Pad Thai is the national dish of Thailand and hell its gorgeous. This is a lovely dish that is so full of flavour and textures, it will become a favourite. The chicken in chilli and garlic creating a blast of flavour throughout the dish. Together with the snap of the fresh beansprouts and the crunch of the roasted peanuts make this dish a true delight.
What makes Chicken Pad Thai so enjoyable is the way every mouthful offers something slightly different. The soft rice noodles carry the rich, tangy sauce, while the chicken provides a satisfying savoury bite. Then, just when the dish feels wonderfully comforting, the beansprouts add a fresh crunch and the roasted peanuts bring another layer of texture.
The balance of flavours also makes this dish particularly appealing. Tamarind provides a gentle sourness, while lime adds a fresh citrus note that cuts through the richness. Meanwhile, fish sauce brings depth and the chilli gives the dish a little warmth. You can easily adjust the amount of chilli, making it suitable for both mild and fiery tastes.
Although Pad Thai feels like something best enjoyed in a bustling Thai restaurant, it works surprisingly well as a homemade meal. The ingredients come together quickly once everything is prepared, so it is worth having everything chopped and ready before heating the wok. That simple preparation makes the cooking process much smoother.
For entertaining, Chicken Pad Thai is a particularly useful choice because it looks colourful when served. Scatter the remaining peanuts and spring onions over the top, then add lime wedges around the plates. A little extra chilli can also be offered at the table for anyone who enjoys more heat.
It is also easy to make the dish your own. Try adding extra beansprouts for more crunch or increasing the coriander for a fresher finish. Some cooks may prefer a little more lime, while others enjoy a sweeter balance in the sauce. However you serve it, the combination of noodles, chicken, vegetables, herbs and peanuts creates a satisfying meal that feels both generous and wonderfully fresh.
Chicken Pad Thai
Equipment
Ingredients
Dish ingredients
- 150 g noodles dried flat rice
- 4 tbsp sunflower oil
- 50 ml chicken stock
- 2 large chicken breasts finely slice
- 2 large eggs free range
- 60 g spring onions shredded (reserving some to serve)
- 1 large red chilli slice
- 2 cloves garlic crush
- ½ bunch coriander leaves and stalks
- 100 g beansprouts
- 60 g roasted peanuts chop
- soy sauce to serve
- red chilli to serve
Sauce ingredients
- ½ tbsp siracha
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp tamarind paste
- 1 tbsp sugar light brown
- ½ large lime juiced
- ½ large lime wedges
Instructions
- Firstly, you need to soak the noodles in warm water for about 20 mins. This will make them al dente. When ready, drain the water from the noodles.150 g noodles
- In a separate bowl, combine the sauce ingredients of fish sauce, tamarind paste, lime, siracha and sugar and mix thoroughly.½ tbsp siracha, 2 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp tamarind paste, ½ large lime, 1 tbsp sugar
- Add half the oil to a frying pan or wok over a medium heat.4 tbsp sunflower oil
- Carefully add the chilli and the garlic to fry for no more than 30 seconds.1 large red chilli, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the chicken and cook until golden.2 large chicken breasts
- Add the spring onions (scallions), chopped coriander (cilantro) stalks and fry for 1 min.60 g spring onions, ½ bunch coriander
- Add in the drained noodles together with 50ml of the chicken stock and the Pad Thai sauce you've already prepared.50 ml chicken stock
- Continue to stir fry the noodles for a few minutes and then add the sauce you've already prepared.
- Thoroughly mix everything over a high heat for a few minutes until the noodles are cooked.
- Stir everything together and cook over a high heat for 3 mins until the noodles are just cooked.
- Once the sauce has reduced add the beansprouts and mix them into the noodles.100 g beansprouts
- Now for the tricky part. Move the contents of the wok to one side and add the remaining oil. Crack the eggs into the oil and stir until scrambled.2 large eggs
- When scrambled, mix into the other contents.
- Add half of the peanuts and red chilli and toss everything together.60 g roasted peanuts, red chilli
- Serve on two warmed plates with the other half of the peanuts.60 g roasted peanuts
- Serve with slices of lime and soy sauce for the finishing touch.soy sauce, ½ large lime
45 comments
A great homemade alternative to ordering takeaway. The flavours were excellent and it was ready surprisingly quickly.
Really tasty and full of flavour. The combination of sweet, sour and savoury worked brilliantly.
Really impressed with the flavour. The tamarind gives the dish that lovely authentic tang.
Fantastic flavours and textures. The roasted peanuts are definitely worth including.
Very good Pad Thai with a lovely balance of flavours. I would happily serve this to guests.
This was delicious and very popular with everyone at the table. The peanuts added just the right amount of crunch.
This has become one of our favourite midweek meals. It tastes like something from a good Thai restaurant.
The sauce was fantastic and coated the noodles perfectly. Everyone wanted seconds.
Very tasty and easy to follow. I added extra spring onions and plenty of lime before serving.
Excellent recipe with plenty of flavour. I would probably add a little more chilli next time because we like our food spicy.
Love this dish and keep on making it. So full of texture and flavours
Have enjoyed this for years but now I can make it myself. Thank you.
Mad this instead of my usual stir fry. Family looked in disgust until they tasted it then silence as they dug in. Perfect.
Passed this recipe on to me and loving it.
This was a huge success at dinner. The sweet and sour notes were perfectly balanced.
Delicious from the first mouthful. I particularly liked the combination of tender chicken and crunchy peanuts.
A brilliant family dinner. I used a little less fish sauce and added more lime, which suited our taste.
A delicious Pad Thai that the whole family enjoyed. The noodles were soft without becoming mushy.
Easy to prepare and very satisfying. The peanuts provide a lovely contrast to the soft noodles.
Really enjoyable. I added a few extra vegetables because I had them available and it still worked beautifully.
This made a fantastic Saturday night dinner. It was colourful, generous and full of lovely Thai-inspired flavours.
Great recipe and very straightforward. Everything tasted fresh and the chicken was beautifully tender.
A big hit with the family. I reduced the chilli and added extra beansprouts, which worked well.
A delicious Pad Thai. The flavours were beautifully balanced and the peanuts added a lovely crunch. The whole family enjoyed it.
A fantastic homemade Pad Thai. I added a little extra lime at the end, which gave it a really fresh finish.
Very enjoyable recipe. I found the sauce slightly strong for my taste, so next time I will use a little less fish sauce.
One of the best homemade Pad Thais I have tried. Fresh, tasty and filling without feeling too heavy.
Fantastic meal and one I will definitely make again. The combination of noodles, chicken, lime and peanuts was superb.
Excellent Pad Thai and surprisingly quick to prepare. I would definitely make this again.
Great recipe for a quick dinner. I prepared everything beforehand and the cooking came together very smoothly.
Lovely recipe. I added more coriander and lime at the table and thought the fresh flavours worked wonderfully.
We loved this recipe. The beansprouts gave the dish a great crunch and the peanuts finished it perfectly.
Delicious and colourful. I used chicken thigh instead of breast and thought it worked particularly well.
Absolutely loved it. The fresh lime and spring onions made the finished dish taste wonderfully fresh.
A really enjoyable meal. The sauce had plenty of flavour without overpowering the chicken or noodles.
This was absolutely packed with flavour. The lime at the end really lifted the whole dish.
Really good flavour and easy to customise. I added extra beansprouts for more crunch.
Very tasty and filling. I would recommend getting all the ingredients ready before starting because the cooking moves quickly.
Really tasty and satisfying. I added a few extra vegetables and it made the dish even more colourful.
Absolutely loved this. The crunchy peanuts and fresh beansprouts made such a difference to the texture.
We really enjoyed this meal. I added some extra chilli flakes for myself and left the main dish milder for everyone else.
A lovely Pad Thai with a great balance of flavours. I followed the recipe closely and was very pleased with the result.
The flavours were spot on and everyone cleared their plates. I used slightly less chilli because of the children.
Absolutely delicious and much fresher tasting than takeaway Pad Thai. The crunchy toppings were excellent.
This was much easier to make than I expected. The chicken stayed tender and the noodles soaked up the sauce perfectly.