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Rice noodles

Chicken Pad Thai

A simplified home version: tangy tamarind, sweet-salty sauce, egg, crunchy peanuts and lime. No mirin, sake or sesame oil needed.

1 generous serving~20 min
Chicken Pad Thai

Mise en place — set out in the order it goes in

  1. Chicken
    Chickenthinly slicedStep 3
  2. Garlic + whites
    Garlic + whitesStep 3
  3. Egg
    EggStep 4
  4. Noodles + sauce
    Noodles + saucedrained; sauce dissolvedStep 5
  5. Sprouts + greens
    Sprouts + greensStep 6
  6. To serve
    To serve
    • peanuts
    • lime
    • chilli
    Step 7

Prep order — what happens when, and what overlaps

minutes
05101520
Slice chicken 3 min
3 min
Garlic, spring onions 2 min
2 min
Crush peanuts, cut lime 1.5 min
Soak / boil noodles (packet time) 8 min
8 min
Mix sauce 1.5 min
Chicken (+ garlic & whites last 30 s) → plate 4.5 min
4.5 min
Drain noodles 1 min
Scramble egg 1 min
Noodles + sauce, fold until absorbed 2.5 min
2.5 min
Chicken, sprouts, greens back in 1.5 min
Plate + peanuts, lime 42 s
BoardHands-offBowl / counterPan / stove

Shift the noodle bar to match your packet: they should be drained right before step 5.

Step by step

  1. Soak or boil the noodles per the packet’s stir-fry instructions — stop while they still have a little bite.
    Soak or boil the noodles per the packet’s stir-fry instructions — stop while they still have a little bite.

    1Noodles first

    per packet

    For this step

    • Dried flat rice noodles100 g
    • Follow the packet’s stir-fry preparation instructions, stopping while they still have a little firmness.
    • Drain well and use promptly; they’ll finish cooking in the sauce.
    • Avoid fully softening them beforehand or aggressively stirring them in the pan.
    Noodles first
    Should look like this
  2. Crush the peanuts under the flat of the knife.
    Crush the peanuts under the flat of the knife.

    2Prep everything

    ~8 min

    For this step

    • Chicken150 g
    • Garlic2 cloves
    • Spring onions2; whites sliced
    • Roasted peanuts15 g
    • Lime½
    • Slice the chicken.
    • Chop the garlic; slice the spring onion whites and cut the greens into short lengths.
    • Crush the peanuts, cut the lime into wedges.
    • Stir the sauce until the sugar dissolves:
      • tamarind purée 1½ tbsp
      • fish sauce 1 tbsp
      • brown or palm sugar 1 tbsp
      • warm water 2 tbsp
    Prep everything
    Should look like this
  3. Garlic and spring-onion whites go in for the last 30 seconds.
    Garlic and spring-onion whites go in for the last 30 seconds.

    3Chicken and aromatics

    medium-high~4 min
    • Heat half the oil over medium-high heat.
    • Fry the chicken until cooked through.
    • Add garlic and spring onion whites for the final 30 seconds, then transfer to a clean plate.
    Chicken and aromatics
    Should look like this
  4. Rest of the oil, crack in the egg and scramble until just set.
    Rest of the oil, crack in the egg and scramble until just set.

    4Egg

    medium-high~1 min

    For this step

    • Egg1

    Add the remaining oil, crack in the egg and scramble until just set.

    Egg
    Should look like this
  5. Noodles and sauce in, then fold gently until the sauce is mostly absorbed.
    Noodles and sauce in, then fold gently until the sauce is mostly absorbed.

    5Noodles and sauce

    medium-high2–3 min
    • Add the prepared noodles and sauce.
    • Gently fold over medium-high heat until the noodles are tender and most of the sauce is absorbed.
    • Add a little more water if necessary.
    Noodles and sauce
    Should look like this
  6. Chicken back in, then fold through the bean sprouts and spring-onion greens.
    Chicken back in, then fold through the bean sprouts and spring-onion greens.

    6Chicken, sprouts, greens

    medium-high~1 min

    For this step

    • Bean sprouts60–80 g

    Return the chicken, then fold in the bean sprouts and spring onion greens; cook until hot.

    Chicken, sprouts, greens
    Should look like this
  7. Serve

    7Serve

    For this step

    • Chilli flakesoptional

    Serve with crushed peanuts, lime and optional chilli.

Based on: RecipeTin Eats — Chicken Pad Thai · Epicurious — 22-minute Pad Thai