Description
This easy Chicken Pad Thai recipe offers a quick, wholesome, and flavorful dinner featuring tender chicken, perfectly cooked medium-width rice noodles, fresh vegetables, and a tangy natural sauce. Ready in under 30 minutes, it’s ideal for busy weeknights, delivering a balanced blend of sweet, savory, and fresh flavors in one pan with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 8 oz medium-width rice noodles
- 12 oz chicken breast, thinly sliced
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup fresh carrots, sliced
- 1 cup bell peppers, sliced
- 3 green onions, finely sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup crushed peanuts (plant-based)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Sauce Ingredients
- 3 tbsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (natural)
- 1 tbsp tamarind paste (natural)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp brown sugar or palm sugar
- 1/2 tsp natural gelling agent
- Red chili flakes (optional, to taste)
Finishing Touch
- Fresh lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Rice Noodles: Soak rice noodles in warm water for about 15 minutes until they are pliable but not mushy. Drain and set aside.
- Cook the Chicken and Eggs: Heat a splash of oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the thinly sliced chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Push chicken to one side of the pan, pour in beaten eggs, and scramble until softly set. Combine chicken and eggs, then remove from the pan and set aside.
- Sauté the Veggies and Garlic: In the same skillet, add more oil if needed and sauté minced garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add carrots and bell peppers and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until tender-crisp.
- Prepare and Add the Sauce: Whisk together vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (natural), tamarind paste (natural), apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and natural gelling agent to make the sauce. Pour the sauce over the vegetables and stir well to combine flavors.
- Combine Noodles and Final Cooking: Add the soaked noodles along with the cooked chicken and eggs back into the skillet. Toss gently but thoroughly for 2-3 minutes, allowing noodles to soak up the sauce and warm evenly.
Notes
- Soak noodles and chop veggies before cooking to speed up preparation.
- Use high heat for stir-frying to preserve texture of chicken and vegetables.
- Taste sauce before combining and adjust acidity or sweetness as needed.
- Finish with fresh lime juice and crushed peanuts for authentic flavor and extra texture.
- Avoid overcrowding the pan to prevent steaming; cook in batches if necessary.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stir-frying
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 150mg
Keywords: Chicken Pad Thai, Thai dinner, quick Thai recipe, rice noodles, healthy Thai, weeknight dinner
