Chicken Pad Thai is a takeout-style noodle dish made with tender chicken, rice noodles, crisp vegetables, and a sweet-salty sauce balanced with lime and a touch of heat. This homemade version keeps the flavors bold and familiar while using simple ingredients and a straightforward cooking method that works well for busy weeknights.
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A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Chicken Pad Thai
🕒 Ready In: ~30 minutes
👪 Serves: 4 servings
🍽 Calories: ~520 per serving (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: Rice noodles, chicken breast, peanut butter, fish sauce, lime juice, vegetables
📖 Dietary Info: Dairy-free; gluten-free option
👌 Difficulty: Easy - stir-fry, toss, serve
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The sauce comes together quickly with soy sauce, fish sauce, peanut butter, honey, and lime juice, creating the classic Pad Thai balance without complicated steps. With the chicken cooked separately, eggs scrambled right in the pan, and fresh toppings added at the end, this chicken pad thai delivers satisfying texture and flavor in a way that's approachable, reliable, and easy to make at home.
If you enjoy easy takeout-inspired dinners like this, you may also like our Crockpot Beef and Broccoli, Egg Roll Bowls, or Tuna Poke Bowl that come together quickly and are great for weeknight meals.
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Why You'll Love This Chicken Pad Thai:
Takeout-style flavor at home: A balanced sweet, salty, and tangy sauce delivers the classic Pad Thai taste without complicated steps.
Quick and weeknight-friendly: Comes together in about 30 minutes, making it ideal for busy evenings.
Great texture: Tender chicken, soft rice noodles, crisp vegetables, and crunchy peanuts create contrast in every bite.
Customizable heat: Easily adjust the spice level with more or less sriracha to suit your preference.
Made in one pan: Simple cooking process with minimal cleanup.
Key Ingredients:
- pad thai noodles. Wide rice noodles are essential for classic pad thai texture. Cook just until tender, then rinse with cold water to prevent sticking before adding them to the pan.
- chicken breast. Cubed chicken cooks quickly and stays tender when stir-fried separately before being added back to the noodles.
- peanut butter. Adds richness and body to the sauce, helping balance the salty and tangy ingredients.
- soy sauce. Adds saltiness and color to the sauce. Tamari can be used for a gluten-free option.
- eggs. Scrambled directly in the pan for classic pad thai texture and added protein.
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this page for exact quantities.
Easy Substitutions & Variations:
- Make it gluten-free: Use tamari or certified gluten-free soy sauce, and be sure your fish sauce is gluten-free. Rice noodles are naturally gluten-free.
- Make it peanut-free: Swap the peanut butter for sunflower seed butter and omit the chopped peanuts, or replace them with toasted sesame seeds.
- Adjust the spice level: Reduce the sriracha for a milder dish, or add extra sriracha or red pepper flakes for more heat.
- Use a different protein: Shrimp, tofu, or thinly sliced steak can be used in place of chicken. Adjust cooking times as needed.
- Add more vegetables: Bok choy, snap peas, or shredded cabbage can be added for extra texture and color.
How to Make Chicken Pad Thai:
- Prepare the Pad Thai noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, peanut butter, fish sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, sriracha, and lime juice. Set aside.
- Heat a drizzle of oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the cubed chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add a bit more oil if needed. Sauté chopped garlic, carrots, and bell pepper for 2-3 minutes until just tender.
- Push the veggies to one side of the pan and pour in the beaten eggs. Let set for 30 seconds, then scramble and stir together with the veggies.
- Return the chicken to the skillet. Add the cooked noodles and sauce. Toss everything together until evenly coated and heated through, about 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in bean sprouts and green onions. Top with chopped peanuts and serve with extra lime wedges if desired.
Recipe Notes & Tips:
- Don't overcook the noodles: Pad Thai noodles should be tender but still slightly chewy. Rinsing them with cold water after cooking helps stop the cooking process and prevents sticking.
- Prep everything first: This dish cooks quickly once it starts, so have the sauce mixed and all ingredients ready before turning on the heat.
- Cook in stages: Cooking the chicken separately keeps it juicy and prevents overcrowding the pan, which helps everything brown properly.
- Taste and adjust at the end: Before serving, taste the pad thai and adjust with extra lime juice, soy sauce, or sriracha as needed.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve this chicken pad thai with sides like our Veggie Spring Rolls or Asian Cucumber Noodle Salad for a balanced, weeknight-friendly meal.
How to Store:
Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat: Warm gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water or broth to loosen the noodles and keep them from drying out. You can also microwave in short intervals, stirring in between.
Not freezer-friendly: Freezing is not recommended, as the noodles can become mushy when thawed.
Chicken Pad Thai FAQs:
Yes. Chicken pad thai can be made without peanuts by replacing the peanut butter with sunflower seed butter and omitting the chopped peanuts on top. This keeps the sauce creamy while making the dish peanut-free.
Chicken pad thai can be gluten free if made with rice noodles and gluten-free soy sauce or tamari. Be sure to also check that the fish sauce you use is certified gluten free, as some brands may contain wheat.
To prevent pad thai noodles from sticking, cook them just until tender, then rinse with cold water and toss lightly before adding them to the pan. Adding them to the sauce while it's hot also helps separate the noodles evenly.
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Chicken Pad Thai
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- 1 lime, juiced
- 8 ounces pad thai noodles
- 1 pound chicken breast, cubed
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 cup matchstick carrots
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup peanuts
Instructions
- Prepare the Pad Thai noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, peanut butter, fish sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, sriracha, and lime juice. Set aside.
- Heat a drizzle of oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the cubed chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add a bit more oil if needed. Sauté garlic, carrots, and bell pepper for 2-3 minutes until just tender.
- Push the veggies to one side of the pan and pour in the beaten eggs. Let set for 30 seconds, then scramble and stir together with the veggies.
- Return the chicken to the skillet. Add the cooked noodles and sauce. Toss everything together until evenly coated and heated through, about 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in bean sprouts and green onions. Top with chopped peanuts and serve with extra lime wedges if desired.
Nutrition
Notes
- Don't overcook the noodles: Pad Thai noodles should be tender but still slightly chewy. Rinsing them with cold water after cooking helps stop the cooking process and prevents sticking.
- Prep everything first: This dish cooks quickly once it starts, so have the sauce mixed and all ingredients ready before turning on the heat.
- Cook in stages: Cooking the chicken separately keeps it juicy and prevents overcrowding the pan, which helps everything brown properly.
- Taste and adjust at the end: Before serving, taste the pad thai and adjust with extra lime juice, soy sauce, or sriracha as needed.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve this chicken pad thai with sides like our Veggie Spring Rolls or Asian Cucumber Noodle Salad for a balanced, weeknight-friendly meal.
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