This chicken Pad Thai is rice noodles tossed with tofu, sliced chicken, veggies and egg, all in a savory sauce. A remake of the take out classic that tastes even better than what you’d get at a restaurant!

I love to recreate some of my family’s favorite Thai dishes at home including Thai chicken curry, cucumber salad, Thai fried rice and this simple, yet totally satisfying chicken Pad Thai.

This chicken pad thai is rice noodles tossed with tofu, sliced chicken, veggies and egg, all in a savory sauce. This chicken pad thai is rice noodles tossed with tofu, sliced chicken, veggies and egg, all in a savory sauce.

A plate of chicken pad thai served with bean sprouts and cucumber.

Whenever I go to my local Thai restaurant, I have to order the chicken Pad Thai. I’ve since learned to make this dish at home, and now I can enjoy this meal any time I want with perfect results every time!

What is pad thai?

Pad Thai is a meal that consists of stir fried rice noodles that are mixed with chicken, beef or shrimp, as well as tofu and scrambled eggs. The noodles and protein are tossed in a sauce made with brown sugar, lime juice, soy sauce and fish sauce. This dish is typically served as street food, or in restaurants all over Thailand. It’s also a very popular dish in America.

Bowls of ingredients including sauces, seasonings and vegetables.

How do you make chicken pad thai?

Start by cooking thinly sliced chicken and tofu in a pan until golden brown. Remove the chicken mixture from the pan, and cook two eggs until scrambled. Return the chicken and tofu to the pan, along with shredded carrots and rice noodles. Pour a homemade sauce over the noodle mixture, then add bean sprouts, cilantro and green onions. Toss everything until well combined. Serve the dish with a garnish of fresh herbs, as well as lime wedges and chopped peanuts.

Chicken and tofu sauteed in a pan.

Tips for the perfect dish

  • I recommend partially freezing your chicken before you slice it to make the job go a lot faster. This will also allow you to get the thinnest cuts of chicken.
  • Use extra firm tofu so that it won’t fall apart as it cooks. If you have a softer type of tofu, you can press the water out of it to make it firmer. Cut the block of tofu into thick slices and place them on a plate lined with paper towels. Place a layer of paper towels on top of the tofu, then add a plate on top and use a heavy skillet to weigh the plate down. Let the tofu sit for at least 20 minutes, then cut into cubes and use in the recipe.
  • This dish calls for fish sauce, which is a savory condiment that’s popular in Thai cuisine. Fish sauce can be found in the Asian foods aisle of most grocery stores.
  • You’ll want to use dried rice noodles for the most authentic flavor, which are also located in the Asian foods aisle.
  • Chicken Pad Thai will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Rice noodles in a pan with eggs, carrots, chicken and tofu.

Is chicken pad thai spicy?

This dish is not traditionally spicy. That being said, you can add some heat by sprinkling in a pinch or two of crushed red pepper flakes. Another option is to add sriracha to taste.

Flavor Variations

While this recipe is delicious as-is, you can add other ingredients to the mix to customize the flavors to your tastes.

  • Protein: Swap out the chicken for sliced flank steak or shrimp.
  • Vegetables: Add extra veggies such as sliced red bell pepper, mushrooms, baby corn or zucchini noodles.
  • Herbs: Try using fresh thai basil instead of the green onions and cilantro.

Tongs serving up a portion of chicken pad thai.

This chicken Pad Thai is perfect for those nights when you crave the flavors of take out!

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Chicken Pad Thai Video

4.96 from 22 votes

Chicken Pad Thai

AuthorSara Welch
A plate of chicken pad thai served with bean sprouts and cucumber.
This chicken Pad Thai is rice noodles tossed with tofu, sliced chicken, veggies and egg, all in a savory sauce. A remake of the take out classic that tastes even better than what you'd get at a restaurant!
Time
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course Main
Cuisine Asian
Serves 4

Ingredients 

For the stir fry

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breast thinly sliced
  • 7 ounces extra firm tofu cubed
  • 2 teaspoons garlic minced
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup shredded carrots
  • 8 ounces rice noodles
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • 1/3 cup green onions cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1/4 cup cilantro leaves coarsely chopped
  • 1/3 cup roasted peanuts chopped
  • lime wedges and fresh herbs for garnish optional

For the sauce

  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons water

Instructions 

For the sauce

  • Place all the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth.

For the stir fry

  • Heat the oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through.
  • Add the tofu and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
  • Remove the chicken and tofu mixture from the pan and cover to keep warm.
  • Cook the rice noodles according to package directions.
  • Pour the eggs into the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until eggs are scrambled and cooked through.
  • Return the chicken mixture to the pan, along with the carrots. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the rice noodles to the pan. Pour in the sauce and toss to coat evenly. Stir in the bean sprouts, green onions and cilantro. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.
  • Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and serve, garnished with herbs and lime wedges if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 552kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 746mg | Potassium: 754mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 3045IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 3mg

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Comments

  1. Added some Sriracha sauce for a little extra kick and it was great! Husband loved it too and asked for it again this upcoming week!

  2. hi, do you think it’ll taste okay without fish sauce? or if there’s an alternative I should use? i’m vegetarian and was just gonna not gonna add the chicken

  3. 5 stars
    Excellent recipe! I have always wanted to make pad Thai, and this recipe was very easy. I will definitely make this again.

  4. 5 stars
    We loved this! My husband said it was better than any restaurant Pad Thai he has had! It was simple to make, this will defiantly go into our rotation!

  5. 4 stars
    My husband and I enjoyed this, however I did not like the carrots (personal choice) and I didn’t do the peanuts because I was lazy. We preferred the tofu, if you can believe it!! Partially freezing the chicken was brilliant!!!! Thank you

  6. 5 stars
    This is an excellent recipe. Will balanced flavours and the directions were easy to follow and well thought out. It is as good as a restaurant.

  7. 5 stars
    Always a delicious and very tasty dish! We love how delicious and flavorful this pad Thai is! Excited to make this again for when my sister comes in town! Definitely going to be a hit!

  8. 5 stars
    WOW! What an amazingly delicious recipe is! I have already tried a few pad thai recipes but did not like them. Yours is the best! I cannot believe that I finally succeeded!

  9. 5 stars
    I love chicken pad Thai and always order it when I’m out, and this was amazing! The sauce was perfectly creamy with the best flavor, and the chicken was so tender. I definitely recommend making this! We really loved it.

  10. 5 stars
    One of my favorite thai dishes! Lots of ingredients, but not very hard if you get everything in place.

  11. 5 stars
    Pad thai is a dinner that my family is very fond of. Your plate of pad looks so creamy and delicious. I will surely adapt your version for the dinner tonight.

  12. 5 stars
    Pad Thai loaded with tofu, and egg makes a delicious quick mid-week meal! Thank you for sharing a delicious recipe.

  13. 5 stars
    The family loved how delicious and very tasty this dish was! We love pad Thai and I’ll definitely make this recipe again soon! Perfect for any meal and easy too!