Thai noodles or ban pho noodles)
Coconut oil
Onion
Chicken breasts
Garlic
Ground ginger
Green cabbage (an 8-ounce bag of chopped cabbage is a time-saver)
Shredded carrots (use pre-shredded to save time)
Low-sodium soy sauce
Fish sauce
Lime juice
Honey
Green onions
Peanuts

Note : Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.

How to Make Chicken Pad Thai

Homemade chicken pad Thai comes together quickly and easily. Here’s an overview of how the recipe is made:

Boil one pound of flat rice noodles . Because they’re made from rice and don’t have gluten, they cook very quickly, in about 5 minutes, so make sure not to overcook them or you’ll have mush.
Drain and rinse the noodles under cold water, and set them aside.
In a very large skillet, cook together diced onions and sliced chicken with sesame oil, coconut oil, garlic, and ginger.
Add the green cabbage, shredded carrots, fish sauce , soy sauce, lime juice, a touch of honey or agave syrup, and optional sriracha sauce.
Stir in the noodles, a scrambled egg, top with green onions, peanuts, and get ready to dig in.

Tips for Making This Recipe

One 12-ounce bag of coleslaw mix would do double-duty for the cabbage and carrots. This likely will also have red cabbage, and slightly less carrots, but in terms of taste, it will be very similar and is a time-saver and you’ll a tiny bit of money on ingredients compared to buying cabbage and carrots separately.

Note that fresh ginger can be used instead of dried (use half the quantity listed if using fresh).

Rather than using a combination of sesame and coconut oil, you’re welcome to use vegetable and/or olive oil . (Note that the mere 1 tablespoon of coconut I used in this big-batch recipe does not make the dish taste at all like coconut if you’re sensitive to the flavor).

I promise the chicken pad Thai recipe doesn’t taste fishy whatsoever! It just adds a rich umami flavor that’s impossible to replicate with another ingredient.

No, the fish sauce is a must! It helps give the pad Thai sauce its signature flavor.

You’ll want to use flat rice noodles when making pad Thai. Flat rice noodles resemble Italian fettuccini and hold up well again the juicy chicken and hearty sauce.

Yes! To make this pad Thai recipe using shrimp instead of chicken, add cleaned, fresh, raw shrimp at the same place in the recipe where you would add the chicken. As soon as the shrimp is cooked through (in likely 2 minutes), remove them from the pan, set it aside, and stir them back in at the end. Otherwise it will be overcooked and rubbery.

Recipe Variations to Try

There are a million versions and variations of pad Thai you can try. Some optional ideas and variations include:

Add bean sprouts, bell peppers, and/or mushrooms.
Rather than green onions, use fresh Thai basil.
Sriracha adds a touch of heat, and for me Thai food needs to have at least some heat, but you can omit it if you’re sensitive to spices.
Add extra sriracha and/or dried chili flakes if you want more heat.

What to Serve With Pad Thai

A fresh green salad with various vegetables including broccoli, peas, and leafy greens. - 10

A fresh green salad with various vegetables including broccoli, peas, and leafy greens. - 11

Green Powerhouse Salad with Sesame-Ginger Vinaigrette

A bowl of vegetable soup with mushrooms, broccoli, and zucchini. - 12

A bowl of vegetable soup with mushrooms, broccoli, and zucchini. - 13

Easy 30-Minute Mushroom Vegetable Soup

Fresh Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Storage and Reheating Instructions

To store: Store leftover chicken pad thai in an airtight container in the fridge. If stored properly, it will keep for up to 5 days.

To reheat: I recommend reheating the chicken pad Thai in a skillet over medium heat. You may need to add a little oil to the pan if the noodles seem dry. I don’t recommend reheating pad Thai in the microwave as that will make the noodles and chicken rubbery.

Video Tutorial

Equipment

Thai Kitchen Gluten Free Premium Fish Sauce, 6.76 fl oz
Taste Of Thai Noodle Rice Linguine

Ingredients

▢ 1 pound flat rice noodles
▢ 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
▢ 1 tablespoon coconut oil
▢ 1 medium onion , diced small (I used sweet Vidalia)
▢ 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast , sliced into thin long strips
▢ 3 to 5 cloves garlic , finely minced or pressed
▢ 1 tablespoon ground ginger , (1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger may be substituted)
▢ 8 ounces thinly sliced green cabbage , (about 3 to 4 loosely packed cups)
▢ 1 cup shredded carrots
▢ ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce
▢ ¼ cup fish sauce
▢ ¼ to ⅓ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
▢ 2 tablespoons honey or agave syrup
▢ 1 large egg , scrambled
▢ 2 tablespoons sriracha , (optional and to taste)
▢ 3 green onions , sliced into thin rounds (optionally substitute with 1/3 cup minced fresh Thai basil)
▢ ⅔ cup chopped roasted peanuts , (I used reduced-salt)

Instructions

Cook rice noodles according to package directions, drain, rinse under cold water; set aside.
To a very large skillet at least 4 inches deep, add the oils (vegetable and/or olive oil may be substituted for the sesame and coconut oil), onion, and sauté the onion over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until onion is beginning to soften; stir intermittently.
Add the chicken and cook for about 3 minutes, or until done; stir and flip nearly constantly to ensure even cooking. The chicken will cook very quickly if it’s sliced sufficiently thin.
Add the garlic, ginger, and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant; stir nearly constantly.
Add the cabbage, carrots, soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, stir to combine, cover skillet with a lid, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 3 minutes, or until cabbage wilts and softens. Remove lid and stir.
Add the honey and stir to combine.
Add the cooked noodles, turn off the heat, and stir well to combine.
Add the scrambled egg, optional sriracha, and stir to combine.
Evenly garnish with the green onions, peanuts, and serve.

Video

Notes

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

©averiecooks.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

↓ Click the Stars to Rate This Recipe ↓

Tried this recipe? Leave a review!

Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes!

More Chicken Stir-Fry Recipes:

ALL OF MY ASIAN RECIPES!

Chicken Stir-Fry with Noodles — Skip takeout and make this EASY stir fry that’s ready in 15 minutes! Loaded with juicy chicken, crisp-tender veggies, comforting noodles, and Asian-inspired flavors! Perfect for busy weeknights!

chicken stir fry with noodles in a pot. - 16

15-Minute Chicken, Vegetable, and Ramen Noodle Stir Fry – Don’t call for takeout when you can make this EASY Asian stir fry in minutes! HEALTHIER and faster than takeout and great for busy weeknights!

15-Minute Chicken, Vegetable, and Ramen Noodle Stir Fry in a pot. - 17

Chicken Egg Roll Bowls — These egg roll bowls are easy, ready in 15 minutes, full of flavor, have lots of texture, and are way healthier than actual egg rolls! Pair the stir-fry with steamed or cauliflower rice and a simple green salad for a full meal!

Chicken egg roll bowl on a plate topped with scallions and sesame seeds. - 18

Sweet Chili Ground Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry – EASY, ready in 30 minutes, made in ONE skillet, and layered with Asian-inspired flavors! Juicy chicken, crisp-tender broccoli, red bell peppers, and more are coated with sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and finished with fresh cilantro for a pop of freshness!

A pot of sweet chili ground chicken and broccoli stir fry with a spoon on top. - 19

Chicken Chow Mein — Chewy chow mein noodles, crisp-tender veggies, and juicy chicken are stir-fried in a sesame-soy sauce! It’s a SIMPLE and FAST recipe that anyone can make.

Better-Than-Takeout Chicken Fried Rice — One-skillet, ready in 20 minutes, and you’ll never want takeout again after tasting how good homemade is! Way more flavor, not greasy, and loads of juicy chicken!