Pad Thai with chicken is typically one of those dishes I can never get enough of. Which is just as well, because in January I traveled through Thailand and ate it 32 times (!) in a row. The best part is that I attended workshops there on how to make a real authentic Pad Thai by yourself and I share that recipe with you below.
Pad Thai with chicken
20 minutes
Average
What's in Pad Thai?
Pad Thai with chicken - unlike many other Asian dishes - is not spicy at all. It is a wok dish with noodles, chicken, tofu and vegetables such as Chinese chives (or spring onion) and bean sprouts. In this recipe, you make the sauce with soy sauce, fish sauce, tamarind paste, rice vinegar and honey. Together, this creates a perfect balance of umami, sweet, savory and sour, and it's addictively delicious. So if you are new to Thai cuisine, this is highly recommended!
Making Authentic Pad Thai
When making this Pad Thai with chicken, there are a few things you can pay attention to in order to make it as authentic as possible. First, I get these rice noodles from the toko because they have just the right thickness and texture for this dish. Since this is the base of the Pad Thai, I would recommend making the trip to the toko anyway. Second, it is best not to substitute or omit any ingredients. This is especially important when making the sauce, as the different components - the umami of the soy sauce and fish sauce, the sour of the tamarind paste and rice vinegar, and the sweet honey - balance each other in flavor. Finally, I recommend using a large wok pan while cooking, if you have one. This is because originally this dish is stir-fried on very high heat. All the ingredients are then heated briefly, so the bean sprouts, for example, retain their original crunch.
Making your own Pad Thai
This authentic Pad Thai is an easy and healthy wok dish with chicken, tofu, noodles and vegetables. Unlike many other Asian dishes, it is not spicy at all and has a fine blend of sweet, sour, savory and umami. Because you put it on the table within twenty minutes, this recipe is perfect as a weeknight meal.
More tasty main dishes
Looking for more dinner recipes? Try making this high-protein peanut chicken with rice and cucumber, which always strikes a chord. Or go for healthy comfort food with this red curry with meatballs and eggplant. Also tasty and quick is this vegetarian noodle bowl with zucchini and egg. Enjoy your meal!
What you need:
2
160 gr flat rice noodles
2 tbsp tamarind paste
2 tbsp (dark) soy sauce
2 tsp fish sauce
2 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp sesame oil
3 stalks of Chinese chives or spring onion
200 gr tofu
200 gr chicken thigh
1 clove of garlic
1/2 shallot
200 gr bean sprouts
1/2 tsp chili flakes
25 ml water
2 eggs
2 tbsp unsalted peanuts
1 lime
What to do:
1
Soak the flat rice noodles in cold water for 10-15 minutes. Are you using "regular" noodles? If so, cook them according to the instructions on the package.
2
Mix the tamarind with the soy sauce, fish sauce, honey, rice vinegar and water. Set aside.
3
Coarsely chop the Chinese chives (or spring onion). Dice the tofu and chicken and finely chop the garlic and shallot. Put into a bowl.
4
Heat the sesame oil in a pan over medium-high heat and fry the garlic and shallot in it. Then add the chicken breast and season with some salt and pepper. Now add the Chinese chives along with the tofu, bean sprouts and chili flakes and fry for 1 minute. Then add the sauce along with the noodles and water. Turn the heat to high and keep stir-frying well until the noodles have completely absorbed the sauce.
5
Set aside the Pad Thai with chicken in the pan and add some extra oil to the pan. In this, break the eggs and scramble them as it were. When the egg is set, stir it into the Pad Thai and mix everything well again.
6
Coarsely chop the peanuts and cut the lime into wedges. Divide the Pad Thai with chicken among the plates and garnish with the peanuts and lime.
7
Enjoy and don't forget to share your dish in your Instastory with the tag @easyculi!
