How Do You Make Chicken Pad Thai? A Simple Guide to This Mouth-Watering Thai Classic

Ever craved that perfect plate of chicken pad thai but felt intimidated to try making it yourself? Yeah me too. For years, I’d order it from my local Thai place without even considering that I could whip it up in my own kitchen. But guess what? It’s totally doable even for beginners!

I’m gonna show you how to make authentic-tasting chicken pad thai that rivals your favorite restaurant version. The best part? You won’t need to hunt down super obscure ingredients—most stuff can be found at regular grocery stores these days

What Is Pad Thai Anyway?

Before we dive into cooking, let’s understand what we’re making. Pad thai is a classic stir-fried noodle dish from Thailand. It’s a beautiful mix of flavors—tangy tamarind, sweet brown sugar, salty fish sauce, and crunchy peanuts, all tied together with chewy rice noodles and protein.

The magic of pad thai is in its perfect balance of sweet, salty, tangy, and nutty flavors. And while it’s packed with flavor, traditional pad thai isn’t actually spicy unless you add heat to it yourself.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Let’s gather everything we need for our chicken pad thai adventure:

The Noodles

• 7-8 oz flat rice noodles (similar to linguine or fettuccine in shape)

For the Sauce

• 3 Tbsp fish sauce
• 2-3 Tbsp tamarind paste/puree (the heart and soul of pad thai!)
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar (packed)
• 1-2 Tbsp lime juice
• 1-2 Tbsp oyster sauce
• Optional: 2 Tbsp paprika (for color)

The Protein & Veggies

• 1 boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced into thin strips
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups bean sprouts, divided
• 3-4 green onions, chopped
• 1 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped, divided

For Cooking

• 2-3 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil

For Serving

• Lime wedges
• Optional: crushed red pepper flakes

Can’t Find Tamarind? Here’s a Hack!

Tamarind paste can be tricky to find sometimes. If you can’t get your hands on it, here’s a surprising substitute that works surprisingly well: ketchup!

For a ketchup-based pad thai sauce, mix:

• 1 Tbsp ketchup
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce (mainly for color)
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar (or 1 Tbsp white vinegar)

I was super skeptical about this at first, but it actually creates a pretty good approximation of the classic pad thai flavor!

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Noodles

Soak your rice noodles in warm water for about 30 minutes until they’re soft but still have a slight firmness. Don’t boil them like Italian pasta—they’ll continue cooking in the wok later. After soaking, drain and rinse quickly with cold water.

Pro tip: If using Erawan Rice Sticks (red package), soak them in room temperature water for 40-45 minutes instead. DON’T follow the package directions to boil them—they’ll fall apart in your wok!

Step 2: Make the Sauce

While the noodles are soaking, mix together your sauce ingredients in a small bowl. If using the tamarind version, combine the fish sauce, tamarind paste, brown sugar, lime juice, and oyster sauce.

The sauce should taste balanced between sweet, salty, and tangy. Feel free to adjust to your preference.

Step 3: Cook the Chicken

Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions and chicken strips. Cook until the chicken is just done and onions are soft, about 4-5 minutes.

Add minced garlic and cook for another minute. Be careful not to burn the garlic!

Step 4: Add the Eggs

Push the chicken mixture to one side of the wok and pour in your beaten eggs on the other side. Scramble them until just set, then mix everything together.

Step 5: Add Noodles and Sauce

Toss in your soaked and drained rice noodles, along with half the peanuts, half the green onions, and half the bean sprouts. Mix everything well.

Pour your prepared sauce over everything and toss gently using tongs to coat all the ingredients. Cook for about 2 minutes, allowing the noodles to absorb the sauce.

Step 6: Finish and Serve

Once the noodles are tender and have soaked up most of the sauce, your pad thai is ready! Divide it into serving bowls and top with the remaining peanuts, green onions, and bean sprouts.

Serve with lime wedges on the side—a fresh squeeze of lime juice right before eating is essential for that authentic pad thai flavor!

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Overcooking the noodles: Soaking is better than boiling for rice noodles. They should be slightly undercooked when you add them to the wok.

2. Making it too sweet: Many restaurant versions are overly sweet. Authentic pad thai has a good balance of sweet, sour, and savory.

3. Using soy sauce instead of fish sauce: While you can substitute in a pinch, fish sauce gives pad thai its distinctive umami flavor.

4. Forgetting the lime: That fresh citrus zing is what makes pad thai come alive!

5. Using too much oil: Restaurants often use tons of oil, but you can make a healthier version at home with just 2-3 tablespoons.

Variations to Try

Protein Swaps

Not feeling chicken? No problem! Try:

• Shrimp (cooks even faster than chicken)
• Tofu (use extra-firm, cut into batons)
• Pork tenderloin
• Or go veggie-heavy and skip the meat altogether

Add Extra Vegetables

Bulk up the nutritional value with:

• Thinly sliced bell peppers
• Carrots cut into matchsticks
• Snow peas
• Mushrooms

Spice It Up

If you like heat, add:

• Thai chilies or jalapeños when you cook the garlic
• Sriracha sauce on top
• Extra red pepper flakes

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

Got leftovers? Lucky you! Pad thai keeps well in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container.

To reheat, I recommend using a microwave with a damp paper towel placed over the top to prevent the noodles from drying out. Stir halfway through heating.

You can also reheat in a skillet with a splash of water to help rehydrate the noodles.

Why My Homemade Pad Thai Is Better Than Takeout

I gotta say, making pad thai at home has some serious advantages:

• You control the oil (restaurants often use WAY too much)
• You can adjust the sweetness (many American Thai places make it too sweet)
• You can load it up with as many bean sprouts and peanuts as you want
• It’s actually cheaper than takeout, especially if you’re feeding a family
• It’s ready in about the same time it takes for delivery!

Final Thoughts

Making chicken pad thai at home might seem scary at first, but once you try it, you’ll be surprised how doable it is! The key is in prepping all your ingredients before you start cooking, because once that wok heats up, things move FAST.

Don’t worry if your first attempt isn’t perfect—pad thai gets better with practice as you learn to balance the flavors to your liking.

So grab those rice noodles, fire up your wok, and get cooking! Your taste buds (and wallet) will thank you for mastering this takeout favorite at home.

Have you tried making pad thai before? What’s your favorite Thai dish to cook at home? Drop me a comment below—I’d love to hear about your kitchen adventures!

Chicken Pad Thai Recipe Card

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 7-8 oz flat rice noodles
• 1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips
• 3 Tbsp fish sauce
• 2 Tbsp tamarind paste
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar (packed)
• 1-2 Tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tsp lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups bean sprouts, divided
• 1 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped, divided
• 3 green onions, chopped, divided
• Red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions:

1. Soak noodles in warm water for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Mix sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Heat oil in wok over medium-high heat. Cook chicken and onions 4-5 minutes.
4. Add garlic, cook 1 minute.
5. Push mixture aside, scramble eggs in empty space.
6. Add noodles, half the peanuts, half the bean sprouts, and half the green onions.
7. Pour sauce over everything and toss until well-coated.
8. Cook 2-3 minutes until noodles absorb sauce.
9. Serve topped with remaining peanuts, bean sprouts, and green onions.
10. Garnish with lime wedges and optional red pepper flakes.

Enjoy your homemade chicken pad thai!

Chicken Pad Thai ingredients include wide rice noodles, chicken (breast or thigh), eggs, and a flavorful sauce made from tamarind paste, fish sauce, palm sugar, and lime juice. Key aromatics and vegetables are garlic, shallots, bean sprouts, scallions, and peanuts, often served with optional cilantro and lime wedges.

Yes, you should marinate chicken for Pad Thai to keep it tender and flavorful.

The core ingredients for Pad Thai sauce are a balance of sweet, salty, and sour flavors, typically including tamarind paste for sourness, fish sauce for saltiness, and palm sugar or brown sugar for sweetness. Other common ingredients can include soy sauce, rice vinegar, and Sriracha for added depth and spice.