pad thai with chicken

pad thai with chicken

We love getting Thai take-out – it’s a treat.  Something about the sweet, salty, umami combination that is so satisfying, especially with fresh aromatics.  We still do get take-out on occasion (pad thai isn’t our usual order), but we’ve come across this recipe that satisfies some of that need for take-out.  And we know what the ingredients are which is always comforting.  I tried a couple of different recipes, and this one is my favorite.

pad thai with chicken
Yield: 4-5 servings

pad thai with chicken

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. wide Thai rice noodles

Sauce

  • 3 TBSP tamarind pulp, rehydrated (see note)
  • 4 TBSP fish sauce
  • 3 TBSP oyster sauce

Stir Fry

  • 4-6 TBSP olive oil
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1-1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced 1/4" thick
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 1 bunch green onions, chopped into 3" pieces
  • 1 TSP red chili flakes

For Serving

  • 1/2 cup peanuts, roughly chopped
  • Lime wedges
  • Basil leaves
  • Cilantro leaves

Instructions

Cook noodles according to package instructions. Once done cooking, drain and soak in cold water. Set aside. You'll want to use these within 10-15 mins.

Mix sauce in a medium bowl and set aside. Heat 2-3 TBSP oil over medium heat in large pot (dutch oven or pot with 4-6" sides). Cook chicken until browned and cooked through in batches and set aside. Once chicken is done, add shallot and garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds. Add chicken back to the pan along and combine. Push everthing to the sides of the pan, add more oil and scramble eggs. Combine chicken mixture with eggs. Add green onions and red chile flakes and cook briefly. Add noodles and then sauce. Toss gently for 2-3 minutes until sauce is absorbed in noodles and remove from the heat.

Serve pad thai with optional toppings of choice.

Notes

Inspired by: Recipe Tin Eats

Tamarind Pulp: you can substitute tamarind puree, but not concentrate. We found the pulp to be a flavorful, inexpensive option and sourced from a local urban Asian supermarket. If using the pulp, you want to rehydrate with 1-2x hot water versus pulp. Once mixed, it should turn into a paste. Using a fine mesh sieve to strain out the pulp.