My very first Thai food experience was with – you guessed it – Pad Thai – in my early teens. G oing out to Thai food was an experience in and of itself, as I welcomed the brightly decorated, inviting atmosphere with the barrage of warm scents from spices, ginger and garlic, and relished every bite of my wildly flavorful meal, alongside a nice chilled glass of Thai iced tea. This healthy chicken Pad Thai recipe is perfect for meal prep or any time you have a craving for Thai noodles.īack in my high school days, I had a torrid love affair with all foods Thai in general, and chicken pad thai in particular. Transfer to a serving plate with the banana leaf circle, and garnish with the remaining bean sprouts, peanuts and lime.Easy 30-Minute Chicken Pad Thai comes together in a flash and can be made any night of the week for a delicious takeout fakeout meal in. If the skillet seems dry, add a small amount of the noodle soaking water. Place half of the bean sprouts, half of the crushed peanuts and the garlic chives (or scallions) in the center of noodles, and then spoon some noodles over them to cover and let steam for 30 seconds.

Add the sauce and fold together until all the liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Cook until both the chicken and shrimp are at medium doneness, about 1 minute. Reserve the noodle soaking water.Īdd the salted turnip and shrimp. Add 3 cups of the drained noodles and cook, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Combine with the remaining cooked ingredients in the skillet, scraping the bits from the bottom before they burn. Crack the eggs into the oil and let set until half-cooked, about 30 seconds, then lightly scramble. Push ingredients in the skillet to one side and let the oil settle in the center of skillet. Add the chicken pieces and cook, stirring, until no longer pink, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tofu and dried shrimp and cook, stirring, until they begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. When the skillet starts to smoke, add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 seconds. Add the oil and coat the skillet completely. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Place on the serving platter and hold for plating. If using, cut the banana leaf into round shapes using an overturned bowl. Set aside.įor the Pad Thai: Soak the noodles in enough warm water to cover for 1 hour. For the Pad Thai Sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the fish sauce, sugar, tamarind paste, lime juice, vinegar, paprika and chili sauce.

Making chicken pad thai